Would you believe it? This week's guest President is the extraordinary Paul Rhys, one of Britain's finest and most respected actors. From Vincent & Theo and A Discovery of Witches to Shakespeare's greatest roles and, most recently, Russell T Davies' acclaimed drama Tip Toe, Paul has quietly built one of the most remarkable careers in British theatre and television. Despite that, he rarely gives interviews and has never before appeared on a podcast, making this a particularly special Rambling Club.
So pull on your walking boots and join us as Tony's enchanted bingo machine once again chooses three entirely unexpected destinations. As ever, Sir Stephen Fry's reassuringly omniscient voice keeps watch while the rest of us happily lose ourselves in conversation.
Our first stop is 292 – Greek & Roman Religion. Since the theatre itself was born from religious ceremony in Ancient Greece, this proves a surprisingly fitting place to begin. Paul's Catholic upbringing, spirituality and the enduring relationship between faith and performance soon come to the fore, before we ask whether modern theatre has lost something by turning its back on the spiritual. Along the way we celebrate King Lear, explore Paul's lifelong fascination with William Blake, and discover how a self-confessed introvert copes with the modern expectation that actors must become their own publicists on social media.
Next, the machine produces 629 – Other Branches of Engineering. None of our ramblers claim to possess much practical engineering ability, but President Rhys immediately confounds expectations by revealing that he once built rather more than a career... he built a house! The conversation gently wanders through family, parents and the curious guilt many of us feel about whether we've somehow let them down, before arriving at a rather different form of engineering altogether. How do you construct a character? How do you breathe life into words on a page? Using his acclaimed performance in Tip Toe as a guide, Paul offers a fascinating insight into the meticulous craft of acting and the invisible work that audiences rarely get to see.
Finally, Tony's bingo machine lands on 179 – Cruelty and Ethics. What begins as a discussion about morality soon develops into a thoughtful conversation about politics, empathy and the responsibilities of artists in an increasingly polarised world. Paul reflects on his father's upbringing and the beliefs it instilled, while considering how today's cultural climate affects actors and the stories they're able to tell. We also celebrate his recent collaboration with the legendary Russell T Davies, asking whether drama still has the power to challenge prejudice, change minds and make us look at one another with greater compassion.
Then it's back to the Presidential Shed, where William Blake is still providing the poetry, nobody has successfully engineered a flat-pack bookcase, and the bingo machine is quietly contemplating the meaning of existence.
Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear
Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell
The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com
Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson
Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris
Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson
Join the rambling club and receive your club membership card, badges, exclusive content and access to early release episodes, an exclusive extra podcast you won't hear anywhere else and exclusive club-only perks!
www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive
Official Website- www.tonyslattery.com
Twitter/X: @SlatteryLive
Instagram: tony_slattery_official
BlueSky: @ramblingclub
Paul's Threads: @paul.carmichael.1213
Paul's Bluesky: @paulcarmichaeluk
© Fanfaronade Productions 2026
","author_name":"Tony Slattery"}