“There is nothing more than to love and be loved” Award-winning actor Max Bowden, best known for the roles of Ben Mitchell in EastEnders and Justin Fitzgerald in Waterloo Road, will star as Jack Firebrace in Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks’ epic story of love and loss, when it returns to the stage in a brand new production for 2024.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the international best-selling novel, the critically acclaimed show, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Alastair Whatley, tells the story of one man’s journey through an all-consuming love affair and into the horror of the First World War.
Max Bowden: “I’m so excited to be collaborating with Original Theatre again on a project close to my heart. Birdsong highlights the tragedy of war, yet the beauty of humanity simultaneously through strong relationships under extreme circumstances, and I can’t wait to bring Jack Firebrace to life under their guidance.” Read more of Max’s insight below.
Alastair Whatley, Director of Birdsong and Artistic Director of Original Theatre: “Max joined us to play the character of Tipper, a young soldier, in the 2016 tour of Birdsong – and now the best part of a decade later returns to play the wonderful role of Jack Firebrace. I cannot wait to get back in the rehearsal room with Max to explore one of Sebastian’s most unforgettable characters.”
Birdsong, a mesmerising story of love and courage, is produced by the award-winning Original Theatre, who presented the smash hit productions of The Mirror Crack’d by Agatha Christie, Murder in the Dark, The Habit of Art and The Interview and Joshua Andrews; together with Stuart Galbraith of JAS Theatricals, whose current projects include Hadestown in the West End and a major UK tour of Cluedo 2 which also plays at Leeds Playhouse from 3-7 September.
Behind the scenes video and first look at Max Bowen as Jack Firebrace
Listen to Max Bowen singing “I would that the wars were over”
In Conversation with Max Bowden – by Theo Bosanquet
Max Bowden: “It’s such an important time to tell stories like Birdsong”.
Earlier this year, Max Bowden stepped away from playing Ben Mitchell in EastEnders after five years in the role. It was, he says, “one of the hardest gigs in acting”, and the beloved BBC soap proved “a brilliant place to hone my skills”. But for his next project, he’ll be applying those skills to something entirely different.
He’s preparing to star as Jack Firebrace, a sapper in the British army, in a new UK tour of Birdsong. Bowden describes the character, who has the unenviable task of digging tunnels under no man’s land, as “a real testament to the ‘keep calm and carry on spirit’ of the time”.
It’s a story the actor knows well, having previously appeared in Original Theatre’s acclaimed adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ bestselling novel back in 2015-16. Back then, he played the character of Tipper, a private who’s affected by shell-shock, and describes the experience as formative. But he admits that it’s “bittersweet” coming back to the show nearly a decade later to play Jack. “It’s great to be having a crack at such a well-written character, but it also reminds me
that I’m getting old!”.
Adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff, Birdsong, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, is one of the great novels about the First World War. Bowden is a history buff, and knows how important it is to honour the legacy of the men who fought in that bloody conflict. “Thematically, the story is as pertinent as it has ever been,” he says. “I think it’s so important to inform the youth of today and their decisions by showing them what their ancestors went through to fight for their freedom.”
The production sees Bowden reunite with director Alastair Whatley, who has overseen an all-new staging. “[Alastair]’s attention to detail is amazing, and I’ve seen that grow over the past ten years,” he says. He adds that one of the things he enjoys most about working with Original Theatre, which will celebrate its own milestone later this year – 20 years as a company – is the calibre of the ensemble. “I got to watch some auditions recently and it just blew me away. They always put together such an amazing company – even if we’re all completely crazy,” he laughs.
So what can he reveal about the new staging? It is, he says, highly visceral, with a design that “really takes you into the Western Front”. He explains how the immersive nature of it makes it easier to get into the mindset of Jack and his comrades, as they risk their lives to burrow beneath the German front lines. “It feels like everything is at you and on top of you, so when we get to the climactic moments of fear, or heartache, they’re even more impactful.”
Bowden is no stranger to intensive storylines and characters. During his time on EastEnders, Ben went through a rollercoaster of experiences, ranging from getting shot to getting married (to Callum, in EastEnders’ first gay wedding). He says one of the challenges of leaving a role after such a long association is that “you always wonder what they’re doing now”.
So how does he unwind away from acting? “I don’t party any more. I’m just interested in being a better dad, and a better person overall. When you do such intense work as Birdsong, or EastEnders, you need down time. I carry quite a lot of ‘the method’ in my approach to my acting, and it’s easy to get a bit lost in the work as a result. I’ve learned that it’s never wise to burn the candle at both ends.”
He discovered his love of acting as a 10 year-old when his Mum took him along to a drama class in Addlestone, near to where he grew up in Woking. “I think she realised quite quickly I had a knack for it, so from then on I wasn’t allowed to do anything else! My Dad worked in TV, so he was quite resistant to me doing it professionally because he knew the nature of the business. But I think part of Mum wanted to do it herself when she was younger, so she was always very supportive.”
These days, he values the opportunity to pass on his skills to the next generation, and describes teaching acting as his “biggest love”. Bowden is clearly dedicated to the craft, and cites Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman and Mark Rylance as particular inspirations. “I like actors who aren’t afraid to take risks and make kooky choices,” he adds.
I’m intrigued to know what he tells his young charges. “My major piece of advice is to educate yourself. Go to art galleries, listen to classical music, read history and immerse yourself in stories. If you want to be truly great you have to put the graft in.”
Bowden says that keeping the legacy of men like Jack Firebrace alive is the biggest privilege. “Honouring the memory of anybody from that era is so important. But I think Jack is particularly special. He’s selfless, and sees it as his duty to keep everybody’s morale up and focussed on their purpose. I think he represents the everyman who fought in the trenches, so for me it’s just important to keep telling his story.”
Presented by Original Theatre and JAS Theatricals in association with Joshua Beaumont & Huw Allen, Birdsong Productions and Wilshire Creative.
Directed by Rachel Wagstaff
Quarry Theatre, Leeds Playhouse 17-21 Sept 2024
Box office 0113 213 7700
Book online leedsplayhouse.org.uk
