11:07am Tuesday 20th January 2009
AWARD-winning comedy Humble Boy is coming to The Haymarket at the end of the month, and John Dorney, who plays leading man Felix Humble, talks to the Gazette about the joys of touring, the play and his part in it.
Written by Charlotte Jones, Humble Boy is about 35-year-old Felix, a Cambridge academic whose father dies suddenly, so he returns to his Middle England home, a demanding mother and a series of disasters.
“Both my parents are still alive so that aspect was quite hard,” said Dorney, “But the most complicated thing for me was dealing with quantum physics.”
Felix is a research fellow at Cambridge studying String Theory.
Dorney said: “Felix maps his family situation onto the Quantum Universe, so his mother is gravity, the big force, and his father is quantum theory, the little force.”
It is the first time Dorney has acted with London Classic Theatre, under the direction of Michael Cabot.
He said the company’s usual repertoire of actors did not have anyone who fit the description of Felix –mid-thirties, a little overweight but not unattractive – Dorney was called in for audition and got the part.
“I’m quite happy with that description,” said Dorney.
The play toured for three months last year and with the option of a second leg five of the six original cast members signed up for up.
“It will be interesting,” said John, “because Basingstoke is the first performance after a break.”
“Most of the places we are going I’ve never been to, it’s one of the chief joys of touring, seeing all these theatres and I’m beginning to know where places are in my own country, which I didn’t before!”
Jones’ play first opened at the National Theatre in 2001 and won several awards, including Critic’s Circle Award for Best New Play, in 2002.
Humble Boy is running at The Anvil from January 29 until 31, with performances at 7.30pm and a matinee show on Saturday January 31.
Tickets, priced between £12.00 and £18.50, can be booked from the box office, on 01256 844244, or at www. anvilarts.org.uk
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