Bringing the joy of Shakespeare to young audiences is a dream come true, actor Noel Andrew Harron tells KATHERINE MACALISTER.

When everyone else is leaving the theatre, spare a thought for Noel Andrew Harron, who will be in the shower frantically scrubbing away at his green body paint.

Because however much he relishes playing Puck in Shakespeare 4 Kidz’ version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, removing his body make-up every night is the bain of his life.

“However hard I wash I can never quite remove it from behind my ears or the back of my knees,” he grins. “And I constantly have a green tinge so it looks as if I have some dreadful skin disease.”

Otherwise, Noel is delighted to be starring in his fourth S4K’s production in front of hundreds of children every night, the harshest audience ever.

“Yes, but that’s the challenge,” he explains. “Because children are so brutally honest that you have to win them over. And when you’ve got them you know it, especially when they giggle to their heart’s content.

“And it’s OK to laugh out loud – the audience weren’t quiet in Shakespeare’s day, so why should they be today? I find it weird when teachers get their pupils to keep quiet.”

And the Irish graduate of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts knows how important it is to bring these dusty texts alive.

“Making the audience realise how terrific Shakespeare can be is great, because the text alone can be terribly boring until you speak the words and realise how interesting and joyous it can be.

“Our job is to keep the kids engaged to the very end, not just through words, but using our body language and animation as well, so the audience can literally grasp the characters. We just want to see them really enjoying it.”

“So I love doing Shakespeare because it’s a real passion of mine, and MND is perfect for children because it’s full of magic, mystery and love, all the markings of an accessible play,” Noel, 27, says. “But also because it’s not dumbed down or patronising.”

As for the acting community, Noel says they can be patronising when they find out he’s working with S4K.

“They ask me if I’m doing it in schools,” he laughs. “I reply, ‘no, usually 2,000-seater sell-out venues. How about you?” he laughs. “I’m just happy to be part of such an amazing thing.” And he ambles off, presumably to start lathering himself up in green body paint.

* S4K’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays at Oxford’s New Theatre on Monday, March 14. Call the box office on 0844 8471588.