Since Co. Antrim actor Drew Dillon joined the cast of the War Horse he’s played a narrator, a German Sergeant, sung his heart out and played the accordion on stage.
That’s all before he turned his hand to puppeteering and mastered the (literally) pivotal role of Goose.
“I auditioned the week before Christmas,” recalls Dillon is his dulcet Northern accent over the phone during a break from rehearsals.
That was two years ago, and he now feels very at home among the 38-strong War Horse cast.
“It’s the first time I’ve properly puppeteered”, says the 27 year old actor, whose CV includes roles in musicals at the famous Lyric theatre, a London production of Playboy of the Western World at the Old Vic and TV roles on the BBC’s and a “semi-regular” slot of Channel 4’s Hollyoaks.
Dillon comes from just outside Belfast. After his A Levels he attended drama school in London for three years.
After graduating he returned to Belfast before landing this “dream” job.
For those who haven’t seen the show (six million people have and it’s eighth year in London), Dillon explains that the Goose lives on a farm in Devon, and acts as a “guard goose” looking after the family farm.
Drew Dillon operates GooseOperated solely by him (he does all the noises too) the role of Goose is central.
So how hard is it to operate a puppet and interact with everything else going on around him?
“I’ve been doing it a year and half now and it’s very tricky. Initially it’s so alien but it kind of becomes second nature.
It took me a couple of months to properly get my head around it and the muscles you use – you’ve never had to access those before.”
Thankfully the cast get a lot of physiotherapy to keep them in shape and avoid injuries.
Still, it’s an arduous job with eight shows a week but the reaction from the audience keeps them going.
“People absolutely love the show. I have friends who have come to see it and they are blown away by the magic of it- and the pure inventiveness.”
His parents have seen the show several times, but keep coming back to watch their son on stage.
“I miss home but it’s nice to get to go home and work there too,” he says.
Dillon will be with show until February 2016, when a new cast will take over and the Goose will be in someone else’s hands.
War Horse is at the New London Theatre, for further information and tickets please visit warhorseonstage.com
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