Interview: James Dreyfus Chats THE HOLLOW at Riverside Studios

James Dreyfus is known for his on-stage roles in The Master Builder and Harvey, as well as TV roles in Absolutely Fabulous and Gimme Gimme.

He is appearing at a one-off staged reading of Agatha Christie's The Hollow. The evening will include staged readings of Christie's Spider's Web and The Hollow, with a cast including Sir Derek Jacobi, Jessica Hynes, Simon Callow and Angela Griffin.

All profits from the staged readings will be donated to the Theatre Support Fund+ and Acting For Others who offer financial and emotional support to theatre workers in times of need. Dreyfus spoke to us about being part of the event.

How has 2020 been for you? What has brought you joy during this difficult year?

In all honesty, it has been a pretty awful year, as I suspect it's been for a lot of people. My partner and my dog have kept me going. It's been amazing to see the vaccine start to be rolled out today, but I do hope 2021 turns out better than 2020. I've been making my way through the DVD collection largely...

How does it feel to be returning to the stage soon in this staged reading?

I'm really looking forward to returning to Riverside Studios - I performed there some 20 years ago, so it's going to be fantastic to get back on stage. After the year we have had, it's really going to be a breath of fresh air to perform live again. I really love the readings anyway, it great to have the script right there in case you forget the lines.

How has the rehearsal process been? Any challenges?

So for this staged reading, we're offering something slightly unrehearsed! The whole cast, including Angela Griffin, Samantha Bond and Simon Callow will all meet on the day, have a read through and then perform the show fresh that evening... what could possibly go wrong?!

What can we expect on the night?

Hopefully, you will all be transported back to the Agatha Christie era, and we can all revel in a bit of nostalgia and some good old-fashioned storytelling. It's also just an amazing opportunity to see some world-class actors perform in such a stripped-back way.

For those unfamiliar with The Hollow, who do you play?

I play Gudgeon the butler. He's one of the suspects on the night, so take his buffoonery with a pinch of salt!

Does your approach change for on-stage vs on-screen projects? If so, how?

Certainly, it does, of course, theatre is live so anything could happen, and you can't repeat the scene. You also have to make sure people at the back can see and hear you, whereas for the screen, you just do it for the camera, so you do a lot less. The approaches are very different.

This evening supports the Theatre Support Fund and Acting For Others. Why is it important for you to support these charities?

These charities are so important, especially this year when nobody has been able to make anything, I know everyone has been hit. Still, self-employed theatre-makers have particularly struggled. So, it was a real honour to be able to represent Theatre Support Fund and Acting For Others through the events at Riverside; I'm very grateful to be a part of it.

As we've learnt this year, it's easy to forget how crucial the arts and live performance are to life. They support mental wellbeing through escapism, comedy, laughter and suspense. We need the arts now more than ever, really.

Any other projects you can tell us about? Can you tell us anything about the rumoured AbFab reunion?

AbFab is certainly news to me. I have a film called Supernova coming out which includes Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci and then also a horror film called The Kindred with my fellow The Hollow castmate Samantha Bond.

What do you think makes a good thriller?

Well, it's got to thrill! It has got to make you think, especially if it's a whodunnit. At the end you've got to go, "Oh my gosh I had no idea..." Of course, Agatha Christie is one of the best at that.

Why should people come to this show?

It should be fun - there are lots of great actors in it, and it should be a rollicking good evening. It's in aid of a good cause, and it will be a fantastic return to live entertainment.

Catch The Spider's Web on 9 December and The Hollow on 10 December, both at Riverside Studios

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