Alistair McGowan – the man of many faces – is to star in David Mamet’s Oleanna at Lakeside. The powerful play tells the tale of a struggle for justice and power between a college professor and his female student. McGowan took time out of his busy rehearsal schedule to chat to us…

This a return to Nottingham for you, does that mean you like the city?
Yes, very much. Relatively speaking, I seem to have spent a lot of time here over the years and I’ve always had a good time in Nottingham. It has a lot to offer. A very attractive city centre, vibrant theatres, good comedy and music venues and lots of history. But the city is very confusing to the outsider in terms of the names of some its biggest landmarks: The Park is not a park, The Council House is not a council house, The Castle is not a castle. Language, it seems, is tied in knots – in Notts.

You recently appeared in The Mikado – are you a closet Gilbert and Sullivan fan?
I was at the Concert Hall at Christmas in a performance of The Mikado – which I also directed – and have subsequently appeared and directed in The Pirates of Penzance for the same producer, Raymond Gubbay. I have to say, I have come to the shows not really knowing anything about them but having seen various, largely amateur and school productions in the distant past, which left me cold. When I actually looked at the language, however, and the lyrics and the beauty of the music, I realised that they are mini-masterpieces!

How did that compare to Kafka’s Dick and Endgame, both of which you starred in in Nottingham a while ago now.
I really enjoyed being in both shows. The Playhouse was a great place to be and Endgame, especially, was such an amazing piece of work to be associated with. It says so much about life – mundanity, transience, the power struggles of relationships. I love Beckett’s writing. I had a fabulous on-stage relationship with the genial James Bolam and loved working with director, Martin Duncan. Sadly, the audiences never really came and those that did, on the whole, turned their noses up!

Were you familiar with Oleanna before being offered the part? What’s your character like?
I saw Oleanna in London when it was first produced there in 1993. It had a profound effect on me as a play. I remember talking and arguing about the issues in it with the friends I’d gone with for hours afterwards. The reaction it got from the audience was really special – they were aghast at what they were seeing being played out on stage – gasping with shock! You always hope as a writer and an actor that the work you are involved in will create debate – it rarely happens! I think Oleanna is a play which genuinely makes everyone think and feel deeply about a number of issues.

Are there any similarities between yourself and the Professor?
You always, I feel, have to find something to draw on in yourself when you are playing any character and, yes, I find I can associate with a lot of what John says. The tension of buying a house, for one thing! I also remember many of my old lecturers and professors at university (I went to Leeds) and have been drawing on my memories of them. I also genuinely feel that John wants to help Carol and is misinterpreted by someone from a different generation in which different rules apply. I taught/directed at my old drama school a few years ago  and certainly felt then, the pleasure of ‘helping’, of passing on knowledge.

Does anyone ever come along to a play and think it must be a comedy because you’re in it?
I have no idea – probably. I hope, however, that I always bring ‘wit’ to a part. I think ‘wit’ is terribly under-rated!

Does the move into serious acting mean an end to your comedy or do you see them existing side by side?
This is probably the most serious play I’ve done, actually, but, no, I would never want to ‘give up’ on my comedy. I love doing stand-up and impressions. I feel very lucky to be able to be a part of so many aspects of ‘show-business’ and to go from singing light opera to doing a David Mamet play and then appearing on Final Score impersonating football managers old and new.

We don’t see much of you on TV these days – do you have anything in the pipeline? And will we see you popping up in Coronation Street at some point, like lots of other stars?
I play Piero de Medici in a new 13-part, children’s drama Young Leonardo which begins on BBC1 in April. It’s about the life of Leonardo da Vinci – his amazing inventions in particular – and it’s a lot of fun! It was really enjoyable playing a villain but we shot it in South Africa which meant I had to work really hard not to pick up the accent.

Who is the hardest person you’ve tried to impersonate?
There are plenty but I have to say, David Cameron and Nick Clegg are proving almost impossible.

And who is your favourite?
My favourite is always my newest which, at the moment, is the Liverpudlian comic John Bishop.

Oleanna runs from Friday 8 April to Saturday 23 April at Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park. Visit www.lakesidearts.org.uk for details.