One of the biggest decisions I seem to have made this year
is to appear as Dr Dee in the next tour of HORRIBLE
HISTORIES. It will be the first time I've gone on one of
our national tours, something that has always seemed
impossible because of running the company. But I have
always loved appearing in our shows for children and
indeed some of the happiest times of my theatrical life
were in FANTASTIC MR FOX, GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE and
THE BFG. Apart from plays for children, modern theatre
provides few opportunities for actors to be larger than
life, to be a grotesque, to be silly. HORRIBLE HISTORIES
is an opportunity to explore all three!

As it happen, I spoke to Mr Dahl once on the phone when I
was fifteen. (At that time, before the age of celebrity
had dawned, you could find almost anyone’s telephone
number in Who’s Who). Unfortunately I asked to speak to
Ronald Dahl and the man on the other end was quite clear
that no-one of that name lived at that address. Even when
I checked the number, the voice at the end was adamant
that there no-one called Ronald Dahl at this number.
“There’s a Roald Dahl living here” he offered pointedly.
When I acknowledged my embarrassed mistake and asked if I
could speak to Roald Dahl, the same man didn’t miss a
beat: “Speaking!”

I was able to play Grandma again when we visited Dubai
with GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE but since 1997 all our
plays for children have enjoyed long tours which have
prevented me taking part. So the relatively ‘short’ twelve
week tour of HORRIBLE HISTORIES starting in June is the
first opportunity that I’ve had to consider a show for
children – and I’ve jumped!