While viewers face the agonizingly slow wait for the upcoming installment of Line of Duty, which commences shooting in January, actor Martin Compston will be seen in a number of different roles. He features in two unexpected roles and again in the familiar form of a no-nonsense and taciturn protagonist in Red Eye.
A Revelation in The Revenge Club
To begin with is The Revenge Club, where Compston gives a surprising turn. The story revolves around a support group for people left by their spouses, a motley band brought together solely by their shared experience of being dismissed. “There is no other basis for these individuals to be in each other’s company,” Compston states. “They’re all lonely and in dire need of friendship. They’re all, in their own ways, damaged, which makes for this explosive combination.”
“With an enthusiasm about what you’re doing and enthusiasm for what you’re doing, the audience will be with you.”
While this may sound dark, the series is the opposite – even scenes in a beat-up community centre are heightened. The deeds of revenge, executed by the entire group, start off quite harmless before escalating into darker ground. The drama initially recalls familiar tones but soon carves out its particular voice. “It resides in its own category,” he says. “It moves from dramatic scenes into a sort of caper. You assume you’re going down one path, then you’re not.”
Exploring New the Comfort Zone
A couple of notable things emerge about Compston's casting in this project. The initial is that he's doing comedy, a rarity for him. “This was outside my comfort zone,” admits Compston. Another shift is his position as the romantic lead, a major fork in the road from his typically troubled fictional love life. Compston and his co-star share a wonderful sparky chemistry.
“That’s one of the things I love about the series,” he states. “We aren't just good guys who have been hurt. Our former partners may be people who’ve moved on with their lives. All of us have gone down this road because we had nothing to cling on to, and all of a sudden we have this club.”
Life in Las Vegas
Perhaps more unexpected is the personal Compston showcased in the forthcoming travelogue Living Las Vegas. Having wed American actor Tianna Chanel Flynn almost a decade ago, he splits his time between Greenock and Nevada. The program features him exploring his second home city, making friends with local residents from a retro store owner to horse riding instructors. It offers a cute and deliberately apolitical glimpse of daily life.
“Many of people live their lives on social media,” he remarks, diplomatically. “I am not unaware of the challenges out there, but we reside on a lovely street, we’ve got good neighbours... everyone is just going about our lives.” He voices his own ideological views but emphasizes that, as a guest, he often prefers to keep quiet in an increasingly angry climate.
The Comeback of a Phenomenon
The highly-anticipated news of Line of Duty's seventh series has fueled tremendous interest. The show secured historic ratings for its previous finale. “The 9 o’clock time, whether it be on a Sunday night or over the holidays, it’s gold dust,” Compston observes. “You feel like you’ve got the country in the collective grip if you’ve got something good to show them.”
He notes that the character of Supt Ted Hastings, played by Adrian Dunbar, has resonated deeply with viewers. “He is like the country's father figure. A guy who wants to do good. People want to root for the good guys, and feel there are decent people out there.”
Looking Ahead
In the interim, Compston reprises to action-packed drama territory in the second season of Red Eye, channeling the charismatic energy viewers love him for. Beyond acting, he is also thinking about behind-the-scenes roles. “You get that innate guilt, you need to do something,” he jokes of his work ethic.
He describes one idea, a historical drama about Allan Pinkerton, a Scottish figure who created the Pinkerton detective agency in America. “He started the detective agency, worked on the Underground Railroad... had an incredible life. This little guy from the Gorbals.” It seems like a story perfectly fitting for an actor known for playing determined characters.
The Revenge Club is available now on Paramount+; Red Eye is broadcast on ITV1 on New Year’s Day.
