Crippling shyness was thwarting Stephen Mosley's ambition to be an actor.
But then he discovered community theatre.
He gave up his day job and trained at Park Lane College, in Leeds, and then with Red Ladder Theatre Company.
Now an established actor, he has just played Fagin in "Oliver!" and can now be seen in Red Ladder's touring
production of new play "Forgotten Things".
Red Ladder's respected artistic director Rod Dixon calls Mosley an instinctive actor and a wonderful, natural
clown.

Had you always wanted to act?
Yes, and it took me a while.
As a kid I was raised on old movies and my heroes were people like John Barrymore, Peter Cushing.
It's the old story of sitting in the dark and being utterly enchanted by the world of make-believe.
I just yearned to be a part of it but didn't get into it until I was 23.
I was terribly shy as a young person.

What was the first step?
I plucked up the courage to get into amateur dramatics with Leeds Arts Centre.
Then I got involved in community theatre, in particular a play at the West Yorkshire Playhouse called
"Once upon a Quarry Hill".
That was the lightning bolt.
After watching me play a villager, Steven Downs, the director, took me aside and built up a character for me.
It was a great showcase for me.

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" ... Mosley (is) an instinctive actor and a wonderful, natural clown."
Rod Dixon, Artistic Director of Red Ladder Th Co
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You trained with Red Ladder?
They have a training scheme for emerging young actors called Red Grit.
They devised a show with the trainees and the intention was for Red Ladder to go on tour with it and there
would be a part for one of the trainees.
At the end of the training, they offered me the job.
That was a really emotional moment.
The years of hard work and heartbreak had reached a sense of culmination.
Red Ladder is a nurturing company.
The training stressed finding your individuality, with whatever character you are playing.
They encouraged me to physicalise my characters.
I was nervous with that at first, feeling that I moved awkwardly, but it's now one of the most important
facets of what I do.
I haven't finished learning.
I'll still be learning when I'm 85.

What was the day job?
I was working as an engineering assistant.
My co-workers always knew I had dramatic leanings.
They had pin-ups of naked ladies above their computers.
I had pictures of Peter Cushing.
The bosses were happy to see me go.
I was no great shakes at engineering, but I went with their good wishes.

Why Peter Cushing?
He's fascinating to watch.
I think he exhibits a serene presence on screen, and then he has these explosive bursts of energy which really
belie his fragile experience.
That's fascinating to watch.
And he can talk gobbledygook with absolute conviction.
He makes the unbelievable believable, which is one of the true merits an actor should have.


Interviewed by Kevin Berry