Panto-time

Shane is Lynch Charming!

Lynch Charming?!

When Shane Lynch took to the stage last year as the star of the Wycombe Swan's pantomime, he had hoped to learn his new found trade and establish himself as an actor.

But something strange happened while he was taking his first steps on the boards, he fell in love. And not just with acting but with the whole concept of pantomime.

Despite having been an international star with Boyzone, Shane is now an avid fan of performing in panto and this is what brings him to Stevenage this Christmas for a mammoth run of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Shane with Snow White played by Sarah Shepherd

The lavish production is set to run for over 100 performances, starting in November and not ending until February 2006.  

We caught up with Shane and discovered all about his new passion for panto, his love for customised cars, his new album and why it won't be hitting the shops just yet.

How did find performing in your first pantomime in Wycombe last year?

Brilliant, it was so brilliant that is why I am back this year, last year's pantomime experience was literally meant to be that. 

It was an experience to learn a bit of foundation about acting, which is what I wanted to do, and all of a sudden, you know what, I had an amazing time. 

All credibility aside and all ability aside and all anything aside, I came from a boy band so I'm not Liam Gallagher from Oasis coming to do panto, I'm just a dude from Boyzone. 

It was such fun that I'm here again and hopefully I will be here next year, I love it, it is so much fun.

When we spoke last year you were adamant that panto was part of your learning curve to get in to TV acting, you'd already picked up a part in Dream Team on Sky, didn't you learn a lesson that panto was very hard work?

The lesson learned was not to snub it and to take it for face value, panto is entertainment and family fun, if you get it wrong so what. There is no pressure and no stress, it is one of the best things I've ever done in my life!

But you toured the world with Boyzone?

Yeah - I toured the world, I've played to a 100,000 people and I'll tell you that panto is brilliant. 

If you are trying to be credible and a serious actor then you might as well go home now.  It is not about that, it is about taking the mickey out of yourself and enjoying it for what it is and I think I learned that last year. 

Shane in his original Boyzone days

Some people come along and they don't like puns and snubs against what they have done in the past, but that is half the fun.  You have to take the mickey out of Boyzone, you have to take the mickey out of all sorts of things.

You are appearing in Snow White so another strong male lead?

I tried the drag but I didn't look that good in it and I was three inches above the recommended height for a dwarf so I had to be Prince Charming really. 

This year's panto schedule is huge, it starts in November and ends in February, isn't that quite hard on you?

It is longer but I think it is slightly less pressurised, mainly to do with the timing of shows and also to do with the fact that the last four weeks of the show are quite spread out.

Will you be living round the Stevenage area during the run?

On most morning shows which I think start at 10:30am I think I will be staying over night so I'll have premises somewhere. But if the show is later I'll just drive back home on the night.

You mentioned driving there, are you still racing cars?

I haven't raced last year or this year. As much as I love motorsport it would drive me mad if I had to take four days out of my week to go racing. 

I don't have the time and I don't want to go racing thinking that I don't really want to be here, I want to enjoy it and love it for what it is.

I'll give it a couple of years and when things quieten down then I'll go back but at the moment I'm happy to be out.

You will probably get better with age?

I'd like to believe so, I'll get more wise and not make harsh and rash decisions where I end up in the gravel traps. 

What are you driving at the moment?

I've just had a new BMW custom made, I love the M3 but it was a little bit too small for me so I've had an M3 Tourer (estate version) made, which is the only one in the world, I adore it!

How did you get one of those made then?

Well money buys everything! I didn't want a 5-series because that is a bit too big, I like the 3-series so I went for the Tourer which I can get my dogs into and pin them to the windows when I drive flat out.

What kind of dogs do you have then?

The cast of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

I’ve got a Doberman and a cross between a Rottweiler and a Shar Pei.

I take it that you are into all things mechanical?

Well that is what I was doing before music. I was a mechanic so when it comes to cars I'm proper into my tools and making something different out of what the manufacturers create. 

I don't like the norm so I will always look for that little bit of an edge on something and that is what I have done over the last few years - spent my money on making the edge.

Will you ever be drawn back into the world of music?

Yes, I love music and I've made an album now but I'm more toying around with timing and what to do in terms of the industry. 

It is so dull at the moment, it is so hard as a British artist or a European Entertainer because the Americans are just having it out and most TV stations and radio stations just want to play American, so it is a bit difficult. 

I'm just holding up really until the door opens again and there is a gap in the market.

Shane Lynch will be staring as the Prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, alongside Paul Laidlaw at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage from the Saturday 26 November 2005 until Saturday 4 February 2006.