ALL the drama from the trenches of the First World War will be coming to Rhyl this month when celebrated play Journey's End finishes a national tour at the Pavilion Theatre.
The Pioneer caught up with self-proclaimed "theatre animal" and popular voice on hit radio series The Archers, Graham Seed, to talk about the show.
"I genuinely think it is the best written play Rhyl has had this year. It still gets a fantastic response and it was written nearly 100 years ago," enthused Graham while on tour in Harrogate.
Talking emphatically down the phone about his role in Journey's End ahead of a matinee performance as war-weary Captain Stanhope, the familiar timbre of the actor's established voice - made famous in his role as lovable eccentric Nigel Pargetter in BBC Radio4 show The Archers - was surreal to hear out of the context of the long-running radio series.
But this play is a far cry from country shenanigans in the fictional village of Ambridge.
Instead Journey's End focuses on the tragic, dramatic and sometimes comedic stories of life in the trenches of the First World War.
'Best play of last century'
Based on RC Sheriff landmark work, the show was something Graham had been keen to be involved in.
"It's a play I have always wanted to be in and I always wanted to play Stanhope, and now I'm the right age for it - you have to be a bit long in the tooth. It's one of the best plays of the last century," he gushed. "It would be wrong to call it an anti war play - it follows the predicament our soldiers face when fighting for their country.
"It's set in a dugout in the trenches in 1917. It is a remarkable set and the lighting is fantastic. But the third equally, if not more , important aspect is the sound effects. Moments of action builds to a climax of going over the top - the sound effects are very loud."
Having toured the UK over the last four months, life on the road has rekindled the actor's thirst for the theatre.
"Stage is terribly important to me," he said. "For a lot of actors of my generation it was language we first fell in love with and the power of good scripts - which is good for radio because we only have words.
"I'm very lucky because as a jobbing actor I have mixed all media. I'm lucky I do radio on The Archers, I have a film coming out called Wild Target with a budget of 80 million which was great to work alongside Rupert Everett and Emily Blunt, and I did Midsomer Murders which I hope they will constantly repeat. I live mixing it all up."
First love
But despite his eclectic and vast CV of work, having trained at RADA, theatre is still Graham's first love.
"There's an adrenaline buzz because it's live. It has to be the most exciting media. I always love the family of theatre - you meet at the same time each day and perform, and get to know the stage managers and the cast. It's all gruelling but it's the discipline I like. I'm a theatre animal.
"I think it's the quality of the part I really love - it doesn't matter what media I'm in. It's just me and a script. On The Archers you don't have to worry about remembering lines because you're reading it."
While TV, film and stage remain a passion for the seasoned star, it is his vocal talents on The Archers which have won over a fleet of radio fans.
But it is only when he opens his mouth he gets the attention.
"It's funny because when I went into The Archers they never say that you're going to be a regular, but many years ago the character took off and I just stayed with the character. But it's only my voice. I do get recognised occasionally for my theatre or TV, but I can be talking to my partner or my children in a supermarket and then someone will be touching me on the shoulder asking 'Aren't you Nigel?'."
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Journey's End will be showing at the Pavilion Theatre in Rhyl on May 8 at 2:30pm & 7:30pm. For more information or to book tickets contact the Box Office on 01745 330 000 or visit the website at www.rhylpavilion.co.uk