A LONG dead king is bringing theatre to life at the moment in Glasgow.

The James Plays trilogy, produced by the National Theatre of Scotland, is set to run at the King’s Theatre in April.

However the story of James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England and Ireland, will be told in a very different form this week at Oran Mor.

Writer Tim Barrow’s Neither God Nor Angel offers up a up an intriguing plot device; what happens when a King, set to spend his final night in Holyrood before journeying south to claim the English crown, meets up with a thieving servant?

Jimmy Chisholm stars as the wine-fuelled King James, while Gavin Wright plays the servant.

“James isn’t sure whether to go to England and claim his throne or not,” says Gavin of the moment, set in 1603.

“And while he’s deliberating, caught between a rock and hard place, my character, William, is found in his room, trying to steal stuff.”

What follows is an exchange between two men whereby we find out a great deal about their characters.”

The imagined meeting offers the opportunity to explore several themes; the pressure of royalty on blue-blooded veins, the nature of subservience and class.

“What make the idea fascinating for me,” says Gavin, “is we get to consider this idea of what the King has to deal with, including the politics of the period.

“But these two men chat about all sorts of things. It’s a totally random, fictional engagement, which at the end of the days is about two men in a room talking.

“Yet, the piece is funny and moving, and offers a real insight.”

Does this odd-couple meeting produce major drama? Is the outspoken opportunist William headed for a beheading?

Is there any way in which these two disparate creatures can find common ground?

All will be revealed on the day, but what’s a given is Gavin Wright will bring a real depth and weight to the character.

He’s a mainstay of Scottish theatre, revealing a great range and depth in plays from Ian Pattison’s Irish Civil War play A Terrible Beauty to panto Miracle on 34 Parnie Street.

However, the slight, red-headed actor admits that on leaving school the very idea of treading the boards for a career was as likely as one day knocking Henry Cavill out of the way to play Superman.

Having sat his A Levels, (he grew up in the Lake District, after his mum moved there from Glasgow when his parents split) Gavin was totally clueless as to his future.

“I had been thinking about a Business Degree but I really didn’t want to go. It wasn’t me. So I went along to see a Careers Advisor.”

The moment in the Penrith careers office changed his life. Gavin spotted a brochure for a drama college. But at that point he had no idea you could even go to drama school.

He certainly had no idea he could ever make a living as a professional actor.

“I had been in some school plays,” he says, smiling, “but that was about it. I didn’t know acting could be a career. For me, acting was just something you did at school for fun.”

However, Gavin’s spotting the brochure was a real light bulb moment.

“I decided that acting was the career for me, so I took up an Acting foundation course at Coatbridge College and applied for the RSAMD.”

Gavin wasn’t accepted. Three times he tried - and failed.

“The third time I got so close, I got through all the auditions, but didn’t make it to selection.

“Looking back I think the Academy may not have been right for me, but at time I was gutted.”

Yet, he showed remarkable determination to pursue a life that he previously hadn’t even thought about.

“There were other bonuses in coming back to Scotland, and going to Coatbridge,” he says.

“My dad still lived here and I have a huge extended family.”

Gavin adds, grinning; “It was such a relief to come back home. As you can imagine, being in school in England when you’re Scottish, small and ginger isn’t always the greatest fun.

“I needed to come back to get some support.”

Gavin completed his course at Coatbridge in 2002 and has gone on to work steadily.

The father of a little girl, Gavin has had television adventures in the likes of sitcom Dear Green Place. He’s toured in South Korea and North America.

“Yet, I hate to call acting a ‘career’, he says. “I’m scared to call it a career in case it all stops.

“My aim has always been to work, and luckily I’ve managed to do that.

“And when you land parts in plays such as this it’s a real delight. It doesn’t bludgeon you over the head with history or politics, but it does make points that will resonate with today’s audience.

“And it has its moving moments.”

He adds, with a pleased smile; “And I’m working. That’s success in itself.”

• Neither God Nor Angel, Oran Mor, until Saturday.