Actor Stephen Tompkinson on his new show at Liverpool Playhouse

Mar 27 2009 By Laura Davis

IT’S the trusting tones of Father Peter Clifford, the heartbreaking lament of a forlorn ex-miner and the intonation that inspires you to buy Bulmers over all the other cider options on the supermarket shelf.

Thousands of children have been captivated by his narration of their favourite stories, yet Stephen Tompkinson hates the sound of his own voice.

"It always sounds quite horrible. I never like to listen back to it," admits the actor, who has recorded the audiobook of Crosby writer Frank Cottrell Boyce’s Millions and a series of kids stories about nature.

"But you learn to work at certain things to make it as entertaining as possible, so you concentrate on finding all the different colours that you can."

Next week, Tompkinson will be starring in Sign of the Times, a bittersweet comedy by Tim Firth, writer of Calendar Girls and The Flint Street Nativity.

It is the fourth time the pair have worked together.

"I’ve know Tim for about 17 years now so it’s just like putting on a pair of your favourite shoes," says the 43-year-old.

"It’s like having a safety net. I know exactly where he’s coming from with all of his dialogue. He knows my capabilities as well."

Tompkinson plays Frank Tollit, an electrical installation engineer for a commercial lettering company.

He has been putting words on the sides of buildings for 25 years and is thrown off balance when he is joined by a teenager on work experience.

"My character’s a bit dismayed that Alan (the young apprentice) doesn’t have any ambition and he wishes that he had his time over again – he would have focussed more on what matters to him.

"Frank also is a bit of a dreamer, and when he finds moments on his own he has a little recording machine in which he dictates his latest spy novel because he wants to be the next John Le Carre or Frederick Forsyth."

The electrician is the sort of role Tompkinson plays well – incorporating a balance of optimism tinged with sadness.

Although Frank’s unfulfilled existence seems a far cry from the life of an actor whose skills are constantly in demand, the Brassed Off star says he can relate to the character’s feelings.

"I think, had I not been lucky enough to fulfil my dream, I would have felt very frustrated with the world," he explains.