Interview with Nigel Harman: Tackling Shrek the Musical

Nigel Harman's in the house and he seems intent on bringing it down, so lock up your daughters (and maybe your sons and grannies too), warns Shannon Denny

Everyone I speak to – women, men, children – can’t help themselves when I announce I’m going to interview Nigel Harman. Some variation on the word “fit” tumbles out of their mouths without exception. So I know to expect more than just another pretty face – my unanimous straw poll affirms that I am to prepare for a pretty physique too. But no one warns me about the wit that marks the actor as one of the funniest characters who’s ever uttered words into The Green’s dictaphone.

Maybe his good humour can be traced to the stacks of biscuits and cups of tea the agent keeps delivering, or maybe he’s some rare creature who thrives on the monotony of back-to-back promotional interviews with hungry journos. I have the number three slot of seven he’s got to get through today, and I feel decidedly fortunate that rather than fatiguing he seriously seems to be hitting his stride.

We’re here to talk about his role as Lord Farquad in the London debut of Shrek the Musical. “It’s not very often that you get asked to play a four-foot megalomaniac who sings and dances. So I thought, ‘Well I doubt if that’s going to be offered to me again, I must do this.’” When questioned if he’ll use Method acting to get into the role, he keeps his tongue firmly in his cheek to answer: “I’m going in for surgery on Monday. From my knees down will be cryogenically frozen for the year I’m working in Drury Lane, and then I will have them reattached.”

In spite of the sacrifices, Nigel says taking the role was a “no brainer”. “One of the directors and the producer I’d worked with before, and they’re both brilliant. I did Guys and Dolls with one of the directors, and then I did a play called Three Days of Rain at the Shaftesbury with James McEvoy with the producer.” Aside from that, the chance to play a baddy always appeals. “I find them a little bit more interesting, a bit more complex, and in this case maybe even occasionally funny. It’s very true to the film, except there’s more songs in it originally written for the show, and the music’s fantastic. So for my money, it makes it even better.”

If your sole exposure to Nigel was his two-year stint in Eastenders as Dennis Rickman, Dirty Den’s son, then this all-singing, all-dancing side of the actor might come as a surprise. But in fact, he’s spent far more of his career treading the boards then holed up in the set of a soap. His early dramatic training came via The Arts Educational School in Chiswick, and after finishing school he performed in musicals on cruise ships for six months. Since then he’s appeared in major productions ranging from A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Regents Park Open Air Theatre to the original cast of Mamma Mia! to The Exonerated at Riverside Studios.

Difficult though it may be to imagine, his talents don’t even end with the ability to carry a tune or deliver lines of Shakespeare. His bio on IMDb announces that the actor is a “skilled juggler” as well. So what might one expect to see him hurling through the air? “Small children, chainsaws, flaming flamingos,” he grins. “My dad bought me a book, it was about 500 pages long on how to juggle. Once you got to about page 100 you needed knives and chiffon scarves and things to set on fire – so I sort of stopped,” he laughs. “You need to read the book – it’s a marvellous read!”

When not grappling with flaming chiffon scarves, sport is his passion. Born and brought up near Croydon, he played football, rugby and cricket as a boy. He’s also a “slightly lapsed” Crystal Palace supporter. “I was a season ticket holder for years, and then for about the last two years I’ve been to about one game. I’m just taking a break, but I’ll be back. I need to give them my full love. I can’t go in there half-hearted.” Now that he’s moved to Twickenham – where he bought a house a few months ago – no doubt he’ll find more than enough sport on his doorstep to satisfy any cravings.

Occasionally he tunes into American shows like Six Feet Under or The West Wing. “But most of the time if I’m watching telly to be honest I’m probably watching sport. Some rugby match or game of golf, or something random, speed skating, ski jumping. I’ll watch any old crap when it comes to sport, I love it. I even watched the indoor bowls the other day. I thought it was quite good.” Unlike so many actors, he has no desire to work in LA; he’d go “only to play golf; I’d like to go to Pebble Beach”.

“Sometimes I combine golf and juggling,” he muses. “It’s a rare sight.” But surely that’s cheating? “It depends on if you get caught. All cheating’s about getting caught.” Well, mark my words – if anyone can get away with a bit of cheeky trickery, this man can. 

Shrek the Musical runs from May 6 2011 until February 19 2012 at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane WC2B 5JF; book on 0844 871 8810 or at www.shrekthemusical.co.uk

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