I created the dual roles of the young, inexperienced PC Gibbons and the psychotic Simon Cairns. 
Founded in 1977 and housed in a converted Victorian industrial warehouse, the Warehouse Theatre Company has focussed on the discovery, promotion and nurture of new theatre writing. Numerous accolades include the founding of the highly acclaimed International Playwriting Festival, housing the work of Sue Townsend and Kevin Hood, co-producing with Frantic Assembly and Watermill Newbury, and being the home of the ever popular ‘Dick Barton’ musicals.
In 1995 a little known actress called Cate Blanchett made her London stage debut (with the Sydney Theatre Company) at the Warehouse Theatre!  This was not Richard Vincent’s first visit to the Warehouse Theatre, who commissioned and premiered his ‘Happy & Glorious’ in 1999. His play ‘Real Estate’ was selected by the Festival in 2001 and has gone on to receive a commission from Granada Film. ‘Skin Deep’ however was specially commissioned by Ted Craig, the Artistic Director of the Warehouse Theatre, to celebrate the theatre’s 25th Birthday!
This was another opportunity for me to work on new writing (at a ‘local’ theatre), and gave me the chance to create two very different characters in one piece! On the page, PC Gibbons was simply described as a ‘lanky man, new to the Police force’, and Simon Cairns ‘a brutal looking man’.
As an Actor my instinctive reaction was to make these characters as different as possible, and as long as I stayed within the character’s ‘characteristics’, both Ted and Richard trusted me. I thoroughly enjoyed this new challenge … as well as the opportunity to play with a gun and stage blood!!
|
 ...........................................
“Simon Greiff does well in his dual roles: one a real PC plod following the rule book and the other a crazed, vengeful released prisoner”
Croydon Guardian ...........................................
“Simon Greiff makes an instantly violent impression as revenge-seeking thug Cairns … there is far more to this sophisticated and intriguing drama”
Croydon Advertiser ...........................................
“You probably will not have a clue what is going on … Penelope Woodman injects a much-needed touch of realism, Greiff, in his role as ex-con Cairns, is also convincing”
The Stage ...........................................
“Disturbing, engrossing and intriguing … Simon Greiff is a performer to note … God bless and long live excellent actors … they deserve canonisation when faced with material like Skin Deep”
Indielondon.co.uk ...........................................
“Simon Greiff has neatly contrasted roles as wimpy PC and decidedly amateur psycho”
South London Press ...........................................
“Assuming I didn’t just dream it all, this play might just be the weirdest play I’ve ever seen … it’s far too bananas to be boring”
The Metro ...........................................
“Uniformly excellent cast, including Simon Greiff doubling as a constable and a crook”
Kentish Times ...........................................
 |
