ACTOR Andrew Lancel has taken on the role of patron at Liverpool’s “coolest” theatre.
Known best as DI Neil Manson, on ITV1’s The Bill, he joins Bill Kenwright and David Morrissey as an ambassador for the Unity, off Hope Street.
Mr Lancel, who lives in south Liverpool, has been a long-time fan of the Unity.
He said: “Half my family is from Liverpool and I’ve been coming to watch Everton since I was six and going to the theatres here since I was in my teens.
“The theatre was a bit surprised, I think, about how often I’ve been here, usually when friends are on tour.”
As a child, he landed the part of an extra on Brookside and since then has been a regular on our screens
Mr Lancel arrived at the theatre yesterday with his seven-month-old son, Isaac, and sees a massive opportunity at Unity to get young people involved.
“There is no theatre in the North West doing what is being achieved here with kids and schools,” he said.
“If you get children into it young enough, they stick with it and pass it on. I’m really chuffed to have been asked to be patron and to be able to be part of that.”
His down-to-earth manner is as open and welcoming as the theatre he now fronts, and he modestly jokes about how he got involved.
“When I was asked to be patron, I thought they must want Andrew Lincoln not me, and I still do.”
But it was because of his vocal support of the theatre that Unity took an interest in getting him involved in an official capacity.
“Of the theatres in Liverpool it probably doesn’t get the publicity it deserves, though it is one of he coolest places in the city. I think the place Unity has in the arts scene is going to be more special than ever before . . . “You don’t have to pay £60 to see a show when you can come here and see some really exceptional stuff. It’s also free of all the pretensions of a ‘theatre’.”
Unity’s highlight for the final part of Liverpool Capital of Culture year is a co-production with Riksteatern and Vasterbottensteatern from Sweden.
When We Dead Awaken, by Henrik Ibsen, is directed by another Unity patron, Josette Bushell-Mingo, with a cast and production team of English and Swedish artists.
VISIT www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk for the Unity’s new season.
