Hi Jason, how are you doing? Thanks so much for chatting to Stage to Page today! Would you mind introducing yourself and telling us how you first got into acting?

Hi, my parents were keen amateur dramatists, so as child I was roped into many stage productions and loved it. So after school I did a three year degree course at LAMDA and after graduating started working for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

You're about to embark on the UK tour of Cluedo 2: The Next Chapter. How are rehearsals going and can you tell us more about the story?

Rehearsals have been a hoot! Cluedo 2 is a mystery thriller but is also very funny. It is written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who are the BAFTA award winning writers behind Birds of a Feather, Goodnight Sweetheart and they wrote Dreamboats and Petticoats for the stage. The story is set in the 60s and I play Colonel Mustard, who is the manager of a rock star - it’s a classic whodunnit and features all of the iconic Cluedo characters which audiences know and love. Not everyone is quite who they seem...

You're playing the much-loved character Colonel Mustard. How does it feel to taking on such an iconic board game character? Is there a certain amount of pressure that comes with playing a role like that?

It’s great to play Mustard - I get to wear a lot of yellow and sport hilarious facial hair, which I’ve grown specially for the show. Portraying a board game character is completely freeing as I can make Mustard very much my own and I think audiences will enjoy seeing me play such a different comedy role compared to some of my previous work.

How do you go about preparing for a role? Is the process the same every time, or does it vary dependent on the character you're portraying?

I learn my lines, turn up on time and do what my director says! Seriously, the Cluedo 2 script is very funny and our director Mark Bell has allowed us to experiment and devise around it during rehearsals, so its been a very collaborative process. Our cast is supremely talented and they all have funny bones, which has made preparing a riot!

From stage, to TV, to film - your time in the industry has been incredibly varied. Is there a particular type of media you prefer, and why?

During my career, I’ve done an enormous amount of film and television, but there is nothing quite like performing in front of a live audience and making people laugh. I am looking forward to getting back on stage and flexing my comedy muscles in this rip-roaring comedy.

This is quite a broad question, but do you have any advice for any aspiring actors who might be reading this interview?

The profession so tough, so always have a second string to your bow, so you can earn money between acting jobs. Keep going and when you do land a gig, be professional and give it your all.

My blog is called Stage to Page. But if you could turn any book, from page to stage, what would it be and why?

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Its a children’s book that my youngest daughter Velvet loved when she was learning to read. It would be an enormous family hit!

And finally, why should people book tickets to see Cluedo 2: The Next Chapter?

For an evening of hilarious pure entertainment! Cluedo 2 is a wild whodunnit where audiences get to be the detective, featuring all of the characters from the classic boardgame. Directed by Mark Bell – who directed The Play That Goes Wrong – audiences will be in for a great night of theatre. My co-star is the reigning Strictly champ Ellie Leach, who is making her stage acting debut in the role of Miss Scarlett and we can’t wait for everyone to see it!

You can book tickets to the UK tour of Cluedo 2: The Next Chapter, here.

**photography by Dan Kennedy**