Five Minutes With...

RHODRI MEILIR

Acclaimed actor Rhodri Meilir attended Mold’s Ysgol Maes Garmon and is best known for starring in BBC crime thriller Hidden, as well as roles in My Family, Afterlife and Doctor Who. He is currently rehearsing a new dark comedy at Theatr Clwyd, For The Grace Of You Go I, written by BAFTA award-winner Alan Harris, which opens on Saturday, June 12.

You grew up in Mold, how has it changed in the time you’ve been away?

A fair few fields I used to freely roam around are now full of bricks and streets.

I think it’s better to concentrate on what Mold has retained: the markets keeping the heart of the town beating among its numerous new nail salons, the sense of community, its pride in its Welshness and the language, and, of course, one of the finest theatres this island has to offer.

Who inspired and encouraged you to become an actor?

I’ve always enjoyed performing and when I began at Ysgol Maes Garmon, Mrs Eirian Jones, the drama teacher, saw something in me and kept encouraging me until I left for university.

I remember Alwena, my sister, getting down to the final two after several rounds of auditions for the TV drama series Children's Ward, and seeing former Maes Garmon pupils Llŷr Evans and Rhys Ifans succeed opened doors to possibilities.

What’s For The Grace Of You Go I about?

It is a darkly comic play that follows three characters and their various struggles with mental health issues.

Alan Harris is a fantastic writer with a wicked sense of humour but he never makes light of the seriousness of the situation.

Alan paints pictures with his words and thanks to the design and direction, For The Grace Of You Go I is an extremely visual experience.

What’s your character like?

As a consequence of personal loss Jim struggles to differentiate between the real world and the film he believes he’s living in.

He is a big film fanatic and after one mental health movie night meeting, a particular film has a profound effect on his outlook on life.

What do you do to relax/in your spare time?

We have our own Friday film night at home, but with three little pairs of eyes watching on, they tend to be family-friendly affairs.

The original Ghostbusters wasn’t exactly a roaring success recently, mind.

Otherwise, I enjoy watching football and coach my son’s football team whenever I’m back home in Cardiff.

• For The Grace Of You Go I is at Theatr Clwyd from Saturday, June 12, with tickets from just £10. Booking available at theatrclwyd.com or by calling 01352 344101.