The Highwayman – Catch up with the cast

John Godber’s new thrilling theatrical romantic adventure, The Highwayman, is back on tour this Autumn. We caught up with the cast to talk about the show and what audiences can expect.

Please can you introduce yourselves and what roles you are playing in The Highwayman?

EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL: Hello, I'm EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL, and I play John Swift.

DYLAN ALLCOCK: I'm Dylan, and I play Tate Wilkinson, Lord Percy, Hangman, Old Mary, Ballader, Pirate and the Judge.

MATHEEA ELLERBY: Hello, I'm Matheea, and I am playing Molly May, Margery, and Annie Boon.

What can audiences expect when booking tickets for The Highwayman?

EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL: Audiences can expect a whirlwind of a journey filled with laughs, lots of social commentary, a bit of romance, action and some beautifully arranged songs by our very own Mr. Dylan Allcock. I think that The Highwayman is a really good piece of ensemble theatre that will take audiences on a wild ride.

DYLAN ALLCOCK: I think that The Highwayman is a political piece, like all of John's plays are, but I think it also leans into his other passion and his other love, really, which is theatre and theatre history. It engages with theatrical devices from lots of different eras, which gives us the chance to have big comedic, archetypal, histrionic characters that we can have great fun with.

MATHEEA ELLERBY: The thing that's a bit different about The Highwayman is that it is a historical piece. I think it is quite interesting how we tackle some of the issues of the modern day from within a different historical context. The issues that were relevant then are still relevant now.

In what ways do you that The Highwayman speaks to modern audiences?

DYLAN ALLCOCK: When you think of politics now, when they say, "What's the biggest thing that comes up on the doorstep?", they talk about the cost of living, don't they? The Highwayman looks at the lengths that people will go to when they are desperate and feel like they are not being served by the state or by the government. I think that the play is tackling this very pertinent issue head-on. One of the things that John taps into really well is ongoing problems that never really get fixed, and gives a voice to the people who are on the fringes and have been forgotten.

MATHEEA ELLERBY: I think that the play is especially relevant now, like Dylan said, with the cost of living being so high. I mean, we have recently got our first trillionaire. Should we live in a world where trillionaires exist? In the play, we see how the people at the top are so far removed from the working people, and I think that there are some parallels to the present day in that.

All three of you were in the original production of The Highwayman, which premiered in 2024 and toured again in 2025. Can audiences expect any change to the previous versions of the show?

MATHEEA ELLERBY: If you originally saw The Highwayman, you would have seen a cast of four. This year, we have a cast of three.

EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL: I would add that having a different number of cast members will bring a new and fresh dynamic to the show. There have also been a few tweaks to the script since the first iteration of the play, so it will be exciting to see what new changes come with this version of the show.

What do you hope audiences will be thinking about or discussing after they leave the theatre having seen The Highwayman?

MATHEEA ELLERBY: I'm hoping that through all the craziness, comedy, romance, action and silliness, the politics rooted within the play will spark conversations. I do feel that the play holds up a mirror to society.

DYLAN ALLCOCK: I think one of the key things that the play explores is the question of what you do when the system doesn't serve you and when the law is wrong. When is civil disobedience your duty?

You get to visit many theatres across the UK while touring the Highwayman. How do you adapt your performances for each venue?

MATHEEA ELLERBY: With each theatre comes a new challenge because no theatre is the same. It's interesting because that means that every show has kind of a slightly different dynamic, which I think is interesting to play with as an actor. Even though it's the same performance, you're always getting a fresh take on it because the energy is different in each space.

EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL: I think it's just going to be really exciting to take the show to new venues and return to venues we've been to before. The beauty of being able to come back to a show is that you understand it that little bit more, and it just grows and grows each time you perform it. It's a really cool sort of full-circle moment.

DYLAN ALLCOCK: We're lucky because we've already performed The Highwayman in the ‘Round’ (where the audience surrounds the stage) and in ‘End On’ (where the audience sits on three sides of the stage). It's going to be completely different again with just the three of us, and that, in itself, will present a different challenge. I’m really looking forward to going back to the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond because that was where we opened the Highwayman, and of course, it felt very fresh and very raw at that time. You're nervous and want to do a good job, so I think going back there with confidence will be really nice.

Is there anything you couldn't be on tour without?

EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL: It's so silly, and I don't want to recommend people use energy drinks, but for me, it’s a can of Monster. It has just become like an inside joke and a bit of a trope when I'm on a job.

DYLAN ALLCOCK: I like taking my little jar of coffee with me everywhere I go because there is no guarantee where you're staying coffee will be available or whether it will be something you can just make quickly. I feel like that's what I couldn't be on tour without, apart from each other, of course.

MATHEEA ELLERBY: I feel like we're all on the theme of drinks! I was going to say my Yorkshire tea bags. Some theatres that you go to are really lovely, and they provide tea, but I can only drink Yorkshire tea!

Why do you think the figure of a Highwayman continues to capture people's imaginations?

DYLAN ALLCOCK: Dick Turpin, of course, really was a ghastly bloke who treated people terribly, but there is a mystery around Highwaymen. They seem daring and brave, but of course, history has made them romantic figures.

EMILIO ENCINOSO-GIL: John Swift doesn’t fit into the typical mould of a Highwayman. He isn’t exactly the best criminal, and I think if you're watching someone who already knows what they're doing, there's no real journey to it. I'm kind of biased because I play him, but I'd like to think you're rooting for John Swift even though he's doing wrong.

MATHEEA ELLERBY: As Emilio has said, I think the fact that we've then spun it on its head and made our Highwayman a bit comical is interesting. We've taken this historical, violent and dangerous figure and we've looked at him through a slightly different angle.

The Highwayman comes to Pocklington from 15-17 October.