Flare Path by Terence Rattigan is about to embark on another nationwide tour, the cast have just started reheasrsing for their opening at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing on the 27th February. Sammi O’Neill caught up with Charlie G. Hawkins who is playing the role of Percy and asked him about his career and about the his role in the play.
Charlie G Hawkins | Interview
SON:
Hi Charlie, it is lovely to speak to you today. I would really like to talk to you first today about your 7 years in Eastenders. You have had some incredible storylines.
C.G.H:
I know! I was very lucky to get a few big stories in EastEnders, I was very blessed to play the role of Danny Miller. I was 12 when I started in EastEnders and I was there for seven and half years and left when I was 20.
What was it like growing up on a TV set?
It was amazing and kind of strange. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. At that age it didn’t feel like a job, I was just a young kid and it was just a great place to go every day. To grow up on the set during the time when I was still becoming my own person and becoming an adult gave me great grounding. I also gained a good acting discipline working in an adult environment from such a young age. Everyone really looked after me fantastically well, I cannot speak highly enough of everyone, I was treated as one of the family. I didn’t go to acting school so to grow up on a fast moving, flagship show for the BBC was a sort of training and a wonderful way to learn the craft. It was a wonderful place to be and I enjoyed every minute of it.
If you didn’t go to drama school, how did you get involved in acting and gain the role?
It is quite a strange story really. I was living with my Mum and my brother when I was little and was really energetic and wanted to be doing everything. I went to a Karate Club, a Football club and Scouts. My Mum then sent me to an after school drama / youth club probably to give herself a bit of a break, it wasn’t very formal at all. One thing led to another and I enjoyed it more and more then one day some casting directors came. They went along the line and asked us all if we wanted to be in EastEnders and everyone of course said yes, when they got to me I said I was more interested in playing football for Arsenal. I think that drew me too them as I was more like the sort of child they wanted rather than a ‘stagey’ kid.
So my Mum didn’t push me, everything sort of fell into place and I was really really lucky I was in the right place at the right time. Especially as I have been able to continue my career in acting as well.
You had such incredible storylines, where any of them difficult to deal with at such a young age?
Not really, as I said everyone was really supportive and they knew how to help me. It was more difficult at school, if there was a scene that was slightly embarrassing the whole school would comment and I would be the brunt of the jokes which I had to roll with. We filmed two months in advance so I knew when potentially embarrassing scenes were about to be broadcast and occasionally tried to persuade my Mum to keep me off school, she never did.
Was your education fairly normal?
EastEnders are very strict about education for their young actors. If they take children on, they won’t let you fall behind in your schooling. I would have to go to my school at least 2 or 3 days a week and they were in constant touch with my heads of year and made sure I was keeping up with my homework etc. If I didn’t keep up, they would easily write the character out or replace you. When I was 14 or 15 EastEnders was my life and so that was a huge incentive for me to do my schoolwork because I was living a dream and I wanted to continue. If anything it pushed me further with my education.
How has life been since you left EastEnders in 2011?
I have been doing lots of different things. It has been nice to branch out and do other stuff. I have done a few TV bits and I am now doing quite a bit of theatre. Because I didn’t go down the Drama School route I had never been on stage and done anything theatre based. I think for actors that is the ultimate job so I had always wanted to try my hand at it.
You cannot beat that buzz of being live on stage, there is no second take like there is in TV. The adrenalin the moment before the curtain goes up is something else. Even if you are 200 shows in you can’t replace that feeling. I have been lucky, I was in a long tour of Birdsong and another couple of shows and now I am in Flare Path.
Birdsong was produced by Birdsong Productions and the Original Theatre Company who are also producing Flare Path. Tell me about your role.
The role I play in Flare Path is a young barman called Percy. The play is mainly set in a hotel bar which is frequented by RAF pilots when they are not on duty and when they are not with their wives. Percy is young and is desperate to be a man before his time. He sees the soldiers come in and hears their anecdotes about going on raids and he believes them to be heroes, getting girls and saving lives. Percy desperately wants to be involved but doesn’t understand the stark reality that actually the soldiers don’t want to be doing it at all, they were signed up, taken out of their jobs and are now see the horrors of war first hand.
Percy does have a few comedy moments and he provides a little light relief, it is a nice role, Flare Path is an ensemble piece and it is lovely to be part of a cast where everyone contributes to the story.
In Birdsong you played Tipper, who is again a very young character
Yes, the roles are similar in the way that Tipper is a young lad, vulnerable and naïve who wanted to be part of the war and wasn’t old or mature enough to understand the reality of it all. The difference is with Tipper is that he sees an opportunity and signs up. He is on the front line when it all becomes too much for him and everything unravels for him. The two boys have the same mindset but vastly different circumstances.
Flare Path opens at the Connaught Theatre in a couple of weeks. How are rehearsals?
We are now on day 3 of rehearsals, so things are picking up speed now, we have a couple of weeks of rehearsals before we open in Worthing on the 27th. The cast are great, I really enjoy being a part of an ensemble piece. Everyone has their own part of the story to tell, it’s nice, you get to meet so many different people. Because I haven’t done much theatre I am like a sponge trying to learn from people who have much more experience. Graham Seed who plays Squadron Leader Swanson has been acting longer than I have been alive. He is incredible. I love to learn from each and every person, I am lucky to be in the rehearsal room with them.
If you have any spare time what do you do?
I’d still love to play for Arsenal but don’t think that I shall be called up now, I have had to let that dream go. I do allsorts of things, what every other 24 year old does really. When I am not working I try and see friends and family. All quite normal really.
Charlie G. Hawkins is playing the role of Percy in the upcoming tour of Flare Path.