Exposed catches up with Lois Pearson and Leo Wan ahead of opening night at the Crucible for an electrifying stage adaptation of Chariots of Fire. Marking what will be Artistic Director Robert Hastie’s final show with Sheffield Theatres, we discuss the timeless appeal of a story defined by ambition, adversity and triumph.
How did you first hear about the project?
LP: I first heard about the project when the 2024-2025 season was announced, which must have been around the beginning of the year. I always get a buzz flicking through what’s coming up next, but it was particularly exciting to find out what Rob Hastie’s final play was going to be!
LW: I first heard about the project when the season was announced – which came at the same time as the announcement of Rob’s departure. I was very sad to hear that Rob was leaving, having worked here under his tenure and seen how remarkably he’s led Sheffield Theatres over the last eight years. I looked through the season of shows and wanted to be involved in all of them, but never expected that I would get the chance to be a part of Rob’s final show here. It feels very special.
Lois, you started out in Sheffield Theatres’ Young Company. How did the organisation influence your journey?
LP: I first took part in a Sheffield Theatres production at the age of 14, in the ensemble of Daniel Evans’ production of Oliver!, and then went on to play Puck in Chris Bush’s Sheffield People’s Theatre production A Dream. I joined the Young Company in my late teens, around the time I was auditioning for drama school. Elin Schofield, who at the time led the Young Company, as well as helping me with my speeches, created an invaluable line up of classes, workshops and projects, bringing in industry professionals from across the creative spectrum. My involvement with Sheffield Theatres is undoubtedly the reason I am an actor today. It opened doors I otherwise wouldn’t have known existed.
Leo Wan (centre) in Chariots of Fire. Photo: Johan Persson
What do you believe makes the story of Chariots of Fire so impactful and enduring?
LP: I think the pursuit of a dream is always a powerful basis to build a story on, especially when there is so much for the characters to overcome to make that dream a reality. Sport is already a drama in its own right: the elation of triumph, the crush of defeat, someone’s whole life can build up to a moment in which something is won or lost, and I think that’s moving to an audience.
Could you tell us a bit about your respective characters?
LW: I play the Prince of Wales in 1924, who would go on to become the briefly crowned Edward VIII before abdicating so that he could marry Wallis Simpson. He was an early global celebrity and playboy. In our story, he represents the apogee of the establishment – both a kind of figurehead and a threat for the runners as they compete for Britain in the 1924 Olympics.
LP: I play Jennie, who is Eric Liddell’s sister, a devout Christian from a missionary family. At times self-righteous and highly strung, she is pure of heart and not without a little humour. Fierce in her faith and inexhaustible in her work, she possesses great strength and courage, and I can’t help but admire her absolute assurance in who she is and what she stands for.
How did you prepare for your role? Were there specific historical resources or training you utilised?
LP: I started off by reading a book called For the Glory by Duncan Hamilton, as I find it useful first to understand the history, especially when a story is set in another time or based on a real person. Mike Bartlett gives a real voice to Jennie in this adaptation, away from the prim and demure.
LW: It’s always a little tricky when you’re representing historical figures – I’m wary of doing an impersonation but you do want to find some inspiration from them. For me, I scoured the internet for interviews with him. He does have quite a particular way of speaking. He slouches in his chair and manspreads in quite an extraordinary way. He was very aware that the public and the gossip writers’ eyes were on him. And so you approximate your voice and physicality to that, but you also want to maintain some space for personal licence and invention.
“I think the pursuit of a dream is always a powerful basis to build a story on, especially when there is so much for the characters to overcome to make that dream a reality.” Lois Pearson (left) in Chariots of Fire. Photo: Johan Persson
How does performing Chariots of Fire on stage differ from the original film in terms of storytelling and audience engagement?
LW: Film is quick – shots last for seconds. In theatre, we have a single stage – we can’t cut away to a different shot to maintain the audience’s attention, so we have to find different ways of being exciting, inviting and dynamic. Mike Bartlett’s script is remarkably faithful to the original film – it’s quick and fluid. A particular challenge is how to represent running or racing on a stage of limited dimensions. But the joy of theatre is the demand of invention that then places on you as a creative team and company of actors. And when you get it right – and I have very high hopes that we will – it’s thrilling for a live audience to witness.
LP: It’s slick and fast-paced, maintaining that cinematic quality as one scene rapidly moulds into the next. There are also so many classic moments from the film that live on in the play adaptation, and I’m excited to see how audiences respond to moments that at first seem impossible to replicate on stage. I suppose the difference here, without giving too much away, is that an audience will really feel like they are part of the action!
“We have to find different ways of being exciting, inviting and dynamic.” Photo: Johan Persson
Chariots of Fire runs at the Crucible Theatre from 6-27 July. Tickets (£15-£43) and more information available here.
