Best known for his primetime roles in EastEnders and Holby City, Paul Bradley tells Jane McGowan why he’s glad to be back treading the boards
Manuel Harlan
For more than 25 years Paul Bradley has been part of the BBC’s weekly drama schedule. Loved my millions as the hapless but big-hearted Nigel in EastEnders, the 62-year-old actor then changed tack donning a medic’s gown for the role of heart surgeon Elliot Hope for a 10-year stint on the wards of Holby City.
However, for the next few weeks the Cheshire-born actor can be seen in Charlotte Jones’s Humble Boy, which runs at the Orange Tree in Richmond until April 14.
“It’s quite strange because the Orange Tree gave me a big break back in 1981 when I was starting out. I had done a lot of rep in Manchester and Liverpool, but I knew I had to try and make it in London so when I landed a job here I was delighted. And from here I went straight to the National Theatre so I will always be grateful to the Orange Tree.”
Paul in a move away from his rather straight-laced persona as Mr Hope is playing George, who, as Paul explains with a little awkwardness, is the romantic interest of the piece.
“Well, he’s actually Mrs Humble’s lover,” laughs Paul. “He’s been having an affair with her for some time, and now that her husband is dead, he is pushing for them to get married. He’s quite a full-on character, a bit vulgar, and someone who speaks their mind. He’s very full of life.”
The action takes place during a balmy Cotswolds summer as Felix Humble returns home following the death of his father. The reunion between mother and son (played by Belinda Lang and Jonathan Broadbent) however, isn’t all they had hoped – especially when Felix discovers his mother has been carrying on affair with the louche George.
“It’s such a funny play,” Paul enthuses. “There are some really great scenes and we have got a fantastic cast. I think the audience will really warm to the story. There are echoes of Hamlet – a dead father, a mother having an affair, a son struggling to adjust and so on – but thankfully with none of the murdering,” he chuckles.
After the hectic production schedules of EastEnders and Holby, Paul admits he is enjoying the more relaxed pace of theatre life.
“I have been so lucky and I had such a fantastic time on Holby, and I thought it best to leave while it was still fun,” he says. “I have done some lovely plays since leaving and the main difference I have found is that you have time – time to rehearse and time to get to know the character. In television sometimes you don’t have any real rehearsal at all. You read it, learn it, have a run-through and then you shoot it. So in theatre you get more of a chance to create. You can watch other actors and you learn so much.”
And as well as being happy to be back in theatre, Paul is delighted to be back at the Richmond venue that kickstarted his career all those years ago.
“The Orange Tree is such a fantastic theatre – it’s respected throughout the profession and so well supported locally, it’s a joy to be back here. And the pub is good as well!”
Humble Boy is at the Orange Tree, Richmond until April 14. Visit: orangetreetheatre.co.uk; 020 8940 3633
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