Venture into the dark side at one man show in Coventry

The South Shields-born 37-year-old, who has starred in Our Friends in the North, Wire in the Blood and the film Vera Drake, among many other roles both on screen and stage, will present to audiences at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry the hugely complex character of ‘One’ in Fragile, a new play by Coventry writer Geoff Thompson.

Charting One’s remarkable journey through traumatic abuse and self-discovery, the play sees the character communicate his feelings about his failure to find peace through a solitary tape recorder, as he tries to find salvation.

Speaking to the Courier in a rare spare moment during his intense rehearsal programme, Craig, who spent a few years living in Leamington while studying performing arts at Coventry University, said: “It’s a bit strange being in a room with just yourself and the writer. But it’s fantastic.

“It’s very psychological, but the nature of it, because there is a dark side, means that a lot of doors are open for you physically.

“We are trying to bring a lot of physical and visual elements to it.

“Theatrically, it’s really poetic, and it has pace and it moves. It is difficult and definitely a challenge.”

Craig has performed a one-man play before – and it was again one of Geoff Thompson’s pieces, Doorman/Bouncer, in 2005. But, since then, he has been concentrating on films and television, and Fragile will actually be a bit of a theatre comeback for him.

He said: “Doorman/Bouncer was a baptism of fire. So this is a mad way of getting back into it.

“Coping with the intensity is all about belief. Because you are one stage on your own and there is no one else to talk to, the actual script becomes a character for you and the setting and the stage becomes another character.

“Although you are on your own, you feel like you are surrounded by an ensemble and keep youself open to be informed.

“When the audience come in the room, hopefully I can play with them as well.”

As if rehearsing for a one-man show was not enough hard work, Craig has decided to take on a two-hour boxing or grappling session with director Nick Bagnall every day before rehearsals begin.

He said: “I wanted to be part of the physical world of this character so I have a ‘muscle memory’.

“I need to know and feel what it’s like to be in a situation like that.”

But he is well aware of the dangers of letting a desire to ‘get into character’ – particularly in such an intense play – go too far.

He said: “I could not allow the play to unsettle me too much, because it is a play. What we are doing is not real.

“The story is true, but if I allowed a character to take over and let it spill into my personal life, I could not carry on with it.

“There is lots of laughter in the rehearsal room.”

He added: “I hope people are very open-minded about it. The subject matter is hard, but it’s extremely theatrical.

“It will show people that, no matter what life throws at you, there is always a way of transcending that.”

Fragile, which is suitable for adults only, is on at the Belgrade from Saturday, September 8 to Saturday, September 22. Tickets cost from £8.50 to £15, with cheaper prices available online. Call 024 7655 3055, or visit www.belgrade.co.uk