James Barriscale
We got the chance to chat exclusively to James Barriscale about his new role on the second season of period police drama WPC56, the character he'll be playing and just how he found it to immerse himself into a cast who already had a bond.
What can you tell us about the new series of WPC56?
It's a gritty period police drama with something for everyone. Set in 1956 it follows a WPC’s journey into the underworld of criminals and bent coppers!
Tell us a little about the character you'll be playing, John Swift.
He’s a strong Sgt who tries to protect his young police officers and always do the right thing - even if that means old style policing!
How does the show and character stack up against others you've been involved with?
An on-set teaser for WPC56I’ve played all sorts over the years, villains, victims, dumped boyfriends and murder suspects, but now I’m the right age to play the parts that I’ve always wanted to play!
Even in my late teens at National Youth Theatre or Bristol Old Vic Theatre School I wanted to play characters in their forties and fifties.
Actors like Lee J Cobb, Karl Malden or Spencer Tracey. Real men not the hero boy actors. So now I’m playing those roles and I couldn’t be happier.
Did you find it difficult to immerse yourself with the cast as you're coming into the show when it's on its second series?
Not at all. Firstly I knew Sgt.Fenton (Charlie De’ath) from National Youth Theatre and Chief Inspector Coulson (John Bowler) from The Bill, so that helped.
One of the producers, Mike Hobson, cast me in one of my very first tellys. All the cast were smashing. Lots of fun and there were around five new regular characters coming in so that helps.
As an actor you’re always thrown together and have to make friends very quickly. It’s all part of the fun.
How was the chemistry on-set?
Awful... ha ha ha - not really. They were brilliant. Never worked with such a happy, hard working crew as this. It was magical.
The Second Assistant Director, Sarah Lucas was amazing and kept us laughing and everything running smoothly the whole time.
I was lucky enough to work mainly with wonderful actor Liam Jeavons who plays PC Perkins, a new recruit and the talented Rachel Leskovac who plays the new secretary Susie Nightingale. They were a joy to play opposite.
How would you say this show differed to other police dramas?
This is dealing with a period in the police department but it doesn’t pull any punches. Other Period police dramas have been quite tame I think. This deals with really serious storylines whilst still managing to play to a daytime crowd.
Thing is we all watch shows now on iPlayer and iTunes and so it doesn’t matter when it’s transmitted anymore. You can watch CSI at 10am on some freeview channels and have you seen that? The reconstructions are full on.
You trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School - how was that experience?
Great, I met a lot of lovely people and really enjoyed the fight training!
There was a fantastic teacher there called Rudi Shelly. He was my favourite. He called a double take ‘Doing a Morecambe!’ after Eric Morecambe who is my hero. He’s right - I’ve been doing a Morecambe ever since. Just watch WPC56!
What advice would you have for any young aspiring actors hoping to break into the industry?
E-N-J-O-Y it all.
Do you have any other projects going on you can share some details about?
Yes and no. I have just signed to be in a new video game coming out this year. But if I tell you what it is I will have to kill you - pr hire someone to! And who knows - WPC56 season 3 could be very exciting for Sgt. Swift!
WPC56 returns to screens February 10.