The Pleasance Bytes series claims to get an intimate insight from the stars of the stage and screen, and that’s certainly what we got from Jeremy Stockwell. Actor in two shows at the Fringe – Ken, A Sockful of Custard – and director of four more shows, Stockwell is certainly busy enjoying the festival experience. In Ken, Stockwell plays theatre maverick Ken Campbell, and he certainly wasn’t afraid to crack out the impressions of Ken throughout the interview. A Sockful of Custard celebrate British comedy legend Spike Milligan, and again the interview wasn’t short on charming impressions of the legend.
Whether you’re familiar with Stockwell’s work or not, he had some interesting insights to share. From the difference between impressionistic acting to traditional acting (there’s more freedom to play and take liberties with impressions) to the importance of keeping a connection to childhood and innocence. Stockwell is clearly a good storyteller and had the audience captivated despite the numerous tangents into nostalgia and memories - of his child’s first steps or the time Ken Campbell invited him to tea to read a play and continued to berate him for the way he was reading.
What was most interesting for me was Stockwell's ideas on the luxury of failure – how we should all fall on our face to learn and remind ourselves to live in the now. Mistakes from actors should be embraced as they wake the audience up and remind them that they’re experiencing the now. This was a truly insightful and interesting interview with a charismatic actor.
Other guests in the Pleasance Bytes series include Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet, Downton Abbey) on Sunday 12th and Shon and Josie Dale-Jones (The Duke, Me & My Bee) on Sunday 19th. Each interview will be shared as a podcast on the Pleasance Bytes website.
Find out more and book tickets: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/pleasance-bytes-3/#overview
Ken: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/ken
A Sockful of Custard: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/sockful-of-custard
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