Actor Tom Claxton is back out on the town!
After sell-out successes at the Edinburgh Fringe and the Vaults Festival a couple of years ago (and with a five star review from Everything Theatre, no less!), A Manchester Anthem is back on stage. Tom Claxton returns in the role of Tommy, and we caught up with him during rehearsals to ask about this exciting revival, coming firstly to the Hope Mill Theatre and then to Riverside Studios.
Hiya Tom. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us about this fabulous solo show. Firstly, can you give us a quick synopsis of the story?
Absolutely! A Manchester Anthem follows the story of Tommy, a working-class lad, who’s currently attending private school on a scholarship, and has just been accepted into university – the University of Oxford. The play takes place over his last Saturday at home, as he prepares for his final big night out, but things don’t go exactly to plan.
After the play’s huge successes, how did you feel when you were asked to revisit the role of Tommy this year? Shouldn’t he have graduated by now?
Elated. And scared. Especially after the break. Tommy is one of my favourite characters I’ve ever had the chance to play, and the story, and Nick Dawkins’ script, is always an absolute treat to return to. It’s such a fun, witty, clever and nuanced piece of writing, and it’s a project very close to my own heart for a number of reasons. I’m incredibly grateful to step back into the world, even if I’m painfully aware that I’m no longer a wide-eyed high school graduate.
Do any aspects of Tommy’s journey resonate with your own experiences?
So many. From the practical aspects of him – a Mancunian lad, growing up in a lower-income household, who’s the first in his family to go off to university – to the emotional ones. I feel like I see an awful lot of my younger self in him, from his sensitivity and belief in justice and fairness, to his stubbornness and the humungous chip on his shoulder that he carries around with him. And I think his struggle with identity, and moving away from home, and how he combats growing up and moving on is a struggle that resonates with a lot of people.
You’ve got a whole range of other characters to get to grips with in the performance – how is that for you?
It’s a complete workout of a show to perform, in the most brilliant way possible. I think there are 13 characters in total, and scenes where there are six people in a room all talking to one another, so it takes a lot out of you – I’m normally sweating by the end! But it’s so satisfying when it clicks. We’ve done a lot of character work in the rehearsal rooms to make each character specific, in physicality, speech, rhythm, and musicality. And because we see the world through Tommy’s eyes, a lot of the characters are slightly heightened and sometimes mocked, so there’s a lot of fun to be had.
This time round the director is Izzy Edwards who has an amazing resumé, having tackled everything from La Bohème to Punchdrunk productions. What’s it been like working with her?
It’s been such a treat working with Izzy (pictured with Tom during rehearsal below) and getting a fresh pair of eyes on the story. We’ve worked together once before, but only briefly, so it’s a real joy getting tucked into a larger project. She’s been so collaborative in the rehearsal room, which is always how I love to work, and it feels very much like a team effort, working together to make the piece the best that it can be, which I think gets the best work and offers out of everybody.
Can you talk a bit about the staging of the show generally, and how it evokes a big night out in Manchester?
Anna Niamh Gorman has done such a brilliant job of the design and creates a world that initially resembles Tommy’s packed-up life, and then utterly transforms into a backdrop of Manchester. There are a few nods to iconic Manchester landmarks throughout the design, and Caelan Oram’s lighting, alongside Sam Baxter’s (pictured above) sound design, creates such a compelling world that’s a delight to live in. There’s also a good dollop of Manchester bangers in the mix. I don’t want to give too much away, but there are some incredibly satisfying staging moments that really evoke that big night out.
You’ve conquered Edinburgh, and you’re now going to the Hope Mill in Manchester and Riverside Studios in London – do you find audience responses to the show are different in the North and South of the country?
It’s hard to say, having done mostly Fringe runs so far, which tend to attract the same sort of audience responses. I’m so, so excited to perform the show in Manchester and see how it’s reacted to. Since the play’s conception, we’ve talked about performing it in the North, and getting to put it on not only in my home city, but also in Hope Mill, which is a wicked venue, is going to feel really special, and very much like a homecoming. I’ve got high hopes for the Manc crowds!
Thanks very much to Tom for talking with us about what promises to be a cracking show.
Manchester Anthem runs at the Hope Mill Theatre from 29 July to 2 August
It then moves to Riverside Studios from 19 August to 13 September.