Nicholas Gasson

- Biography
- Reviews
Nick is an experienced character actor with UK theatre tours and regional theatre under his belt in productions of Pinter, Orton, Ayckbourn, Frank McGuinness and Alan Bennett’s work.
He last toured the UK in 2014 in the UK revival of Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane, and has twice played the leading role of the old tramp Davies in Pinter’s The Caretaker, touring the UK and Ireland in 2004 and again in 2010 for London Classic Theatre.
His TV includes EastEnders, Merlin and Doctors.
He has filmed several TV commercials with William Shatner for Kellogg’s All Bran; also Mars (Australia), Direct Line (UK) and Subaru (Italy).
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The Caretaker: 2010
Part Alf Garnett-like bigot, part washed-up music hall comedian, Nicholas Gasson’s Davies is magnificent – by turns coarse, prissy and vindictive.
Chris Tracy – Eastern Daily Press
Nicholas Gasson was excellent as the scheming tramp Davies.
Liam Murphy – Munster Express
His famous delusion – that he’ll retrieve his papers from Sidcup as soon as the weather breaks – took on greater and greater poignancy every time it was uttered by actor, Nicholas Gasson, who also did well to illustrate the crushing addiction that is incessant talking. Many of Davies’s utterances are redundant but most act to reassert the power balance in his favour. Gasson had the ability to make us giggle at the most absurd and to shiver as we noticed the rising undercurrent of violence.
Robert Gibson – Hexham Courant
This was an immensely satisfying production in which the superb performances were matched by high technical standards. By far the most effective interpretation of Pinter’s work that I have ever seen.
Graham Williams – South Wales Evening Post
Last night’s sell-out performance of Pinter’s The Caretaker by London Classic Theatre is a good example of the standard of drama now on offer…and this superb revival, directed by Michael Cabot, is the centrepiece of its 10th anniversary year. The play focuses on Davies, an elderly drifter, played here by the brilliant Nicholas Gasson.
Roddy Phillips – Aberdeen Press & Journal
The tramp, Davies, who wants to get back to Sidcup to collect his ‘papers’ is excellently performed by Gasson. At first, downtrodden by Mick, he manages the transformation to persecutor very impressively when he learns of Aston’s undefined mental problems.
Hugh Homan – The Stage
Nicholas Gasson encompasses the full range of the character, from grudging gratitude to overt racism, from cringing subservience to barely suppressed aggression, and all this with the barest hint of faded gentrification in his rough voice.
Mike Allen – Portsmouth Today
It is strongly cast with Nicholas Gasson dominating.
Anne-Morley Priestman – WhatsOnStage.com ★★★★
Gasson, in the important central role, captures effectively his character’s contradictions, moving from pleading to pridefulness in an instant, rejecting Aston’s offers of a new pair of shoes, but humbled into surprise when he is told he can stay in the flat on his own. He is an ambiguous, self-deceiving character.
Rachel Andrews – Sunday Business Post
Talking Heads
Gasson’s sensitive portrayal gets right under the skin of this affecting man.
Hugh Horman – The Stage
A graphic portrayal of this troubled man…a most touching picture of a deep mother/son relationship.
Robin Wright – Theatreworld
Gasson reflected every nuance of Graham’s emotions – consummate acting.
Gayle Wade – Bury Free Press
The Caretaker
Nicholas Gasson leaves a powerful imprint of a devious and cunning parasite.
Jeremy Brown – The Stage
In Nicholas Gasson’s hands, Davies is crabby and whining as he leeches off Aston, and pathetic too, in his obstinate pretence of a personal history…The cast are superb, and create skin-crawlingly real characters from Pinter’s rich and elaborate dialogues.
Emma Slawinski – The Edinburgh Guide
I’ve seen three very distinguished actors play Davies. Nicholas Gasson was as good as any of them, especially in conveying the wheedling circulatory lies which he spins around himself and others.
Peter Lewis – Hexham Courant
With his…crippled hands and remarkable facial expressions, Nicholas Gasson…stole the show.
Lisa Merry – West Sussex County Times
Nicholas Gasson is an ideal stinking reprobate, chinless, constantly blinking and open-mouthed.
Alan King – Bristol Evening Post
…the show was stolen by Davies, the down and out tramp played by Nicholas Gasson. He stood out for all the right reasons.
James Barnard – Hayfield
Entertaining Mr Sloane
Nicholas Gasson’s Ed inhabits a world of meetings, cars and feelings he cannot quite admit to…Thanks to the cast’s perfectly pitched phrasing and timing, the voice of Orton sounds loud and clear in this excellent, very black and very funny production.
Victor Hallett, -The Stage
Season’s Greetings
Nicholas Gasson and Lorraine Brunning have moments of profound impact throughout.
VM – Henley Standard
Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me
Convincing performances from Christopher Patrick Nolan, Patrick Poletti & Nicholas Gasson.
Alan Hulme – Manchester Evening News
Nicholas Gasson, as the bewildered, stiff-upper-lip English academic…is particularly endearing in his naive innocence.
GH – Leigh Times
Actors Nicholas Gasson, Christopher Patrick Nolan and Patrick Poletti work brilliantly together.
Jill Williams – Gloucestershire Echo
Homehelp
Outstanding is a favourite of these columns, Nicholas Gasson as Alan. I have only ever seen him before in classical plays, in all of which he was excellent. His performance [in Homehelp] is just as rewarding.”
Paul Nelson – Wandsworth Borough News
Much Ado About Nothing
“If there are medals to be handed out, then they should surely go to Ann Courtney and Nicholas Gasson who, as Beatrice and Benedick, fight the good fight between the sexes with all their might.”
The Cornishman
The Tempest
Antonio and Sebastian make an admirable pair of mocking birds. The repartee between the two provides the intelligent humour with the combination of Nicholas Gasson’s sly smile and Daniel Osgerby’s arched brow.
Gary Bird – Theatreworld
Nicholas Gasson is suitably cynical as Prospero’s usurping brother Antonio.
Neil Dowden – The Stage
Talking Heads
Nick Gasson gives a display of technical brilliance in A Chip in the Sugar. His timing and delivery have all the colour and spirit of a music hall turn, but, beneath the wit, Bennett’s sense of intimate human tragedy adds a sombre undertone.
Darryl McCarthy – Kentish Times Newspapers
School for Wives
No one seizes [the chance to shine] better than the demonic Nicholas Gasson, who gives central character Arnolphe an air of increasing derangement and frenzy.
Chris Borg – The Stage
Some perfect performances. I urge you to see the Arnolphe of Nicholas Gasson. Confusion and perplexion sit upon his brow along with the impotence of his situation, to great comic effect.
Paul Nelson – Wandsworth Borough News
Breaking the Code
A mesmerising performance by Nicholas Gasson plotted Turing’s development from early youth to sad suicide with a sense of realism and without any make-up work to illustrate the ageing process. He brilliantly captured the child-like innocence of the man, his speech impediment and other characteristics which contrasted so oddly with his awesome mental power.
Roy Atterbury – Kentish Times