In our profile series Tell Us In Ten, we ask cast members and creatives of top London shows to tell us all about themselves in just ten questions. From how they got their start in the industry to their favourite shows, we want to know everything.
This week we caught up with Laurence Pears, who plays ‘half of everything – from Dr. Grant to a T-Rex’ in Hold On To Your Butts, the hit fringe parody of Jurassic Park which opens at the Arcola Theatre in December.
1. My route into theatre was…
Through doing amateur dramatics in Cornwall with my dad.
2. My West End idol is…
Douglas Hodge – he has a chameleon-like ability, and can manipulate his voice to not only perfectly fit a character but also to sing as them! Look him up, you will not be disappointed.
3. My colleagues would describe me as…
“Larry? He’s as happy as Larry… and if he’s not, just buy him a Dairy Milk, and he’ll perk right up.”
4. My favourite show is…
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill.
Max Hutchinson in The Woman In Black. Photo by Tristram Kenton.
5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…
Acting opposite Rami Malek on his new film Nuremberg. It was an absolute masterclass.
6. The hardest part about my job is…
Trying not to sweat too much… unless playing Dennis Nedry!
7. If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…
A physiotherapist – I think the work they do is amazing.
8. Something people don’t know about me is…
I can do magic tricks and make balloon animals… the perks of being a kids entertainer in my twenties.
9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
Enjoy the passage of time.
10. The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is…
Talking nonstop about film is not a substitute for a personality. That or Invest in Bitcoin in 2017.
Hold On To Your Butts plays at the Arcola in Dalston from 10 December to 4 January – book tickets via Official London Theatre.