Interview

Paul Jepson

by Phil Willmott
28/07/2005

Director Paul Jepson is currently riding high. Not only has he just directed his first show to reach the West End, "Telstar", at the New Ambassadors Theatre but he also has a new baby daughter.

We had supper after the show on Monday night and Paul was sporting the "I've been up all night with a crying baby" look popular amongst young dads; but there was no dampening his pride in "Telstar" and no wonder.

Q. It's a huge sweep of a show, a big cast, with a giant central character on an epic psychological journey. I think you get it just right.

A: Thank you. It's one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever worked on.

Q: How did you get involved?

A: Well, it was all very sudden. The original director, Michael Bogdanov, had to deal with a show on Broadway so the management were looking for someone to take over just a few weeks before rehearsals began. I'd worked with some of the producers before so fortunately they thought of me.

Q: And you also knew Nick Moran the writer and "Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels" star.

A: We'd met briefly a few years earlier when my wife was in a production of the Rivals with him at the Albery Theatre. There'd been a reading of a play of his at the time and I'd been rather impressed. He's a very good writer to work with, very adaptable to what comes up in rehearsals.

Q: Did you do a lot of script development in rehearsals?

A: Some but not really. It was pretty much all there as you see it now. Our main challenge was to convert it from a screen play. I think Jude Law was in the frame to play Heinz, Meeks lust object, on film at one point.

Q: It doesn't feel like a converted screenplay. It uses theatrical conventions a lot, notably, in places, door slamming farce.

A: The play is set in the London of Joe Orton who, of course, was exploring farce conventions in plays like "what the Butler Saw". So it adds to the period tone. But a lot of it really came about because of the central staircase.

Q: Explain.

A: Well the action all originally took place in Joe Meek's recording studio which he set up in a couple of scruffy rented rooms over a shop. There was a studio, a control booth and a bedroom. Theatrical conventions say you can't have a staircase through the middle of a set but we tried putting one in and making the characters dash from room to room, floor to floor. It gives a manic energy long before the central character of Joe Meek begins to crack up.

Q: Con O'Neil has to portray that character through a huge and painful journey from eccentricity to schizophrenia. How did you work together on that?

A: He's a wonderful actor and he'd done a lot of preparation before rehearsal started, so for me it was a case of helping him to fine tune. One of the things I did was forbid him from touching anyone on stage.

Q: Why was that helpful?

A: Well both Con and Meek are very demonstrative gay men but in Meek's world homosexuality was much more taboo then it is today. One wouldn't have been able to act as openly and I wanted Con to feel that frustration.

Q: How was working with Linda Robson?

A: Oh a great pleasure as you can imagine. She's like company mum. Her nickname for me is "the Bastard"

Q: That doesn't sound very mummsy.

A: Fortunately it's meant affectionately. On the first day of rehearsals, when all the actors were very nervous, I didn't let them sit round for the customary read through of the script. I got them to stand straight up and act the play out on their feet.

Q: I often start farce rehearsals like that.

A: I think it's essential. With farce the words are only half the story. It's the momentum of the plays physical energy that counts. Anyway Linda was terrified but bravely gave it a go and now acknowledges that jumping in at the deep end was a good way for the actors to overcome nerves.

Q: Do you think it makes a difference that the play was written by an actor.

A: Yes, I think Nick knows what actors enjoy doing. So there are very clear characters and their objectives in coming on and off stage are also very clear. There's no having to stand around and fill time because the writer doesn't know what to do with you. The comedy is also very playable and there's lots of dressing up.

Q: Did you always want to be a director?

A: Ever since I was a teenager. I was at school with the actor Jason Morell and we had lots of big ideas about parts I would cast him in. I directed him in "Androcles and the Lion".

Q: What advice would you give aspiring directors?

A: Apart from find something else to do?

Q: Yep.

A: Well you just need lots and lots of perseverance. There are very few opportunities around. You have to be very persistent. Keep coming up with, and pitching, ideas and projects. A directing career won't fall in your lap.

Q: You actually trained in theatre directing didn't you? Even though there are quite a few courses it's rare that working directors come up through that route.

A: I found it very useful. I was lucky enough to be taught by the great director Mike Alfreds and I learnt so much about analysing a script and the mechanics of staging a play from him.

Q: Did they teach you how to deal with actors?

A: Ah, that, I think, you only learn from experience.

Q: Like being a dad?

A: Exactly.