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A monster challenge

He gained an army of female fans as hunky Jamie Baldwin in Coronation Street, but as he prepares to tread the boards in Stephen Brown's provocative tale of ordinary monsters, Future Me, Rupert Hill is out to prove he is more than just a pretty face. The 30-year-old actor talks to All About Manchester on the eve of his hotly anticipated first show at The Lowry.

You became a household name as Jamie Baldwin in Coronation Street. How has Corrie helped to shape your career so far?

I think for the most part Coronation Street has helped, but it's difficult to say. Obviously it helps when people know who you are, but it can also hinder. I'm still in the early stages of my career, I hope, so when I go into an audition I still have to work very hard. I have to do my homework and make sure I give the best performance that I can because regardless of whether people know who you are or not, you still have to be the best person for the job.

People know you as a TV actor, but you've been doing more theatre work recently. What has attracted you to the stage?

The stage has always been a very, very big love of mine. That's what I studied at university and one of my favourite things was doing stage productions. But getting work as an actor is extremely difficult; there are very many actors out there for only a very small amount of parts, so when I was offered work on television I took it. I did pretty much constant TV work for about eight years. And then I made the decision towards the end of my time on Coronation Street to return to my first love of acting. It had been such a long time since I'd done any plays that I really wanted to get back into it. And there was no guarantee that this was going to happen, but fortunately it has.

You've performed on stage in the past, with Screaming Mess, but would you say your role in Stephen Brown's Future Me is the most serious theatrical work you've taken on so far?

Yes. In fact I would say this is the most challenging and exciting role I've ever had the pleasure of being able to play in my career as an actor.

In Future Me you play a very successful barrister called Peter, who has a very dark secret. Could you tell us a bit about him?

Peter is well brought up and very intelligent, and he makes a lot of money. He has a nice house and a beautiful girlfriend, but he also has this weakness that people don't know about until his computer sends out an email to everyone in his address book, with an attachment that causes him a lot of trouble. And you find out that he has skeletons in his closet.

What made you want to play this role?

This is the perfect role for me. It's an actor's dream to get a job like this. As soon as I read the script I was completely blown away. It's quite dark and heavy, but it's extremely beautiful as well, and it's very well written and incredibly sensitive. It's a sort of epic journey that I have to go through as an actor, and the rest of the cast are fabulous and they go through this journey with me. If this was the last job I ever had as an actor, I would be proud.

What new challenges has this role presented you with?

The subject matter of this play is extremely sensitive and there are elements of Peter's character that people would describe as evil. Society often labels people like him as monsters. Stephen, the writer, very sensitively and effectively tackles this demonisation in the script, but it is my challenge as an actor to get the audience to sympathise with Peter. I have to give a character that on so many levels is horrible, evil, dark and wrong some depth so he is not all bad; so there are some redeeming qualities about him.

It all sounds very solemn. How do you think the audience will respond to it?

I'm sure there will be people who have problems with the subject matter, but I think for the most part it will be a very enjoyable play to watch. It's not all dark; some of it is very romantic, some of it is very funny and some of it is very warming. There's a really nice friendship developing in the story line. It will make you think and challenge your perceptions, but you should also have a good time watching it. There's a hell of a lot going on; it's not just black and white.

Still, this is a far cry from Coronation Street, isn't it?

I had a great time playing in Coronation Street, but I don't want to just be remembered as Jamie Baldwin and it's by doing roles like this that you can show people that you can do more than just one thing. So I am hoping to give people something completely different from what they got to know me for.

How do you feel about performing at The Lowry?

I've never performed on stage in Manchester at all, so when I found out that the play was going to The Lowry I was absolutely over the moon because I now consider Manchester my hometown and that's where I'm really looking forward to doing the show. I have a lot of friends up there, and I'm so proud of this play and of what we're doing with it that I'm encouraging everyone I know to come and see it. I think they'll really enjoy it, so I'm looking forward to it very much.

Born in Southampton, you moved to Manchester when you played in Coronation Street. What keeps you here now?

My band, Yellow Dog, was formed towards the end of my time on Coronation Street and they are all based in Manchester, so I wanted to stay here primarily because of the band. But I love Manchester anyway; it feels like home to me. I have many reasons to be there. Recently, me and my guitarist Johnny have also taken over the Castle Hotel on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, which is a pub that has been shut for a while. It's now been refurbished and we'll be reopening it sometime in March. So amongst the acting work that I'm doing, I'm also getting my finger in the pub landlord pie.

Do you still perform with the Yellow Dog?

We gig a lot when I'm not working, and the rest of the band work on new material when I am, so the band does not get put on hold when I'm away. We have a Manchester Academy gig coming up soon, but the date has not been confirmed yet.

Future Me is currently touring the UK. When does that finish?

The tour finishes at the end of March and then we're doing a month in London until April.

Is there anything exciting in the pipeline for you after Future Me?

Fortunately, despite this recession, which is a terrible time for actors, I've been offered another role in another play. It's called Deceptions and it will be touring through the summer, with Michelle Collins and myself doing a two-hander. A lot of actors I know aren't working now, so I feel extremely privileged. I'm having a nice little spell.

Future Me runs from March 2 - 3 at The Lowry, Salford Quays. For more information visit www.thelowry.com. For details on the Yellow Dog's forthcoming gigs, visit www.myspace.com/theyellowdogband.

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