Brian Beacom

NATHAN Byrne once reckoned acting to be a part-time activity, something you do at weekends.

Now, the star of a new musical theatre production has ever-so-slightly changed his tune.

Nathan, who grew up in Scotstoun, is appearing in mini-musical the Thickery at Oran Mor.

As a young boy he was a keen Scottish Youth Theatre.

But that level of performance was as far as he expected to go.

“I had tried all sorts of sports at school but nothing really clicked,” he recalls.

“Then when I went to SYT I found I was doing well. And getting work out of it.

“But I didn’t really think of acting as a career possibility. And I didn’t have the confidence to consider it as a job.”

On leaving school Nathan studied Biology at Glasgow University.

“It was a safe back-up. However, during that time I found myself acting at every opportunity.

“I was able to leave at times to take on acting jobs.”

He adds; “I did a film and stage play that toured in London.”

As the offers increased so too did Nathan’s confidence. He decided to pursue acting as a career.

“It’s been challenging because I’m not professionally trained.

“But it’s been great that casting directors have been prepared to see me and take a chance on me.”

Nathan made their decision easier by turning in terrific performances, such as appearing in previous Oran Mor play, The Day The Pope Emptied Croy.

Wasn’t he crucified in that play?

“Yes, and it was great fun,” he says, grinning.

Nathan has also been creating comedy for the BBC’s The Social, the online platform for young talent.

“I’ve written short pieces and then I put them up online,” he says of writing and editing his own work.

“Some of my material was chosen to launch the channel.

“And now I work with the BBC’s comedy department to create online content.”

Nathan adds, grinning; “I’m writing a little series at the moment about the positive experience of the Apocalypse.

“Just think if there was no housing crises, no beauty standards. . . .”

Right now , the actor is delighted to be appearing in The Thickery, written by the multi-talented Brian James O’Sullivan.

Set in ancient Greece, (“but the language is modern Glaswegian”) it’s inspired by Aristophanes’ The Clouds.

Nathan plays Pheidippides, a young man rather set in his ways.

However, his ways involve getting drunk and staying in bed until it’s time to get drunk again.

“His dad sends him to The Thinkery, which is a school run by the philosopher Socrates.

“And me and Socrates go on a bit of journey.

“Socrates tries to make me see the error of my ways. But I’m one of the toughest pupils he’s ever had to contend with.”

The idea of a Greek philosopher trying to offer insight into the world and its workings to a daft boy has lots of comedy potential.

“That’s right,” he says of the show which also features Jimmy Chisholm, Sandra McNeeley and Tom Urie.

“Socrates didn’t believe in the gods, he believed it was the movement of the clouds that shaped us.

“But course Pheidippides just assumes it’s rubbish.

“However, as time goes on we sort of re-shape each other.”

A little bit like old man-young man relationship in The Karate Kid?

“Very much like that,” he says, grinning.

On a deeper level, Nathan was impressed with the writing of Socrates.

“He had these three great rules for life; your word is your bond, fireside first, and worship only the worthy.”

Can’t argue with any of that.

“No, you can’t. And they fit into ordinary life today.

“Socrates could well have been talking about Trump.”

Nathan isn’t phased by the singing demands of the musical, even though he isn’t musical theatre trained.

“I sang quite a lot in youth theatre and in panto too. It’s something I’ve always loved.”

Yet, it’s demanding to learn a musical in just two weeks rehearsal time.

But Nathan, who has also become a panto regular over the years, is well versed in the demands of theatre.

“There was one panto I was in that seemed to be cursed,” he recalls, laughing.

“There were music tracks that didn’t start, props broke, actors forgot their lines and people fell into the orchestra pit.

“But I loved it. It helps you to deal with any problem. And the fact it’s all unplanned makes it really exciting.”

He adds; “What love about Oran Mor is that the productions all seem to work.

“Great shows are produced with small budgets, but such is the talent in the building it all works brilliantly on the day.”

Does this love for the business suggest he won’t ever have to go into the drawer and reach for the Biology degree?

“I hope not,” he says, smiling.

“But ask me again in a few years.”

*The Thickery, Oran Mor, until Saturday.