INTERVIEW - Ross Carpenter (Peter Pan)

I N T E R V I E W : R O S S C A R P E N T E R

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'Peter Pan' - Peter Pan at the Wolerhampton Grand Theatre

INTERVIEWS | Kyle Pedley

Panto Season is once more finally upon us, and to celebrate, we're launching a series of interviews with the stars of some of the Midlands' biggest panto productions. It's a stellar lineup for the region this year, beginning with the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and their production, Peter Pan. And what better way to kickstart than by chatting to the titular hero himself? Kyle spent some time chatting with actor Ross Carpenter to discuss all things Pan and Panto...

There’s something of the boy who never grew up in many of us during the festive season, and never more so than when stepping into the whimsical world of the Pantomime. This year, the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, renowned for the quality of their annual panto (courtesy of industry-leaders QDOS), and the star wattage of the cast they routinely assemble, are taking that sentiment and running with it, inviting us all to take flight to Panto Panto Land in a dazzling production of Peter Pan, starring iconic Eastenders bad boy John ‘Nasty Nick’ Altman as the villainous Captain Hook, and comedy legends Paul and Barry a.k.a The Chuckle Brothers as the two Smee’s (to Smee, to You… naturally).

Joining the show’s headliners in the titular role of Peter is recent theatre school graduate Ross Carpenter, reprising a role he first played in Northampton last year.

Speaking to Ross at the show’s launch afternoon at the Molineuex Stadium, Wolverhampton, it isn’t difficult to see why QDOS invited the young actor back - youthful, buoyant with boyish good looks and an easy, well-spoken charm, he is a natural fit for the role. And, by his own admission, it represents something of a case of art imitating life:

“Peter Pan is so close to my personality in real life, he kind of is me… I don’t find it a massive stretch to be the instigator of mischief!

I had such a ball last time, so when I got offered it again, it was like, ‘why wouldn’t I?’.”

Referring to his aforementioned debut in the role last year, Carpenter took to the boards at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, where he was praised for an “excellent professional debut” in the role by The Stage online. There, he shared the stage with Panto veterans Joe Pasquale and Ceri Dupree, and in this year once again working with the likes of The Chuckle Brothers, Carpenter acknowledged both the pressure and privilege of working with such big industry names:

“It’s daunting! I used to watch John Altman in Eastenders with my mum, and of course I watched the Chuckles growing up, so yeah, it’s a big deal working with them.

But it’s nice because it means you have fresh people to bounce off of, and when you grew up watching them you know their humour and you get what the gig is, so that’s cool.

I do kind of feel like the baby, but it’s good, I like it!”

And despite being only his second professional production, Ross explained that panto has always been a significant influencing and formative favour in his performing background:

“I went to see the local panto when I was about 7, with the scounts, and from then on, that was it.

I started taking part in panto at home, and then when I was old enough I went off to stage school and that was it, really.”

It’s a journey which saw Carpenter recently graduate after three years of studying Musical Theatre at the reputable Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey. A highly respected course within the world of theatre and performing arts, his intensive training makes him no stranger to the demands of a role as physical as Peter, full as it is of sword fighting, flight, and plenty of staircases!:

“Yeah, he’s quite all over the place! But it’s great, the training really helped, especially with things like the fighting and the running up and down the stairs. It’s all good, it all comes in handy.”

Of the flying in particular, it was interesting to ask if the technicalities and practicalities of his flying rig, no doubt adorned with all manner of health and safety pracautions, is ever a barrier or distraction to his performance:

“I think especially when I first started doing it, I was really aware of what was happening. But by the time you get into it, which doesn’t take long at all, it’s like putting on your socks. It literally is like second nature - go down, get rigged up.

By the time it’s physically on, you forget about it. It becomes second nature to the whole thing as much as reading my lines, really.”

Which naturally lead to the question of whether or not the young actor has any fear of heights:

“I’m not too bad with heights, no. The Wolverhampton Grand is quite big, so it’s going to be quite high, but, you know, it’s all safe!”

It’s another assured, personable and confident response from a young actor who seems both comfortable with and excited by the opportunities he has been afforded. In discussing what advice he would give to younger aspiring performers in the region who would maybe wish to follow in his footsteps, Carpenter explained that doing as much as you can as young as you can is his biggest recommendation:

“If you want to do it as a career, then you need to kind of take it into your own hands. The best thing you can do is if you can get involved in stage school or drama at a younger age then yes, do it.

There’s a lot I wish I could have done as a kid - things which I couldn’t do because I come from a very small area, and there wasn’t much opportunity.

But I think the sooner you can get into it, and the more strings you can add to your bow, the better. Just get as much under your belt as you can, and the sooner you can get it under there, the better.”

And it’s a mantra he is applying to his own career as well:

“I’d love to do some parts in some musicals, here and there. I wouldn’t mind doing some parts in the Fringe, or the West End.

It’s so early in my career, I don’t want to be picky, there’s so much I want to do, and there’s lots of time!”

Despite playing the ‘boy who never grew up’ and being inarguably a perfect fit for the role, there’s a shrewdness, sensibility and maturity to the spirited actor in his responses, married with a positivity and optimism that it isn’t hard to see standing him in good stead for what will no doubt be a promising career to follow.

Before then, though, there is the simple matter of taking on Captain Hook and his dastardly band of Pirates, as part of a festive pantomime which he is confident will impress and delights audiences of any size… or age!:

“It’s such a spectacle for everyone, especially with a company like QDOS. The special effects are amazing, there’s no expense spared.

It’s going to be an amazing production and a really big deal so yeah, come see it!”

You can catch Ross and company in their Neverland pantomime adventure in Peter Pan at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Saturday 12 December 2015 through to Sunday 24 January 2016.

NEXT TIME: Kyle goes 'Hook', Line and Stinker chatting with the villainous Captain Hook a.k.a. Eastenders icon John Altman.

Run: Sat 12 Dec 2015 - Sun 26 Jan 2016

Tickets: 01902 429 212 / Official Website: click

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