My Britain: Tom Stuart on playing Edward II and life in London

We speak to actor and playwright Tom Stuart about his new play After Edward and living in the Big Smoke

I’ve been waiting my whole life to play a part like Edward II.

My new play is called After Edward. It takes off at the end of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, which we’re also doing at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It’s one cast and two plays.

I went to the Central School of Speech and Drama in Swiss Cottage when I was 17

I grew up in East London in a very working-class background. My mum is a nurse and my dad is a probation officer, which got me interested in people’s stories. My parents would take me to the theatre a lot and I became hooked.

Playing at The Globe theatre is the closest you’ll feel to being a rockstar.

The Globe and the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse are my favourite theatres. The Sam Wanamaker was rebuilt faithfully to reflect the Elizabethan indoor theatres. There’s no electricity allowed and it’s all lit by candlelight. The Globe is also incredibly intimate but in a different way. When the audience clap there’s no other place you’ll want to be. There is no roof, but if there was it’d be blown off.

I always want to be near the Thames.

One of the most fortunate things about working at The Globe is that you have the Thames flowing past you every time you walk to work. It just has that energy. There’s no finer place than facing east on Hungerford Bridge. The skyline is just breath-taking, particularly at night.

My favourite restaurant is a family-run Greek restaurant called Le Monia.

It’s good, hearty, healthy Greek food and you can walk it off by looking at another beautiful view of London on Primrose Hill.

There are two places that I go for a retreat: North Norfolk and Glastonbury.

My dad lives in Norfolk near beaches like Hunstanton – some of the most beautiful in the country. I also enjoy weekends sitting on Glastonbury Tor. Those big undulating green hills are marvellous.

London is the best city in the world.

It’s bursting full of every type of person, nationality, and social class all living side by side. The city has this incredible vitality and that’s reflected in our theatres.

Edward II runs until 20 April at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. 

After Edward runs from 21 March until 6 April.

To book visit www.shakespearesglobe.com