This is Cornwall --Daniel Goode's passion for the theatre began at an early age. Growing up in St Germans in Cornwall, he was lucky enough to see lots of productions at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, where he later joined a youth theatre group.
It was his dad, Alan, the editor of the Plymouth paper The Herald and himself a keen theatregoer, who fuelled his enthusiasm.
"My dad was very much involved in the early days of the theatre and he was very keen to get the theatre up and running," says Daniel.
"I joined the youth theatre in 1985 and worked with Nick Stimson on Brother Jacques, playing Jacques.
"Because of dad I saw stuff probably every week – ballet, opera, the English Shakespeare Company's production of The Henrys, farce, musicals... it was an amazing place.
"I met people I would never have met. It was extraordinary. We were allowed to go anywhere in the theatre – we were there all the time. I just remember it having all this energy.
"I studied with Norma Blake at the Raleigh School of Speech and Drama and if it hadn't been for her and the Theatre Royal, I'd never have had the courage to go into acting."
Daniel left the Westcountry and went to RADA. Since then he has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Sir Peter Hall and performed on radio and TV including The Bill and Hustle.
Despite his strong links with the Westcountry, Daniel is performing at the Hall for Cornwall, Truro, and Exeter's Northcott theatre for the first time, in an English Touring Theatre production of Moliere's The Misanthrope.
The setting may be 17th century France, but this production – directed by Gemma Bodinetz – is far from dry and dusty, says Daniel, thanks to a modern translation by Liverpool poet Roger McGough.
"It has been very well received and it has been a really joyous, wonderful experience working with Roger McGough.
"He was very hands on from the start of rehearsals, looking at the text and how it works. Both he and Gemma were very open to our own interpretation."
Moliere's comedy of morals and manners at the 17th century French court centres on a poet, Alceste, who is disgusted with French society. Powdered fops gossip in code and be-jewelled coquettes whisper behind fans wherever he looks. In pursuit of honesty, he embarks on a one-man crusade against forked-tongues, frippery and fakery. But could the woman he has fallen in love with – Célimène – be the worst culprit of all?
"Alceste and Célimène are well drawn characters but Moliere doesn't give us much in the way of description for the others. So we can push the characters all the way. They are completely bonkers.
"What Roger has done – because Moliere was a poet too – is to breathe contemporary life through it. It is still very much set in its period," says Daniel.
"I was amazed from the start how witty and accessible it is. We're watching a man who thinks he's in a tragedy, but is actually in a comedy.
"It talks about the shallowness and grasping nature of society. It's bizarre that it is incredibly current. It is full of puffed up people, full of pride. It is incredibly resonant and really fun to play.
"Gemma and Roger created a very relaxed and very playful atmosphere in rehearsals and they carefully put the company together.
"The play is subtly different every night, through the engagement of the audience."
English Touring Theatre and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse's production of The Misanthrope is at the Hall for Cornwall , Truro, from April 16-20 and the Northcott Theatre, Exeter, April 23-27. Reported by This is 3 days ago.