The actors and old friends talk about how theatre beats TV, the terror of standup – and the joys of making Yoko Ono crack up
John Simm’s dad encouraged him towards a career on stage; Tracy-Ann Oberman’s parents were horrified by the idea. Both became household names on television – in Life on Mars and EastEnders respectively – but both love the camaraderie and unpredictability of live theatre. Simm’s theatre credits include Hamlet, Macbeth and the Norwegian odd-couple comedy Elling. Oberman is due to star as Shylock in a tour of The Merchant of Venice that has been postponed because of the pandemic.
John Simm: I grew up in working men’s clubs in the 70s and 80s. I was doing the clubs with my dad from the age of 11, singing and playing guitar. We did it until I was about 18. It was a trial by fire. This was the first time I’d been on stage, and I’d just stare at the floor or at my guitar. Dad was always nudging me, trying to get me to smile and move around a bit. I felt self-conscious but when I went to drama class I realised I could pretend to be somebody else and hide behind a character. Then I was in a band, Magic Alex, in the 90s – we supported Echo and the Bunnymen and Coldplay. Luckily, we played big venues so I couldn’t see anybody. I still felt self-conscious.
