Actor lends Devizes youth group helping hand (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Actor lends Devizes youth group helping hand

10:37am Thursday 15th October 2009

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It's not every youth theatre group that can boast a star of stage and TV as their coach but First Stages of Devizes have just that claim to fame.

Peter Polycarpou, probably best known as Pauline Quirke’s jailbird husband in Birds of a Feather, has been working with the local youngsters over the past few months as they prepare for their public performances.

Mr Polycarpou, who was also one of the original cast members of the hit musical Les Miserables, said: “It really is a privilege to work with children like these.

“They are the next generation. These are the stars of tomorrow.”

Mr Polycarpou became involved with First Stages, founded by Devizes Town Council officer Carol Berry, after Mrs Berry brought some members of the group to see him perform in the West End musical Imagine This.

Mrs Berry said: “I knew Peter had worked with young actors before and I asked him if he would come and work with us. To my delight he said yes.”

Mr Polycarpou said he does not make any allowances for the age of the young actors. He said: “I work with them in exactly the same way I would work with professional actors.

“We start off with warm-up exercises and then we get down to some serious rehearsals.”

In Rowde Primary School hall last week, where the group rehearses, Mr Polycarpou got the children, aged eight to 16, to break into groups and create short scenes using famous people, strange locations and curious objects. The results were hilarious.

Mr Polycarpou said: “The facilities here are so good. Look at this hall. Professional directors would give their eye teeth to work in places half this good.

“You should see the squalid little rooms West End casts have to rehearse in.”

First Stages are rehearsing their next concert, due to be performed at the Corn Exchange on November 21, featuring songs from Oliver! and other musicals.

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