At the peak of his profession

From the archive, first published Friday 2nd Mar 2001.

After hanging up his stethoscope, Adrian Lukis has gone back to his theatrical roots and later this month he'll be playing Macbeth at the Salisbury Playhouse. ALI KEFFORD caught up with the former Peak Practice star during rehearsals...

MY WORST fears have been confirmed. Cardale, home of hit drama Peak Practice, is indeed a highly dangerous place to live.

The series charts life in a small rural community as it is engulfed by an endless stream of rare and potentially deadly ailments.

Patients fall like nine-pins.

The doctors snatch snogs between scribbling prescriptions, then dramatically vanish or die horribly themselves.

So when Adrian Lukis decided to quit after two years playing Dr David Shearer, it seemed only apt his part should be snuffed out by a bloody head injury from that notorious country killer - the water trough.

Yet here is the actor, still very much alive (and taller than expected), making steady headway through a Salisbury Playhouse cottage pie.

"It's the kiss of death, Cardale - the amount of diseases they have considering it's a rural practice is amazing," explains the amiable Adrian, picking up a carrot in his fingers, then chomping on it thoughtfully.

"You would imagine patients would come in with coughs and colds, and the odd dose of something interesting from abroad. But it gives us a good storyline to play with."

Adrian found the filming schedule of Peak Practice relentless and got a bit hacked off with his character, the "pleasant, cuddly Dr Shearer".

Attempts to persuade writers to give the saintly quack a drink or drug problem failed.

But eventually, he talked them into letting the "bland" GP embark on a steamy affair, cut short by that trough tumble.

Today Adrian Lukis ambles around the Salisbury Playhouse, where he is currently rehearsing to play the lead in Shakespeare's Macbeth.

This is another reason for quitting Peak Practice - to return to treading the boards.

Adrian earned enough from stethoscopic shenanigans to extend the home he shares with wife Michele and their 11-year-old daughter.

Though years of the hand-to-mouth existence of a struggling actor remain a clear memory, he's made enough to cushion him while he goes back to theatre work.

Rehearsals for the Scottish tragedy are now in their second week, so he's sporting worn jeans, scuffed shoes, stubble and nails bitten to the quick.

You may or may not be aware of it, but women's knees buckle at the mere mention of this man's name.

Put him in a room with some, and they would pass out cold at his feet.

It would appear Mr Lukis is thespian totty.

There are friendly dark brown eyes, a mischievous smile and a sprinkling of grey in his black hair.

However, this is no occasion for assessing the view, we've been sternly told he's on a tight schedule and it's time to interview at the gallop.

"And we're off," quips Adrian, confronted by a notebook.

He talks quickly, his head slumped on his hand, eyes gazing into the distance, then breaks off, confessing: "I'm in danger of talking absolute nonsense here."

The energy which streams from him as he discusses his work switches to full beam.

"I've come here because I want to play Macbeth. You don't do this sort of stuff for money, you do it because you want to play the part. You can't get anything more challenging than Shakespeare and Macbeth."

Then he groans, "Actors always bang on about the theatre don't they? Of course we do."

During his stint playing out the upwardly mobile laird's bloody downfall, he will be back on our TV screens again as aristocratic womaniser the Hon. Hugh Whitton in ITV's The Hunt ("I think he's rather an Alan Clarke character. I'm really proud of that one.").

Of course, Adrian is no stranger to playing a ladies' man.

In the highly-acclaimed BBC production of Pride and Prejudice five years ago, he played Mr Wickham, the manipulative bounder who twanged on Elizabeth Bennett's heart strings, then eloped with her vacant little sister, Lydia.

"I think the thing with being a womaniser is that he should come across as plausible. These men are charming and genuinely good fun to be with. You would have a pretty good night out with Wickham - though you would end up picking up the bill."

Did Adrian mind that female viewers became fixated with Colin Firth's Mr Darcy - especially his trousers?

Loud gaffaws and a mouthful of cottage pie pauses half way to his mouth: "No not at all, anyway I thought it was Colin's chest when he came out of the lake which they all liked."

When a camera lens is waved in his direction, Adrian potters off down the stairs, muttering he must check his hair.

He returns moments later, looking exactly as he did before.

It's when he poses for photographs that there's a subtle change in body language which makes him noticeable.

Suddenly there's a bit of a glimmer of sexiness about him.

Adrian looks round, flicks his eyebrows up and grins impishly.

Does he know he has legions of female fans?

He must do, but it probably amuses him more than anything else.

Yet for all the banter, there's a serious side - and he's a staunch defender of his profession.

It would, for example, be wise to avoid use of the word "luvvies" around Adrian Lukis.

"That implies we are rather fey, left of centre and egocentric," he hurrumphs, obviously miffed.

"I think it's because they think it looks easy. And it's not."

Today, when everyone seems to have something to prove and personal dissatisfaction abounds, Adrian has an air of contentment around him.

He is comfortable with himself, likes himself - but isn't arrogant.

And this, he believes, is why, at 43, he is in his professional prime, enjoying more success now than ever before.

A Playhouse employee circles protectively.

Their star must return to rehearsals.

Like Peak Practice there's a lot of blood and guts.

But, all in all, this part's a lot more meaty.

n Macbeth is at the Salisbury Playhouse between Friday March 16 and Saturday April 7. Box office: 01722 320333.

After two years of playing a respectable doctor in Peak Practice, Adrian relishes the challenge of playing one of Shakepeare's toughest roles, Macbeth