With us in the studio today is David Mills, the well known theatrical actor.0:04
David, what got you interested in acting?0:10
There were quite a few activity clubs at secondary school.0:13
Clubs for sport, art, photography and drama.0:16
I wasn't very athletic or arty, so I decided to join the drama club.0:19
I was also a bit shy and I thought it would help me to build up some self confidence.0:23
We put on performances at the end of every term and it was during them that I discovered that I really loved acting.0:28
So what happened when you left school?0:33
Well, I was very lucky.0:36
I managed to get a place at a really good drama school.0:37
It was a three year course and there was so much to learn.0:40
We did dance lessons, singing and acting lessons as well as learning about stage management and directing theatre.0:43
We all competed for parts in the plays we produced.0:49
Everyone wanted the starring role and no one wanted the smaller parts.0:52
But that just trained us for life in the real world of theatre.0:55
Was it easy to become a professional actor after you left drama school?0:58
In fact, it took me some time.1:03
When I started out, I did lots of part time jobs to give me some spare time to audition for parts.1:05
But that meant earning less money to pay for my rent and buy food.1:10
I was poor for the first year or two, but in the end I started getting small parts and I also managed to get an agent.1:14
So when did you first taste success?1:20
I'd been touring around Britain with a small theatre company.1:23
One day, quite by chance, one of the directors from the Royal Shakespeare Company saw me in a performance.1:26
He liked the show and just happened to have a vacancy in his company for one season.1:31
That offer opened the doors of opportunity to lots of others and I've never been out of work since.1:35
Not all actors, even really talented ones, manage to be employed all the time, so I'm very fortunate.1:40
What kinds of roles do you like playing most?1:45
You may get a brilliant role, but then you find you can't get on at all with the other actors and that makes for a very disappointing experience.1:49
Having said that, I suppose that like many character actors, the kinds of parts I really have fun doing are comedy roles or getting to play the villain.1:56
They are the kind of roles you can play around with a lot.2:04
And is there anything you don't like about your job?2:07
Working hours are long and unsociable.2:10
You may spend months away from home on tour, which makes it difficult to have a stable family life, but I don't really mind that.2:12
What gets on my nerves is working with actors who are badly behaved or moody, that's really unacceptable.2:19
Finally, David, what are your plans for the future?2:26
I've been acting for nearly 30 years now, and with all that experience, I'd like to branch out and try my hand at directing.2:29
I have a fantastic idea for a show, and I've already cast the actors I want to play in it.2:35
All I need now is to get a producer interested in funding the project.2:40
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