Secrets, lies and Manchester's 'spaceship': Cat On A Hot Tin Roof's Patrick Robinson

Patrick Robinson, star of stage, screen and of Strictly Come Dancing, is looking on in admiration at the "spaceship" structure that is the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Patrick is about to make his Royal Exchange debut in the eagerly-anticipated new production of Tennessee Williams classic Cat On A Hot Tin Roof which premieres here next week.

But this is also the first time he's ever visited the majestic theatre housed in the old cotton exchange building in the city centre, and he has been suitably wowed. Patrick smiles: "It's a beautiful space. I studied to be an architect before I went to drama school so I look at buildings like this, and wow this is an incredible building.

"It's like a spaceship has just landed inside, like it's just materialised in Star Trek. To see the theatre within this building it's incredible, it's beautiful."

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Patrick will star in the modern theatre classic as Big Daddy, the wealthy cotton tycoon and head of a dysfunctional family in the deep south of America whose secrets and lies are played out in painful detail through the drama. Bayo Gbadamosi takes on the role of his son Brick, with Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Maggie ‘the cat’ while Jacqui Dubois as Big Mama is also making her Royal Exchange debut.

Having studied the play at drama school, Patrick, 59, is excited to play the role for the first time on the stage.

He says: "It's the Tennessee Williams modern classic isn't it? In years gone by I'd be looking at the character of Brick, but I'm the elder statesman nowadays so it's BIg Daddy now," he laughs.

"I studied bits and pieces in drama schools, I've seen the film, and it's just one of those classic parts and classic pieces that most