Paul Bradley Deathtrap interview
The former Holby City and EastEnders actor tells us about starring in stage thriller Deathtrap and why he is covered in bruises.
The former Holby City and EastEnders actor tells us about starring in stage thriller Deathtrap and why he is covered in bruises.
Click here for interview with Jessie Wallace
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What can you tell us about Deathtrap without giving too much away?
It is, as I say in the very first scene, a two-act, one-set, five-character thriller with lots of twists and turns. I play Sidney Bruhl. He’s a playwright who had a big hit 18 years ago, but since then he’s had nothing. A student he taught at a seminar sends him a script, which is fantastic, and Sidney thinks “If I bump him off I can send that script off under my name and have another hit.” The student comes to the house and then the fun starts.
It’s a superbly crafted play. It gets your mind boggling. It’s one of those plays where the audience tries to work out what’s happening... then has the rug deftly pulled from under them.
How does the play compare to the famous film adaptation starring Michael Caine?
I think the film’s alright. There are a few cheats in it. But theatre creates the possibility for magic. With a thriller like this, there’s a hysteria and tension that grows in an audience. You can feel it. Then there’s the fantastic moment of release. It’s a shared experience. It’s a bit like going on a fairground ride with loads of mates; being on the big dipper when one of the wheels is loose.
What’s it like playing Sidney?
I usually play sympathetic, less complicated characters, but Sidney is extremely complicated. He's very single-minded. He has a very swollen idea of his own worth and he’s very quick thinking. It’s an interesting character, but the play’s not really a psychological thriller. It’s not about why he is doing it, it’s about what’s going to happen next.
Have you done any research for the role?
I actually wrote a comedy script a while ago. As character preparation for Sidney I sent it off to a couple of people. I thought that would help in research for a character who was a success and now isn’t. Sure enough I got a couple of letters saying thank you, but no thank you. But the BBC sent me a letter back inviting me to come in and have a chat about it. Now they’re going to help me develop it!
Has anything surprised you as you’ve been rehearsing Deathtrap?
It’s really very physical. The director warned me, so I walked every day and got a Fitbit. I did 10,000 steps a day. In the rehearsal room I’m doing 16,000. That surprised me. There are three fights in the show, which we rehearse for an hour every morning. I’m covered in bruises. The main thing is to ensure they’re safe, because we’re using swords and daggers, crossbows and guns. It’s a weapons fest.
How is working with another former EastEnders star, Jessie Wallace?
We haven’t worked together before and I really admire her. I think she’s a very intuitive actor. She works out the truth of it and then goes from the heart.
Deathtrap is touring the UK for 12 weeks. Are you a fan of the touring life?
I love it. I really enjoy getting out of London and seeing the rest of the country. I also love visiting charity chops. They’re much better outside London and you can find some good stuff. I like hunting for old books with pictures in them because I do a lot of collages.
It is, as I say in the very first scene, a two-act, one-set, five-character thriller with lots of twists and turns. I play Sidney Bruhl. He’s a playwright who had a big hit 18 years ago, but since then he’s had nothing. A student he taught at a seminar sends him a script, which is fantastic, and Sidney thinks “If I bump him off I can send that script off under my name and have another hit.” The student comes to the house and then the fun starts.
It’s a superbly crafted play. It gets your mind boggling. It’s one of those plays where the audience tries to work out what’s happening... then has the rug deftly pulled from under them.
How does the play compare to the famous film adaptation starring Michael Caine?
I think the film’s alright. There are a few cheats in it. But theatre creates the possibility for magic. With a thriller like this, there’s a hysteria and tension that grows in an audience. You can feel it. Then there’s the fantastic moment of release. It’s a shared experience. It’s a bit like going on a fairground ride with loads of mates; being on the big dipper when one of the wheels is loose.
What’s it like playing Sidney?
I usually play sympathetic, less complicated characters, but Sidney is extremely complicated. He's very single-minded. He has a very swollen idea of his own worth and he’s very quick thinking. It’s an interesting character, but the play’s not really a psychological thriller. It’s not about why he is doing it, it’s about what’s going to happen next.
Have you done any research for the role?
I actually wrote a comedy script a while ago. As character preparation for Sidney I sent it off to a couple of people. I thought that would help in research for a character who was a success and now isn’t. Sure enough I got a couple of letters saying thank you, but no thank you. But the BBC sent me a letter back inviting me to come in and have a chat about it. Now they’re going to help me develop it!
Has anything surprised you as you’ve been rehearsing Deathtrap?
It’s really very physical. The director warned me, so I walked every day and got a Fitbit. I did 10,000 steps a day. In the rehearsal room I’m doing 16,000. That surprised me. There are three fights in the show, which we rehearse for an hour every morning. I’m covered in bruises. The main thing is to ensure they’re safe, because we’re using swords and daggers, crossbows and guns. It’s a weapons fest.
How is working with another former EastEnders star, Jessie Wallace?
We haven’t worked together before and I really admire her. I think she’s a very intuitive actor. She works out the truth of it and then goes from the heart.
Deathtrap is touring the UK for 12 weeks. Are you a fan of the touring life?
I love it. I really enjoy getting out of London and seeing the rest of the country. I also love visiting charity chops. They’re much better outside London and you can find some good stuff. I like hunting for old books with pictures in them because I do a lot of collages.
Are there any venues you’re particularly looking forward to playing?
I’m looking forward to the ones I haven’t been to before. Colchester. Aylesbury. Richmond, I haven’t done for years. I enjoy getting used to the theatres each time you get there. You have a walk around the stage, get a feel for the acoustics of the place and try to find the sweet spot.
Why do you think audiences love thrillers?
Simply, people enjoy being frightened. I sometimes think people like being frightened or made to cry more than they do being made to laugh. And there is something about being in a theatre, the curtains opening and the audience investing in that world. As soon as you see the set you think “I know where I am.” House in the middle of nowhere. Weapons on the wall. And we leave some nice loose ends to tantalise the audience too.
How did you get into performing?
I did drama at school, mainly because all the attractive women did drama as well. I just got a taste for it. Very early on I got a good review in the school magazine from an English teacher. It sustained me for quite a while. It made me think you should always encourage people, because often that makes the difference.
When you’re not acting, you’re in a band with Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck in which, along with singing, you play Sellotape…
Yes. They’re all proper musicians. I play the guitar, but I’m not a guitarist. I was Sellotaping up the set list during a song and I thought “This sounds quite good.” If you open and close your mouth around the tape it changes the pitch. I wear safety equipment – swimming goggles and a swimming hat – because I do wrap the Sellotape around my head. I used to get told off at EastEnders because it got stuck in my hair.
In one sentence, what can someone expect from a trip to see Deathtrap?
A nerve- tingling, sensational, surprising buffet of delights.
© Matthew Amer
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
26th September to 30th September
Seats: Tue to Thu 8pm, plus matinees - £31.00, £29.00, £22.50
Fri and Sat 8pm - £32.50, £30.50, £24.50
Concs £2.00 off (exc. Fri & Sat eves)
Senior Citizen Mid-week Matinee Special £27.00, £22.50 (Wed & Thu 2.30pm)
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
26th September to 30th September
Seats: Tue to Thu 8pm, plus matinees - £31.00, £29.00, £22.50
Fri and Sat 8pm - £32.50, £30.50, £24.50
Concs £2.00 off (exc. Fri & Sat eves)
Senior Citizen Mid-week Matinee Special £27.00, £22.50 (Wed & Thu 2.30pm)
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.