Eastenders' Shaun Williamson talks ahead of Birmingham theatre appearance

So he volunteers opinions about Barry from Eastenders, the character he successfully portrayed between 1994 and 2004. And he doesn't wait to be asked before volunteering information about his brilliant, satirical portrayal of himself in the HBO/BBC sitcom Extras. The stories come pour out like water through a leaky bucket. There's no sense of: 'I'm a serious actor, dontcha know,' no hang-ups about being typecast or haunted by his past. He's lively, straight down the line, honest as the day is long.

Shaun is, in a word, fantastic.

He's talking to us about his latest role, Out Of Order, which runs at Birmingham's New Alexandra Theatre from Monday to April 15.

It's a farce from the masterful Ray Cooney, who also wrote Run For Your Wife, Funny Money and Move Over Mrs Markham.

It focuses on a Government Junior Minister, who plans to spend the evening with one of the Opposition's typists in the Westminster Hotel. Things go disastrously wrong – beginning with the discovery of a body trapped in the hotel's only unreliable sash window. Desperately trying to get out of a sticky situation, things go from bad to worse.

Shaun is part of a stellar company that also includes Sue Holderness (Only Fools & Horses, Green Green Grass); Andrew Hall (Butterflies, Coronation Street); Susie Amy (Footballers' Wives); James Holmes (Miranda), and Arthur Bostrom ('Allo 'Allo).

"I did One Man, Two Guvnors but this is the first out-and-out farce I've done. As one door opens, another window bangs shut. It's about an MP who is having it away with a secretary. I get drafted in to sort it all out.

"The attraction for me was Ray Cooney, who is brilliant. He's 84 and he's as fit as a fiddle. He's on his feet all day and he's fitter than me.

"He's a guy who knows how to get the maximum laughs and it's working a treat, we're getting a great reaction from the audiences. It's very Carry On. That's the best way I can describe it."

And then, sales pitch over, he turns to Barry. Bless him. We don't even have to ask.

"I've been very lucky that because of Barry I get offered a lot of work. Some is instantly turned down but I get offered a wide variety and pieces like this are great. In many ways, I know I've typecast myself and people consider me a comedy actor. But there are worse things I could be." Damn right.

Barry was the making of Shaun. He'd studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and found himself in the 'Enders almost straight away.

"I found out early on that I was reasonably good at that humour. I don't think I'd ever be offered a King Lear or Othello. But in some ways it was all chance.

"At first, Barry was this edgy guy. He set fire to the car lot and supplied Cindy with the number of a hit man. But then a lovely actor left the series and they reinvented Barry. I'm glad they did. That gave me longevity and kept me there for 10 years. Bad guys get killed off much quicker."

He left when he'd had enough. Ten years playing a lovable fool is enough for any man. And though in typical soap opera style, he came to a sticky end, he'd happily return to soap if the part was right.

"I left when I wanted. So many actors want to go back for the money but I don't. I've got a lot of friends in soaps who've stayed for a long time. Some say they wouldn't want to leave. I wouldn't knock anybody for that. I did 10 years and I've been out 13. I'd do other soap work, but only if the part was right.

technical

"For now, I just love being on the stage. Eastenders was very technical. Every now and again you'd earn your money by breaking down in tears or burning down a house. But it's nothing like going out on stage in front of a live audience every night and trying to keep everybody laughing."

We turn to his brilliant cameos in Extras. "Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant were great. I realised I was typecasting myself even further but there was no way in a million years I'd pass up the chance to work with them. At least I can say I've been in a classic soap and a classic sitcom, as well as having my own kids' TV series.

"Extras came about when Ricky phoned me up. He gets an actor's mobile number and phones you personally, so you agree to it and then the agent has no bargaining power. It was so much fun. It is all so well prepared and then when that magic moment of spontaneity arrives they capture it. Ricky's a lovely, lovely man."

Andy Richardson