Show to hook in an audience

Jamie Sives, who played Jory Casell in the fantasy drama, is to appear in the latest Made in Northampton production The Hook coming to the Royal and Derngate from Friday, June 5, to Saturday, June 27.

Amid the political tensions of 1950s America, Arthur Miller’s The Hook was suppressed by the FBI for fear that it could cause unrest in New York’s dockyards. Sixty years on, Brooklyn’s epic waterfront will come alive on stage for the extraordinary story of Marty Ferrara, a longshoreman who challenges the mobsters and gangs of 1950s New York and takes a stand against the corruption he witnesses from the authorities who control the docks.

Jamie said: “I am playing Marty Ferrara, who is a long shoreman, who is very head strong man who becomes a bit of a leader in the end.

“He is very hot headed and not short of an opinion.

“It was a play written by Arthur Miller, a brilliant playwright, and the chance to be in the world premiere of this is a fantastic experience for an actor.”

While he has never appeared on the stage at Northampton, he jumped at the chance to work with the team at the theatre.

Jamie added: “I have worked with Laurie Sansom, who was the former artistic director of the theatre, and he has talked about this place a lot.

“It’s a great team to work with and that was one of the appeals about coming to do this because Northampton has very much a burgeoning reputation for theatre.”

Fans of Game of Thrones will know him for his role in the first five episodes of the fantasy drama, a role he was happy to take on.

Jamie said: “There was a huge number of actors on the show and only one or two had ever read the books by George RRR Martin.

“At the time of taking it on, it was just another job, I don’t think anybody expected it to be the big phenomena that it became.

“We did get to spend a few weeks in Malta doing some of the scenes and that was a lot of fun. Although being in heavy chain mail costumes in the heat was difficult. And I did get a good death scene.”

Further back in his career, he appeared for a single episode of Doctor Who.

Jamie said: “I was in an episode called Tooth and Claw protecting Queen Victoria played by Pauline Collins. It was a great job, lots of fun and a great chance to be part of it.

“David looked like he had been in the role forever, even though he hadn’t been in long. He also got the chance to use his Scottish accent which I think he enjoyed.”

Tickets for The Hook can be booked by calling the box office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.