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Lily Allen's brother shows naked ambition AUDIO
Yorkshire will this month host Equus, the daring play which last year grabbed headlines when Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe appeared naked in the lead role. This time it's Alfie Allen – son of actor Keith and brother of singer Lily – who's stripping off. Arts editor Rod McPhee quizzed the star on his speedy ascent.
GIVEN Alfie Allen's famous relatives you'd think he might have chosen a more low-profile girlfriend than Jaime Winstone, daughter of Ray and actress in her own right.
And even if you accept you can't choose who you fall in love with any more than you can pick your family, you don't have to bring your partner in on interviews.
Yet as Allen sits down to discuss his lead role in Equus, Winstone joins us.
Which is fine, except this only serves to heighten a celeb association which is establishing him as central figure in a 'Brit Pack' of emerging talent tipped for big things – and it's an association he claims to dislike.
"You know, if the media want to put pictures of me with other people and say we're this pack of 'new young stars' then cool," he insists. "But I just want to get on with my work. I'm just me."
Unfortunately it's not quite that simple. With the Allen surname he was never going to be known as plain old Alfie.
He faces a struggle in convincing cynics this 21-year-old's surge to fame – which now sees him take one of the most coveted roles in theatreland – isn't at least partly fuelled by nepotism.
Big cheese
"If people want to say that and write that then that's people just being bored, isn't it?" a defensive Allen replies. "They've clearly not got anything better to write about if that's all they've got."
But aside from the famous association with his father and sister, his mother, Alison Owen, is a big cheese in the movie world and gave him his first role at the tender age of 11 in the hit movie she produced, Elizabeth.
Ten years on and he already has numerous roles in film and TV under his belt including the part of servant Danny Hardman in the Oscar-winning movie, Atonement.
Even the most charitable observer could be forgiven for wondering if the Allen name hasn't nudged his career prematurely into the fast lane.
He said: "I've never tried to compare myself to anyone else in my family. Lily is a musician and my dad's an actor, and a completely different actor to me, in my opinion.
"I didn't even think about the whole issue until much later on, it certainly wasn't the first thing I thought about when I went for the part in Equus.
"So I'd just say to people: come and see the play for yourselves and then make your own judgement."
So far the critics' judgement has been pretty favourable with glowing reviews of Allen's performance in the part of Alan Strang, a troubled adolescent with a worrying obsession.
In the play he is discovered by magistrate Hesther Salamon, played by Linda Thorson, after he arrives in court charged with blinding six horses during a frenzied attack in a stable.
Demons
Rather than jail him she sends him for psychiatric care to Martin Dysart, played by Simon Callow, whereupon he uncovers the inner demons of a deeply troubled young man.
Peter Shaffer's play, which was written 35 years ago, is complex and doesn't inspire instant, broad appeal. But its revival last year in the West End was helped by the casting of Daniel Radcliffe as the lead.
The unpredictable choice of putting the Harry Potter child star into a role which involved varying degrees of sex, swearing and violence created an almost unprecedented stir – not least because it requires Strang to strip off.
"I didn't have any qualms about that," said Allen. "It's just part of the job I do. In fact it's really liberating because you get a real sense of freedom and after a while you don't really think about it.
"It was hard at first. It was difficult for me to get naked in the rehearsal room in front of people, much more difficult than in front of an audience, actually.
"Surprisingly I haven't had much of a response from the audience when I strip off. Daniel Radcliffe got a couple of wolf whistles when he did it, which must have been awful. Thankfully I've been spared that so far."
Overdrive
But the extra attention alone is sure to see his career, already speeding ahead, now slip into overdrive.
With a trademark honesty and unapologetic ambition we've come to expect from the Allens, he doesn't hide the fact that he's loving it.
"I'm definitely interested in the money!" he laughs. "Obviously I love doing it too, I'm just lucky to be doing something I love and get paid well for it, so why not?
"The fame thing's all right too. It's a bit weird getting noticed on the street more but, whatever man, you have to take the rough with the smooth.
"I just want to concentrate on my work to be honest. I'd like to do more films and TV and more theatre as well, I've certainly felt inspired by working on Equus.
"I'd love to one day perform at the National Theatre or the Royal Court, ya know? But I'll just see how things go, I prefer not to plan too much for the future and just live in the here and now."
Equus is at The Alhambra, Bradford from April 28 to May 3. Call the box office on 01274 432000 or visit www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
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