Seasoned Actor from famous “This Life” talks to The Saturn Herald

David Mallinson currently starring in “The Last Dance” (London fringe)  has done quite a bit of acting at Sheffield’s famous Crucible theatre where he has starred in amongst other plays – A Winter’s Tale, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.  He stays in digs and sometimes ruminates on the quietness of that lifestyle though in some events,  the digs come up trumps with serious digs mates like PHD students.  David has no favourite type of role and relies on his agent to get him good roles.  He loves Alan Aykborn, and likes playing comedy specially when the art is to play it straight but to make  people laugh and smile at the same time. David trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and is the son of an Army man. David has lived in Germany, Cyprus, Egypt and France as well as the UK. After graduating, David went on to pursue his career voraciously.  He claims he does not spend any time writing creatively himself but has always been kept in work.  A famous television role is O’Donnell in the celebrated TV series – “This Life”.  It is about young lawyers together – incorporating sex drugs and rock and roll – he played a Senior Solicitor in two series.

David went to school at one time in Enniskillen in Ireland at the Portora Royal School which educated both Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett.  As these very famous people had been there, and David’s father was on the staff, then seeing a schoolboy production of “Waiting for Godot” David developed a passion for treading the boards.  “For schoolboys to take on that play was extraordinary”, observes David. David’s uncle was the famous actor Anthony Nicholls. Therefore it is not wholly surprising that David Mallinson chose acting for a career,

The Third Age acting group has phased a few actors, as growing old does not seem so unusual that one would expect there to be a group focussing on actors reaching the autumn or even winter of their years,  but the parts are being written for them and as actors get older they may not be so ready and willing to check into a drama in an out of town location and spend “miserable” times in digs….. patrons of this third Age  group includes Dame Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave.

David likes to return to his bolthole in Gloucestershire when time permits and relies on his agent to find him new acting roles.  On the issue of churches, he says he goes sometimes but regards the populations in churches as being on the wane, noting however that many older people go and also the churches have a following from gospel choirs.