In our profile series, Tell Us In Ten, we ask cast members and creatives of top London shows to tell us all about themselves in just 10 questions. From how they got their start in the industry to their favourite shows, we want to know everything.
This time we are speaking to Olivier Award nominated duo Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel who play Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise in An Evening Of Eric And Ern at the Garrick Theatre on 29 March.
A brilliant homage crammed full of renditions of those famous comedy sketches, that hits all the right notes! Returning to the West End for its third time, and to celebrate the Centenary year of the nations favourite comedy legends Morecambe & Wise! From Greig’s Piano concerto to Mr Memory, “Arsenal!” It’s a show full of Morecambe and Wise’s most loved routines, songs and sketches and and of course a musical guest, just announced as Michelle Collins!
1. My route into theatre was…
Jonty (Eric): Ian and I are always very early to the theatre! We don’t like to rush. Plenty of time to get ready is the key. Haha!
Ian (Ern): Drama School – then Jesus Christ Superstar tour in 1986.
2. My West End idol is…
Jonty (Eric): Peter O’Toole. I was lucky enough to see him in Jeffrey Barnard Is Unwell! A true icon of film and theatre.
Ian (Ern): Ruthie Henshall – I saw her in Chicago many years ago and we were lucky enough to work with her on our own show when she came on as our guest singer.
3. My colleagues would describe me as…
Jonty (Eric): Tall and bald!
Ian (Ern): I would hope it would be kind, considerate and funny but it may also be annoying, inconsiderate and grumpy?!
4. My favourite show (that isn’t one I star in/work on) is…
Jonty (Eric): Currently All My Sons with Bryan Cranston. What an actor he is.
Ian (Ern): When the Boat Comes In for Eastern Angles Theatre Company.
5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…
Jonty (Eric): Opening in the West End (at the Vaudeville) in the show we created, Eric and Little Ern, with my best mate Ian. We always say it’s the stuff of dreams.
Ian (Ern): Eric and Little Ern being nominated for an Olivier Award. A very special night shared with my best friend and of course my life partner.
6. The hardest part about my job is…
Jonty (Eric): Honouring the memory of Morecambe and Wise as accurately as possible. Don’t wiggle my glasses too much!
Ian (Ern): Not getting ill or injured. Because there are no understudies I have been on stage with a raging temperature (otherwise knows as man flu) but the worst one was food poisoning – the show had to go on and so did I but it was touch and go. I’ll leave it there.
7. If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…
Jonty (Eric): A sports journalist.
Ian (Ern): I was in the Royal Navy for 9 years and 5 years in submarines. I left to become an actor so I may have stayed in I guess. I worked for Chase Manhattan Bank in London on the gold bullion desk and I was asked to be a trader. For some reason, which escapes me, I turned them down to be a poor struggling actor…!
8. Something people don’t know about me is…
Jonty (Eric): I had trials for Warwickshire at cricket.
Ian (Ern): I can touch type at 50 wpm and still read and send morse code – I’m still waiting to use the latter in civilian life, but you never know!
9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
Jonty (Eric): If you make a mistake/dry. Don’t carry the baggage through the show, leave it behind. The audience don’t know what’s coming!
Ian (Ern): Create your own work. Don’t just wait for the phone to ring. Be selective. Don’t just take anything that comes along. That’s a hard one, I know, because it’s difficult to turn down an acting job when you haven’t worked for a while. Also, keep going, James Bolam said to me that he was out of work for almost two years once, but never gave up.
10. The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is…
Jonty (Eric): Be true to your self and don’t take rejection personally.
Ian (Ern): Don’t worry so much about what you think people think of you. More than likely they’re not thinking anything about you at all. It took me a while to realise that I’m not the centre of the Universe – who knew!
Be taken back to a world of sunshine and laughter – book your tickets today!
