Day Out/Attraction

I know I’m biased, but I have to choose Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds - the last working Regency Theatre and one of only nine Grade-I listed theatres in the country. It has the most extraordinary ceiling, painted as a sky. I think it’s the most beautiful theatre in the world – and we create some fantastic plays too.

Pub

I’ve recently discovered The Crown in the picture-perfect village of Hartest. It has an enormous beer garden, serves delicious food and great beers from their micro-brewery in Ingham.

Beach

I love Aldeburgh beach. It’s a long, pebble beach so has a really dramatic austerity; especially in the winter. It has a beautiful sculpture, a 15ft scallop shell by Maggi Hambling. I love public art. It’s not important whether you like a specific public artwork or not – it’s a gift to the people, from the people.

Shop

The Imagine Gallery in Long Melford is full of beautiful art works by loads of different independent artists. I have bought some great gifts in there.

Town/Village

I have a strong affection for Southwold. My wife first introduced me to the town about 15 years ago when she used to perform there in a summer rep season. I spent every summer for five years exploring whilst she was in the theatre. The beach, the pier, the harbour and the lighthouse give it a quintessentially English feel.

Landmark

There is an amazing castle in New Buckenham (this is a slight cheat as its just over the border in Norfolk). It's locked to the public, but you can borrow a key from the village shop (for a £10 deposit) and then you have a castle all to yourself!

Place to eat

Wrights in Bury St Edmunds make the best cheese toasties in the world. When I applied for my job, my wife and I came to Bury for the day to check-out the town. We stopped at Wrights on the way back to the train and ate Suffolk Reuben toasties on a bench in the street. We were hooked. I may have come to Bury for the job, but I stayed for the toasties.

Memory

I proposed to my wife in an oak tree in Walberswick. It was midnight (she had just finished in a show), I had rigged the tree with fairylights and speakers, and suspended an ice bucket in the branches with a bottle of Champagne in it (I’m a theatre-maker!). She climbed up into the tree and I switched on the fairylights, played our favourite song and lowered the Champagne bucket from the branches above. She said ‘yes’ and we’re about to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We visit the tree in Walberswick every year.