Balham-born Sidney Cole is a familiar face that you may not be able to put a name too. A respected character actor, he has done comedy, with French and Saunders, theatre with the RSC and film with actors such as Bob Hoskins. His latest incarnation is as Horse in the stage adaptation of the successful 1997 British film The Full Monty about six unemployed Sheffield steelworkers who decide to strip to make a living. Cole explains to Joy Francis how the play, also written by the film’s Oscar winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, provides a broader storyline for the characters, how he copes with being naked on stage and why he feels that going to drama school isn’t essential to be an successful actor.
You are playing the role of Horse in stage production of The Full Monty. What is it about the part that appeals to you as he goes through a rites of passage?
It is about a guy who used to work in the steelworks, is now unemployed and has no employment prospects in the early 1990s. He is desperate enough to strip to get money and to see his son. The role really appeals to me as I have friends who are going through similar things, and it’s poignant. In the play we are able to develop the story more than in the film. In the play we look at the impact of losing his job on his identity and what it is to be a man and to have those insecurities about your body. Something these men didn’t have to consider before as they thought it was only a women’s thing.
How do you manage being naked on stage as theatre is very exposing, even with your clothes on?
During rehearsals we had a whole week of dance. After the second day the choreographer said, I want you to peel off a layer of clothing when you go to each wall and then I want you to put all your clothes back on. If we couldn’t do it in front of each other then we wouldn’t be able do it on stage. Initially I thought I would have to go down to the gym, but they didn’t want us to look buff. I had to look like a regular guy. You have to throw away your ego to do this part.
You have done a lot of comedy, such as French and Saunders and Class Act, as well as theatre with the RSC and film. Which do you prefer and what do you base your professional choices on?
I base it on the truth of the piece and whether it strikes a chord with me. I’m a jobbing actor. You always have a choice to say no. When you get older you realise there are certain things that you are unable to do, but you know what your unique selling point is. My career is varied and I like to do something that’s challenging. I’m not a dancer but I’ve learned how to be able to communicate and make you believe that this guy is a really good dancer, yet he is insecure about whether he can dance or not. I like projects that take me out of my comfort zone.
What first attracted you to acting and what made you think that you could make it into a viable career?
I wanted to be a pharmacist and a friend said – why don’t you go to a drama class? I did and I was hooked. I went to Queen Mary’s Sixth Form College in Basingstoke, Hampshire, which had its own theatre, and we had visits from touring theatre companies such as Paines Plough. I was in a hotbed of culture. When I left I applied to study drama at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. My dream was to find a cure for the common cold but that went by the wayside.
What advice do you have for budding actors, particularly of colour?
Join a youth theatre. See as many plays as you can – both professional and amateur. Join an amateur theatre society and make as many connections with people in the business as possible, and talk to them. They will tell you not to do it, but that will make you more determined. If you want to go to drama school, that’s fine. It’s good to get a bit of training for your voice but it isn’t essential. Start off doing theatre first as that is where you do your training, such as walking and talking at the same time and using props; all the elements that you need for TV and film. With TV you don’t have much rehearsal time. If you can do some training without going to drama school just do it and immerse yourself in anything to do with acting, drama and stage management. Get to know how the set is built and how producers work. It all helps.
The Full Monty is at The Noel Coward Theatre until Saturday 14 June 2014.