Playing landlord and landlady in our production of Two are real life husband and wife, Kieran Buckeridge and Ella Vale. They took some time out from rehearsals to give us an insight into their lives…both real and pretend!

Where did you meet?

Kieran: We met in 2006 during Private Lives at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. The funny thing is that we were cast as a comedy duo as I’m 6ft 2 and Ella’s 5ft. At a talkback after one of the shows, someone asked if we had been cast to look ridiculous on purpose. My parents were there and it was the first time they had met Ella!

Is this the first time you’ve played a married couple on stage?

Ella: Yes.  We’ve actually found it helpful as we have a kind of shorthand with each other and there was no need to spend time getting to know one another which you do when meeting other actors for the first time. However, we know each other so well that we’ve  had to be careful not to be too rude if we think one of us is doing something wrong because we would never behave that way if we didn’t know the actor playing opposite us.

Have you been taking your work home with you?

Ella: During the early days of rehearsal, yes, because there was so many lines to learn and we found ourselves discussing the play but working in the same job we tend to do that anyway.

As well as playing Two’s landlord and landlady, you take on a variety of other characters too. How challenging is this?

Ella: We’ve both played multi-role parts before but because this is a two-hander, it’s much more intense and we’re having to change character very quickly.

Kieran: This play slips from high comedy to tragedy very swiftly which is a challenge but it’s really fun too.

Which of the characters are most like you?

Ella: Fred and Alice because they are quite a genuine couple but are silly with each other and we recognize that in us.

Have you ever worked in a pub before?

Kieran: We soon realized that we’re probably the only two people in the entire company who’ve never worked a bar which is really unusual for actors.

Ella: I had a waitressing job once and was really terrible. I was always dropping things and got completely muddled using the till!

Where’s your ‘local’?

Kieran: The River Head in Marsden in West Yorkshire, not far from Holmfirth where they used to film Last of the Summer Wine.

Two is set in 1989, what do you remember of that era?

Kieran: I was 12 so was probably wearing a shell suit and dayglo laces. I remember Bros being big at the time.

Ella: We didn’t have a television so my Eighties references are pretty non-existent! I was 7 in 1989 so was probably wearing different coloured socks and t-shirts that changed colour.

How do you feel about acting in The Round?

Kieran: We’ve both worked in the round quite a lot and really enjoy it.

Ella: I love to see the audience when I’m acting, it’s what it’s all about. I think it’s a lovely idea for the set to be a fully operational bar where the audience can buy drinks before the play as it will do a lot of the work on creating a good atmosphere for us.