DAVID Hayman is set to chat about his appearance in Cyprus Avenue, one of the most provocative plays ever to be produced in Scotland, but before we start he has to download the real-life drama playing out in his head.

Scotland’s acting legend is deeply concerned about the plight of Gaza, in particular the Palestinian nurses he came to know as part of his Spirit Aid charity foundation, who have been killed in the bombing.  “We brought some of them over to Scotland for special training,” he says in a voice that struggles to escape the back of his throat. “And now we have lost them. And so many other medical people.”  He adds: “I’m not saying the attacks by Hamas on Israel weren’t horrific and evil, but Israel’s response has been to turn Gaza City into a car park.”

The Middle Eastern war commands the conversation for another five minutes or so, and it has to be referenced, if only to reflect the emotional turmoil Hayman is experiencing. But the discussion also feeds into his role in Cyprus Avenue, which has at its central focus, blind ideology. 

David Ireland’s dynamic, comedic – and hugely controversial – play centres around the disturbed and dangerous mind of Eric, an Ulster Protestant who has a psychotic crisis triggered by the birth of his granddaughter, whom he believes to be the reincarnation of Gerry Adams.

What has prompted Hayman to reprise this hugely demanding role, which he previously performed to a sell-out run at the Tron Theatre? Is it the exploration of how far the human mind can dive into the moral abyss? 

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“Yes, absolutely,” he agrees. “When I read the script, I found it breathtaking. I have never read a piece of work like this in all of 50 years on the job – Shakespeare apart. It is challenging, moving, disturbing – and funny – in the blackest of shades. It asks so much about how blind faith and ideology can create so much destruction in a human being.”

He adds: “This man is watching the [Loyalist] world collapse around him. He sees the future which is a united Ireland because the Catholics now outnumber the Protestants in the north. And somehow, David Ireland manages to put such an extraordinary spin on this story to make it such an electrifying piece of theatre.” 

The passion in Hayman’s voice swells. “In all my years, I’ve never seen such a reaction from an audience. Some were in a state of shock, while some were saying it to be the most amazing play they had ever seen.”

Without spoiling the tale, Hayman’s challenge as an actor is to garner sympathy for the devil. “Yes. That’s true. You have to understand where this man is coming from. And I’ve asked lots of people after they’ve seen the play if they did have sympathy for him. And they say yes. Now, this is rare, incredibly rare, to get that sort of reaction from an audience. But I think this is because the writing, and the performance, makes them go deep into their own minds, to consider their prejudices.” 

Previous stagings have shown that some audiences haven’t been able to cope with the content. David Ireland has spoken of outraged New Yorkers who turned up to see a Darby O’Gill-style Irish play and walked out feeling they’d been hit by a hand grenade. Hayman says he will anticipate this possibility happening again.

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“Oh, yes,” he adds, smiling.  The Glasgow audience will be different this time around. Cyprus Avenue is being relocated to Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow, traditionally a variety hall, not an art house theatre. However new management the Trafalgar Theatres are keen to widen the potential of their fabulous, listed venue.

“It’s great that the theatre is bringing in a play as challenging as this. Especially in this city. Glasgow and Belfast are two cities in which this play just has to be seen. And given the response to the play when it was staged at the Tron, where tickets were like gold, it should sell really well.”

David Hayman believes this story to be an Irish King Lear of a play, a dramatic fall from grace that sees needless lives lost. (He has of course played Lear).

And after 50 years, Hayman hasn’t lost his love for performance. The man who grew up in Drumchapel has never sought fame. “I’ve only ever wanted to be the best actor I could be. I never wanted to live in an ivory tower. I need the inspiration from ordinary people around me to give me the integrity I need.”

He smiles. “I’m good on TV, I’m good in the movies, but I come alive in front of a live audience. And I want to do more theatre like this.”  He takes a moment and his voice swells. “I want David Ireland to write me a one-man show.” He almost licks his lips at the thought. “Oh, yes, that would be fantastic.”

Cyprus Avenue, The Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, February 27-March 2