Don Warrington is the mellifluous voice behind countless TV and radio ads, and is a leading stage name and screen veteran. As Joe Keller in Talawa Theatre Company’s all-black revival of Arthur Miller’s tragedy All My Sons, he was described as “flawless”. Despite the praise, Warrington tells Carl Palmer he’s never been one to rest on his laurels, and explains why his current role as Shakespeare’s King Lear is as much of a mountain to climb as Strictly Come Dancing was in prising him out of his comfort zone.
You describe doing King Lear as “looking at Mount Everest and thinking, ‘I’m going to try and climb that – and it’s snowing’.” Did Michael Buffong, who has directed you before with Talawa, have to persuade you to take on the challenging role?
The truth is, I hadn’t thought about doing the role before but I was asked by Sarah [Royal Exchange artistic director Sarah Frankom], which was flattering. It didn’t become a reality straight away, but then I thought, yes, I’ll do it. When I asked who was going to direct it, Sarah said Michael, and I said ok. Michael and I have a history. We’ve worked together here [Royal Exchange Theatre] before, so it seemed a logical way to go about it.
You started acting in repertory theatre at the age of 17. Bearing in mind the ongoing discussion about seeing more actors of colour in leading roles, how would your teenage self feel if you were starting out now?
Well, I wouldn’t feel so isolated now as I did back then. I’d feel more encouraged simply by the weight of numbers. When I first started, I never ever walked into a room and saw more black faces than white; it was more or less just me. Nowadays, I can walk into a room and see more black faces than white, which is good, and I like it. So, in that sense it would have been nice to have more company when I started.
You have two sons, both of whom are following in your footsteps professionally. What advice would you give, or have given them about the acting business?
One is an actor, and the other is, well, he’s everything. He does stand up and is a writer. I’m not actually a great one for advice. When the one who is acting wants help he comes to see me, and I’ll help – if I can. I’m there to make sure the wheels are running straight. I only step in if I think they’re not. The best you can do for your children is to lead by example, so that’s what I try to do. Kids will always do what they want to do, so why clutter up their lives by giving them things they haven’t asked for.
Don Warrington in rehearsal for King Lear. Photo credit: Jon Shard
You first tried your hand at directing with Mustapha Matura’s Rum and Coco Cola at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2010. By all accounts, you enjoyed it. Is that a road you’d like to go down again in the future?
I really liked directing and I’d like to do it again. It wouldn’t have to be anything specific because if something comes along and I like it, then I’ll do it. But I’m waiting for people to ask me as opposed to creating it myself. I’ve directed twice and enjoyed both occasions and working with actors. When an opportunity comes along, my attitude is to go with it and see where it takes me. I got the chance to direct the first UK stage tour of Rising Damp, which I also enjoyed.
Speaking of the classic 1970s comedy Rising Damp, how did you cope with what was not just a giant leap for you professionally, but being in a ground-breaking show that used comedy to expose attitudes to race and prejudice? That must have been a lot for you to carry.
You know, the thing about burdens is to make them as light as possible. At the time, I liked the part [Philip Smith]. The thing I was clear about was that I would not do anything that I thought would be embarrassing, in a cultural sense. In Rising Damp, Philip won every argument, and whatever the racial view being put forward, he – by his very presence and the way he carried himself – contradicted it. So, he is what he is, as opposed to what people were thinking.
You have recently finished filming Sunny D, a new black sitcom for BBC3. How easy is it for you to retain an appetite for comedy?
My attitude is, everything starts from zero. You begin again, and you come with nothing, or everything, depending on how you look at it. For me it’s the former because each job is a fresh challenge and that gives you the energy to try and make it work.
Where did you stand in the #oscarssowhite racism row? Boycott, or was it all much ado about nothing?
I don’t think it was much ado about nothing. I think the real issue is a bigger one than the Oscars. The Oscars come once a year. There’s all the hullaballoo, and then they’re gone; over. The issue is much more profound than that. It’s about how we are perceived within this industry, and that’s something that has to change. Until then I’m going to think – “The Oscars? Who cares?” If we are truly represented within the industry, the Oscars’ question takes care of itself. Until that happens, we’re always going to have these explosions of discontent. Focusing on the Oscars alone is beside the point.
How hard is it spending months on the beautiful Caribbean island of Guadeloupe filming the BBC1 hit show Death in Paradise? You’ve played Commissioner Selwyn Patterson since 2011. You must feel like you’ve died and gone to location heaven.
You know what, it’s very hard, but it’s also a very good gig because Guadeloupe is such a lovely place to be. Our job is to make things look easy, but actually the heat can be very difficult to manage. We’re working under lights all the time. The costumes are very hot and sometimes the environment is not best suited to filming. There are disciplines that need to be kept to, and that’s what can make it tough going.
I deliberately left this question until last. You took part in the highly popular BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing. Did you enjoy the experience, and on a scale of one to 10, where would you class yourself as a dancer now?
I would give myself a generous six [laughs]. To be honest, I didn’t know what Strictly Come Dancing was properly. I’d vaguely heard of it and just found myself involved in it. It did make me wonder what it is about me that made anyone think this is the sort of thing I do. Anyway, I did it and a part of me thought it would go unnoticed, but it didn’t as it’s a big show. My favourite dance has to be the American Smooth, the dance I went out on. I loved it because it’s so elegant and it made me think of those 1920s Hollywood movies.
Don Warrington plays King Lear at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, until 7 May 2016.