Introducing... Zach Lee, an actor with charity, marriage and emigration on his mind.

Say hello and wave goodbye to Zach Lee, lead actor in York Theatre Royal's world premiere of Nick Lane's The Derby McQueen Affair. No sooner has he made his Theatre Royal repertory debut than he is making plans for a far-flung future, as he reveals to Charles Hutchinson.

How did your career in acting start?

"I hadn't done any acting before going to drama school. Me and a friend went away on holiday - we went to Torquay - and we both decided we wanted to change our lives.

"It was one of those things. We were both struggling and we both wanted to do something exciting. I'd been travelling for a couple of years, and I was a trained hairdresser, working in a unisex salon in Blackburn, where I'm from."

What steps did you take to become an actor?

"I got a factory job, working nights, putting in ventilation shafts on a production line, and during the day I did acting classes with these 'strange' people. Twelve months later, I went to London to study at Arts Educational."

What a career change.

"Total change. Two weeks' holiday in Torquay. Came back. Sacked our jobs! Bizarre! Quick decision, but then it's not quick. It's a lifetime, isn't? I was 23, I'm 37 now."

After your conversion to acting on the theatrical road to Damascus, did you have any qualms that you might not cut it professionally?

"I don't know about that. You can definitely learn to do this job, and where I've learnt most has been working with John Godber at Hull Truck. To me, college was finding out what the job was about."

You have become a regular in John Godber and Nick Lane's shows at Hull Truck. How did that come about?

"The first thing I did for John was a pure piece of luck, and that was Bouncers. That was the first show I saw in 1990, when I went to college and I saw it at this small theatre in Greenwich, one of those pub theatres. I loved it.

"I had brilliant fun at college, which is why I wanted to do it, and I've had a brilliant laugh working with John and Nick at Hull. That's the buzz I want when I go to work."

Nick Lane wrote the role of charity conman Tom in The Derby McQueen Affair with you in mind to play him. Flattered?

"I knew about this show a long time ago, because Nick and I have been friends for ages. He said he had various people in mind when he wrote it, and I was one of those."

Describe the character of Tom, the graphic designer who sets up a fake charity to pay off his debts.

"He's a bit cocky; he hasn't really got anywhere in his life, ten years after quitting college; and he thinks he's smarter than he is. He's also a slight bully, bullying his best mate Bob, because there are undertones to what he says."

Tom does plenty of talking directly to the audience, much in the way that game-show host Martin Garvey, your character in John Godber's Reunion, did too.

"Martin was aggressive and provocative and rude. Tom is very different. If Martin Garvey had been in The Studio space at the Theatre Royal, no one would have come back for the second half."

After a series of adaptations, The Derby McQueen Affair is Nick Lane's first original writing. How do you rate his work?

"I believe this is the start of something massive for Nick. The first time I met him six years ago I couldn't understand how he wasn't famous already. He's such a one-off; I think he's got a huge future. This play has been a learning curve for him and he'll only get better and better."

What comes next for Zach Lee? More work with Nick Lane?

"No, this is it."

What?

"I'm going to Australia. I've just bought my ticket today. A one-way ticket. I'm off to marry my woman, Beck, in Sydney. I met her over here seven years ago but she decided to go back to Australia, and I've now decided I'm going to follow her out there. I'm emigrating on July 24 a fortnight after The Derby McQueen Affair finishes and hopefully my mates will be coming out to the wedding on February 19.

"I went over in March to set up my career over there and I'm very positive and very hopeful. It's just a beautiful place, I want to have fun and enjoy my life with Beck, and Sydney's a brilliant place to do that."

Big decision, Zach.

"Yeah, it's huge. It hasn't really sunk in yet, but we're both very excited and we can't wait."

Does Beck work in theatre?

"No, she works for a charity organisation!"

Seriously?

"Yes, seriously. Perfect for this play."

The Derby McQueen Affair, The Studio, York Theatre Royal, until July 10. Box office: 01904 623568.

Updated: 15:35 Thursday, June 24, 2004