'Community theatre so important' - Suranne Jones

Actor Suranne Jones has talked of the importance of keeping community theatre alive, 18 months after becoming president of a small seaside venue.

The stage and screen star - best known for Vigil, Gentleman Jack and Doctor Foster - took on the honorary position at Sheringham Little Theatre in Norfolk in February last year.

Since then, she has been taking a leading role, encouraging local people to write plays, take to the stage and fundraise.

"If we can keep up with the passion and we find the money from somewhere to hold this beautiful community centre together, then it's got a great future," she said.

"The money's the thing: we need new lights, we need backstage things - we can't do it on our own."

Jones, 46, is heading for an "unusually busy" period of screen time, with her first political thriller, Hostage - in which she plays a fictional British prime minister - due to premiere on Netflix later this month.

She also stars in Film Club, a new BBC comedy-drama, later this year, and starts filming the third series of Vigil in September.

Off-duty, she is a regular visitor to the Sheringham area with her family.

"I'm not really good at being famous," she admitted.

"It's a funny one, I love the connection with people who say they watch my shows but I really like to be low-key and have my downtime and family time.

"When it's at the height of things coming out, like now, I have to put my Suranne pants on, and it's a persona in a way, but I'm equally happy being down the beach with an ice cream and a cap on."

She fell in love with the theatre while watching a pantomime with her son, describing the performance and writing as "high talent".

"I love Sheringham, I love Norfolk, I love the people here; I feel part of the community," she said.

"This theatre has a pull on me because it's 160 seats; it's really intimate.

"I started in community theatre drama groups so I feel having worked my way through the industry, I can come here and say, 'Right, here's the knowledge I've got, this is what we should be doing.'

"Nobody should settle, and the actors and team are so good here."

Among the initiatives since Jones's arrival has been a one act play-writing competition, which was open to Norfolk residents.

It culminates in the winning entries being read by the theatre's rep actors, and discussed, at two fundraising shows on 10 August.

The following day, she is hosting a Q&A session for budding actors and has donated raffle prizes to the theatre's fundraising revue show on 17 August.

"For me, stories are so important and communities are so important, and we're trying to keep that level of connection going in an age where connection is lost," she said.

"Anything we can do to keep that going with these events, all the money goes back to the theatre so we can carry on going.

"It helps me feel I am giving back in a really true way."

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