Iwan Lewis

ACTING RESPONSIBLY

Following roles in films including Legally Blonde, actor Iwan Lewis now finds himself championing the arts as artistic director of Barn Theatre, Cirencester. He discusses how he turned lockdown into an opportunity

How did moving to Cirencester change your career path?

I wanted to be involved in the arts, and an opportunity came up. I first came across the Severn Bridge into Cirencester to do a show at the Bingham Hall. It was a great experience, and I made a home here, so much so that it now this feels more like home to me than the village in Wales I grew up in. This is where I fell in love with the arts, and made so many friends. Five years ago we decided to develop the Barn Theatre into a professional outfit that fosters talent. I didn’t always have fond memories of acting, nor do I necessarily think it was my calling. I did a terrible adaptation of a play in my early career, and thought I don’t have what it takes to be an actor.

Acting wasn’t big in my school either. I attended a rugby school with a lot of farmers in an area with a long agricultural history. But, despite that, the arts in West Wales are huge. Wherever you go, you are singing: in church, at pubs, in choirs. It’s in our blood, and singing is a celebration of the Welsh culture. I developed a passion from afar, but it wasn’t until I was 15, and came to Cirencester that I decided to take it seriously.

What was your first acting role?

We did a school production of Les Miserables at school, and I only auditioned because I fancied a girl in the play (which didn’t work out unfortunately). They asked me about my experience in the arts, and while I initially thought it was minimal, I then remembered that actually, singing had been a huge part of my life. I had sang every Sunday at my Auntie Betty’s house in Wales. After lunch, we’d walk three doors down into Ponteherty, a mining village, and we had to sing for our supper. She was a professional pianist and a big critic. She never complimented my singing. It’s great to see so many impressive voices in Round Table though.

What makes you great at your current role, and how have you faced the lockdown?

I always wanted to be in production, so as artistic director, it’s amazing working with a team who all contribute. I think I only have one skill - I’m so stubborn that when I set a goal there’s no chance I’m not achieving it. What we’ve seen during this time, is that the theatre industry dies almost completely during a lockdown, but I point blank refused to believe I couldn’t build an audience during this time. We set about building a host of online attractions to keep the Barn Theatre thriving. We did quiz shows, and looked at what our community needs; our MP did a show, the head of local council did a show, we had Kenton Cool, the mountaineer, doing a show. As a result, our audience feeds tripled. I refuse to acknowledge COVID19 as a negative. Some people have to learn to jump or side-step obstacles.

Five years ago we decided to develop the Barn Theatre into a professional outfit that fosters talent.

Before the lockdown, we had so many shows about to happen, Ben Hur, The Mozart Question, to name a few, but we had to shut them all down. And like any business, we had to raise funds. For the first time in a long time, we found ourselves time-rich: and that’s an opportunity. If you can remain focused during a lockdown, then you’ll set yourself up well for the longer term. My approach is that there was a gaping hole in the Barn Theatre and we had to focus.