FIRST IMPRESSIONS: David Troughton
What are you working on at the moment?
A play called Goodnight Mister Tom.
When were you at your happiest?
I was happiest in a charity cricket match at Stratford-upon-Avon where I managed to carve the England fast bowler Gladstone Small over cover point for a six.
What is your greatest fear?
To be alone, say, in an old people’s home with nothing.
What is your earliest memory?
Having my front tooth knocked out by my dad’s heel as I was running after him. I fell over and his heel came straight into my mouth.
What do you most dislike about yourself?
My pessimism. I’m known as Eeyore.
Who has been your greatest influence?
Lifewise it’s my wife Ali because we have gone through a lot together. Career, it would be Albert Finney. When he directed me in Loot at the Royal Court I was very young and he said, ‘You mustn’t be frightened in a rehearsal room. The rehearsal room is like a swimming pool, you just have to strip off and dive in, try and swim, then towel yourself down, go in again, try and swim again and by the end of it you’ll be swimming lengths.’ I’ve taken that with me.
What is your most treasured possession?
An ankh on a silver chain. I had it instead of a wedding ring because I have short stubby fingers and rings don’t suit me. I’ve had it around my neck for 42 years.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Selfishness.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I was born with a mouth that unfortunately turns down and I was always getting the comment, ‘Don’t worry, it may never happen!’ What is your all-time favourite book? Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens.
What is your favourite film?
Con Air. And your favourite record or piece of music? Bruch Violin Concerto No 1. What is your favourite meal? One that my wife makes called St David’s Pie. It is lamb, leeks and potatoes in a puff pastry case.
Four he favours: raconteur David Niven as a dinner guest, Charles Dickens’s Our Mutual Friend, Bruch Violin Concerto No 1 and the film Con Air
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
David Niven because of his storytelling ability, Mike Brearley, the ex-cricket captain, because I would like to know how he captains, Ben Jonson – not William Shakespeare – because I think Jonson would tell me the morbid truth, and Owen Jones, the political commentator, who speaks a lot of sense.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
I did a play about cricket and Frank Keating, the sports writer for The Guardian, who is no longer with us, came to review it and wrote, ‘David Troughton: about as wooden as the Duncan Fearnley cricket bat he held.’ I never dared read another critic again, which is good. He did me a favour.
Do you believe in aliens?
Of course, we cannot be the only living organisms in all the universe.
What is your secret vice?
I bite my nails.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Not so much, but if I’ve been somewhere and people have been kind enough to entertain us, we will thank them.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
I always go ‘Weeeellll…’ before everything in my pessimistic mood. If someone were to say, ‘Oh, it’s a lovely day!’, ‘Weeeellll,’ I will say, ‘it might rain later.’
What would improve the quality of your life?
A free available car parking space and a good mobile signal wherever you are in the world.
Can you tell us one thing people might not know about you?
I am a qualified Association of Cricket Officials umpire.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
‘Tomorrow is the today that you worried about yesterday.’
Goodnight Mister Tom is at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, until 20 February, then tours the UK until May: www.goodnightmistertom.co.uk
A play called Goodnight Mister Tom.
When were you at your happiest?
I was happiest in a charity cricket match at Stratford-upon-Avon where I managed to carve the England fast bowler Gladstone Small over cover point for a six.
What is your greatest fear?
To be alone, say, in an old people’s home with nothing.
What is your earliest memory?
Having my front tooth knocked out by my dad’s heel as I was running after him. I fell over and his heel came straight into my mouth.
What do you most dislike about yourself?
My pessimism. I’m known as Eeyore.
Who has been your greatest influence?
Lifewise it’s my wife Ali because we have gone through a lot together. Career, it would be Albert Finney. When he directed me in Loot at the Royal Court I was very young and he said, ‘You mustn’t be frightened in a rehearsal room. The rehearsal room is like a swimming pool, you just have to strip off and dive in, try and swim, then towel yourself down, go in again, try and swim again and by the end of it you’ll be swimming lengths.’ I’ve taken that with me.
What is your most treasured possession?
An ankh on a silver chain. I had it instead of a wedding ring because I have short stubby fingers and rings don’t suit me. I’ve had it around my neck for 42 years.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Selfishness.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I was born with a mouth that unfortunately turns down and I was always getting the comment, ‘Don’t worry, it may never happen!’ What is your all-time favourite book? Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens.
What is your favourite film?
Con Air. And your favourite record or piece of music? Bruch Violin Concerto No 1. What is your favourite meal? One that my wife makes called St David’s Pie. It is lamb, leeks and potatoes in a puff pastry case.
Four he favours: raconteur David Niven as a dinner guest, Charles Dickens’s Our Mutual Friend, Bruch Violin Concerto No 1 and the film Con Air Who would you most like to come to dinner?
David Niven because of his storytelling ability, Mike Brearley, the ex-cricket captain, because I would like to know how he captains, Ben Jonson – not William Shakespeare – because I think Jonson would tell me the morbid truth, and Owen Jones, the political commentator, who speaks a lot of sense.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
I did a play about cricket and Frank Keating, the sports writer for The Guardian, who is no longer with us, came to review it and wrote, ‘David Troughton: about as wooden as the Duncan Fearnley cricket bat he held.’ I never dared read another critic again, which is good. He did me a favour.
Do you believe in aliens?
Of course, we cannot be the only living organisms in all the universe.
What is your secret vice?
I bite my nails.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Not so much, but if I’ve been somewhere and people have been kind enough to entertain us, we will thank them.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
I always go ‘Weeeellll…’ before everything in my pessimistic mood. If someone were to say, ‘Oh, it’s a lovely day!’, ‘Weeeellll,’ I will say, ‘it might rain later.’
What would improve the quality of your life?
A free available car parking space and a good mobile signal wherever you are in the world.
Can you tell us one thing people might not know about you?
I am a qualified Association of Cricket Officials umpire.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
‘Tomorrow is the today that you worried about yesterday.’
Goodnight Mister Tom is at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, until 20 February, then tours the UK until May: www.goodnightmistertom.co.uk