Actor Oliver Dimsdale: ‘I loved every second of my first job’

After graduating from Guildhall in 1999, I successfully auditioned for Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing and Middleton and Rowley’s The Changeling at Salisbury Playhouse. The idea was to offer recent graduates the opportunity to rehearse and perform two shows in rep at a major regional theatre. Rep had long since fallen out of favour, so the promise of paid work outside London was enticing.

Fellow Guildhall graduates Ferdy Roberts and Stephen Campbell Moore had been offered roles too. The three of us rented a small house in Salisbury, owned by an eccentric landlady, and began rehearsals in autumn.

I loved every second of the job. My training had prepared me well for the rigours of rehearsing and performing two shows concurrently. My character Ste in Beautiful Thing is younger than I was then, and from a different background, so I relished the challenge of playing him.

I played multiple roles in The Changeling, a dense Jacobean tragedy that required detailed text and vocal work. The company bonded very easily and the work and the camaraderie made for as good a first paid acting job as I could have hoped for.

There was immense pride as families and friends travelled down to see the shows. I particularly remember a post-show meal with the late John Thaw and Sheila Hancock, whose daughter Jo was also in the shows.

Since then, I’ve been fortunate to work on stage, television, film and provide voice-overs for video games. I have learned that perseverance, resilience, kindness and a sense of humour are all essential qualities to get by in the industry. Challenge yourself to be bold in auditions, in rehearsal and on camera.

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to ‘get it right’ because you can never second-guess what a casting director, director or producer is looking for. Learn to trust your instincts. Creatively, the motto ‘Wrong is Strong’ is healthy one to live by.’’

CV Oliver Dimsdale

Age: Undisclosed
Training: Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Theatre includes: Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Great Expectations, The Dead Wait, The Argument, The Creeper, Pravda
Other credits: Co-artistic director of Filter Theatre

Agent: Independent Talent