The UK tour of Richard Bean’s Toast makes its way to Worthing’s Connaught Theatre this March before heading off to New York for the prestigious Brits off Broadway season. The show tells the tale of another Sunday night shift at the bakery. The smell of bread baking. The industrial thump, thump, thump of the machines that never stop. The ovens are cranked up to full blast, the factory is humming, and everyone wants to be somewhere else!
The star of the piece, Matthew Kelly, talks about life on the road, and in the bakery…
Can you tell us what Toast is all about and how your character fits in?
It’s the story of seven incredible (and real) blokes in bakery in Hull 1975. It was during the days when health and safety wasn’t an issue and into their midst comes a strange man. Who is he really and are his predictions of imminent death really true? My part is Walter ‘Nellie’ Nelson, a man who has worked at the factory all his life. He is like the walking dead – battered by a lifetime of hard labour – but is the emotional heart of the play. It’s a big hearted, incredibly moving play about real people within a real community and I feel very honoured to be playing one of them again. Oh, and of course it’s very funny.
Were you familiar with Richard Bean’s writing before this production?
Oh yes of course. I loved One Man, Two Gov’ners and have always been aware of his work, particularly everything he did at Hull Truck with John Godber. I’ve always wanted to do the Mentalists which is a gorgeous play. Richard is a very witty man and it’s been an ambition of mine to work with him for a very long time.
You’ve known Simon Greenall for some time – what is it like sharing the stage with him?
Simon used to be one of my staff writers for years on You Bet, and in the 4 years I worked on the show he was one of my favourite writers. So I’ve known him for 25 years (oh God!). He’s always made me laugh and is a terrific actor and a clever man. I admire him very much.
The production is touring to eight venues around the UK – how important is touring theatre?
I love working in the provinces much more than in the West End because you’re performing amongst a community and that’s very important to me. Not only that, you’re working with a close family of actors, stage managers and artists. I love living my life on the road… but I do miss my own bed!
Toast also has a New York run in April and May – are you looking forward to that? When were you last on stage in New York?
I’ve actually never played New York so it’s absolutely thrilling to be going there with Toast. Off Broadway is especially exciting because the venue we’re going to – 59E59 – is hugely respected and well known in Britain but you don’t have the huge pressure of the commercialisation of Broadway like you do with the bigger venues in New York. We can relax, do our job and enjoy ourselves without worrying about that side of the business.
You trained as an actor in Manchester and spent much of your early career at the Liverpool Everyman. What advice do you have for young people thinking about pursuing acting as a career?
Make sure you make the difference between need and want. If you want to do it you might, and if you need to do it you will! But no one is going to come to you and make it happen. Get out there, join a Union, and do everything you can to work as much as you can all of the time. With friends, professionals and amateur groups. The key is to practice practice practice but you must practice with other people.
Toast appears at the Connaught Theatre, Union Place, Worthing, BN11 1LG from Monday 14th to Saturday 19th March 2016 with evening performances at 7:30pm and matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30pm. Tickets are priced from £12.50 – £26.50 and can be purchased through the box office on 01903 206 206 or online at www.worthingtheatres.co.uk