GARETH Clarke plays Farmer Hoggett in the Mercury Theatre’s summer family show Babe, The Sheep-Pig.

Based on the novel by Dick King Smith when Farmer Hoggett wins Babe, an orphaned piglet, at the village fair he has no idea about the incredible series of events he has begun.

Adopted by Hoggett’s faithful sheepdog, Fly, the little pig soon settles into farmyard life. But as he begins to find his place amongst the animals, a sudden threat to the sheep flock gives Babe a taste for the thrills of herding and his life is changed forever.

It runs until August 26 at various times. For tickets call 01206 573948 or go online here

What or who got you interested theatre? Did you take part in any productions at school?

When I was very young, I remember not wanting to go and see a Christmas pantomime at the Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford. My next memory is enjoying it so much I could have exploded with excitement! My school career was very modest, I seemed to play a lot of messengers rushing onstage with a letter and an out of breath “My Lord...”.

Who is the most inspiring person you’ve worked with and why?

I’ve worked with Kim Cattrall a few times and have been hugely impressed by her professionalism, focus and dedication to her job, without losing her humanity. I hope it’s safe and respectful to say that a woman of her experience, in this day and age, is able to choose what she wants to do and to carve out her own niche, shows the fruits of that dedication and is something worth celebrating.

What formal training have you done?

I’ve trained ‘on the job’ from fringe theatre and onwards, taking courses as and when I could to give myself a structure, so to speak. As a boy, I loved the stories of actors in the Fifties and Sixties ‘growing up’ in rep theatre, working their way through the ranks, and I still aspire to that.

Which experience/role do you regard as the highlight of your career to date?

I wangled my way into playing a zombie in the film 28 Weeks Later which my ten year old self will be very happy with. though I managed to smash a windscreen with my bare hands which the crew were less happy with! I was very close to giving up acting a few years ago whilst understudying the lead in Private Lives.

Gazette:

Gareth Clarke

For a week in Toronto, the main actor had to go off sick, and I took over in front of full houses and with the afore-mentioned Kim Cattrall. I defy anyone not to be tempted to stick with it a bit longer after that.

Which actor (s) do you most admire and why?

I saw a lot of Mark Rylance’s productions when he started up The Globe in the late Nineties and like many many others, became utterly mesmerised by him. I don’t know what he does or how he does it, but I could watch him, watching paint dry.

What role would you most like to play and why?

I think a Hollywood blockbuster would suit me, as Mark Rylance’s younger brother. Perhaps it’s a Marvel action film, with Kim Cattrall as the villain. And Mackenzie Crook as the gadgets man. And Sean Penn as the police commissioner who desperately needs my help. Maybe.

Any big plans for the future?

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that if you want to hear the universe chuckle, tell it your plans.

Any tricks for remembering your lines or other useful tips to pass on to other actors/directors?

For learning lines, and purists may sneer, but at the start, writing down the initial letters of each word forces the brain to work. So rather than having all your lines in front of you, you just have individual letters as a prompt.

The sooner you can stop searching for words and focus on why you’re saying them, the better. I rather pompously call it the ‘nitwood’ method (‘Now is the winter of our discontent’) which I should definitely copyright.

Also, be nice. Rehearsing a play is all about making wrong decisions until you don’t, but that can only happen if everyone trusts and is respectful of each other. Let others make their mistakes, they’ll let you make yours, and only then will you have something very good.