TWO minutes into the chat with Jamie Michie and already it's not going to plan.

The actor is starring at Oran Mor this week in new play Crash. But he's so tight-lipped about the show you find yourself looking for signs of staples around his mouth.

And while it's very often the case that actors are reluctant to give away too much of the storyline (for fear of upsetting writers/directors) this actor's description of Andy Duffy's play is inarguably the shortest on record.

"The guy I play is a stock market trader," says Edinburgh-born Jamie. "And it's a real challenge for me."

Well, Jamie, it certainly represents a challenge for me in trying to send an audience to see your monologue. However, while the reticence makes you sound delightfully enigmatic, could you offer a little more plot detail?

"He's been in a car crash," he surrenders. "And he has to figure some things out."

Things? Such as?

"I can't really say."

What about the character? What's his name?

"He hasn't actually got a name," he says with a shrug. "We're just getting into the text at the moment, so we haven't discussed his name."

Well, where is the play set? On a motorway verge? In hospital? In Heaven? Gosh, is he dead?

"He's not in Heaven, no. And the set is still working itself out at the moment," he says.

The likeable River City star - he played Andy Carroll, who was caught up in a love triangle in the soap - apologises several times for his lack clarity. But waterboarding him in Hogganfield Loch wouldn't loosen his tongue.

Jamie, is there anyone else in the car when is crashes?

"I can't say. But I can say he's on a journey. And if I tell you about the journey it spoils the plot. "

Last try. Is it a contemporary piece?

"I can tell you it's set around the financial crises of 2007/2008," he says with a sigh that says if he tells me any more he'll have to kill me.

Well, at least we have an insight; we could be looking at a Scottish Gordon Gekko, a Porsche-driving amoral monster who's gone too far?

Perhaps.

To be fair to the hermetic actor, he was a late arrival to the production and given just a week and a half to learn a 55-minute piece.

"When you don't have a lot of time, you're putting your acting life in the hands of the director," he offers.

"Thankfully, Emma Callendar was able to reassure me all would be fine."

What we can talk about however, is 37-year-old Jamie Michie's career.

Growing up in Edinburgh, the teenager studied Media and Communications, and while deciding on a possible career in television or film production worked as a hotel concierge.

One day a chum was going along to a community theatre audition and intrigue pulled Jamie along. For fun, he read for a part - and got it. The moment changed his life. "I was so buzzing having done it," he recalls. "Then when I went back to work as a concierge I felt so empty."

Jamie talked over the idea of becoming an actor with his famous uncle, Taggart, Corrie and Holby City star, John Michie.

"He warned me against it," says Jamie, grinning. "He reminded me how hard a life it can be."

Yet, emboldened by the invincibility of youth he ignored the sage advice, applied for drama school in London and had the time of his life.

"When I got into drama school my uncle was delighted," he says. "He's been really supportive ever since."

Jamie landed a load of commercials on leaving drama college, which all helped pay of the grant debt, and small roles in television.

Since that time, he has gone on to star in TV dramas such as Ultimate Force and in cult international hit Game of Thrones where he "got paid to go off and learn to ride a horse for two weeks."

MORE recently, Jamie has been working on upcoming Ron Howard movie, In The Heart Of The Sea, the origin story for Moby Dick, filmed in the Canaries.

"Overall, it was amazing to work on such a production," he enthuses. "That's one of these moments you relish. Having said that, every time I get a job I'm thankful."

And he's thankful to be working on the cabalistic production, Crash, even though he admits rehearsals have been 'exhausting'.

But not as tiring as the probing of the persistent journalist?

"I'm so sorry about that," he says, with a heartfelt smile. "I wish I could say more."

He doesn't have to. The intrigue alone will put bums on seats.

n Crash, Oran Mor Until Saturday.