LEARNING reams and reams of lines must be one of the more daunting aspects of an actor's trade.

But imagine being given less than a day to learn a part, containing smatterings of Russian, in order to take over from a national treasure of an actor who has fled from his starring role in a high-profile West End production in a blaze of publicity.

That was the hand that fate dealt to Simon Ward in February 1995 when Cell Mates writer Simon Gray asked him to fill in for the AWOL Stephen Fry, who, hurt by bad reviews, fled the prison escape-themed production after just three nights for the Belgian city of Bruges.

Simon, who plays top QC Sir Robert Morton in Terrence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, later this month, joined Fry's co-star Rik Mayall in a Wednesday matinee performance. The play closed within days after poor ticket sales.

Simon even recalls being at the play's opening night just days before he took over Fry's role.

"I bumped into him after the first night at a party. All our family went up and that was the last time I saw him.

"I was in another West End production at the time but it was closing the following Saturday. Someone told Simon (Gray) and he rang me and I agreed to help out. It didn't go without a hitch, but it was fine."

Simon, speaking during rehearsals for The Winslow Boy, revealed that he had just been talking to a member of the stage staff, Kate Forrester, who had helped him out when he took over Fry's role back in 1995 — and he insisted on naming her.

Notwithstanding last-minute substitute appearances that demand the learning of a foreign tongue within hours, Simon, 60, sings the praises of the actor's life.

Asked what attracted him to the stage, the star of more than 200 television productions, 20 movies and many stage roles responds: "It was the team spirit; doing something with people you like and trying to do it as well as possible and having a good laugh afterwards — and even during."

Did his car salesman father and his mother attempt to dissuade him from entering such a precarious and insecure profession?

"No. It's hopeless. If someone wants to be an actor that's it, and when you're young you're not interested in security.

"I started at the National Youth Theatre when I was 13 and my parents were incredibly supportive and used to follow me on tour."

So what happened when his daughter Sophie, now a well-established stage, small and big screen actress, announced she wanted to follow in his footsteps?

"I said: 'Here's a hand grenade. Pull off the ring and I'll go and stand in the hall'. My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe it. She is incredibly intelligent and has a brain the size of Hampshire, and I wanted her to use it."

For all its lack of security, acting is rarely dull. Apart from being a vet, in what other profession do you get to stick your hand up a horse's backside? Simon had to strip to the waist and roll up his sleeve playing James Herriot in the film of All Creatures Great and Small.

"The film crew I was with had worked with me before and seen me do all sorts of stunts, and never said anything like 'Well done, Simon!', but they did then," he recalled.

Simon, who was born in Beckenham, Kent, and grew up in south London, counts playing the young Churchill in the film, The Young Winston, among his career highlights.

Was he daunted by the prospect of playing a young version of a political colossus?

"No. I think I was too young. I just thought it was a chance to play a national hero and thought 'yummy'."

For the moment, though, he is concentrating on playing top QC Sir Robert Morton, who defends naval cadet Ronnie Winslow in Rattigan's story of injustice based on the real events of 1914.

"He was the George Carman of his day; everyone wanted to be represented by him. He was very flamboyant and a great orator because he was an opposition MP," says the actor.

Directed by Christopher Morahan, this production takes the action out of the courtroom and into the home and lives of the Winslow family.

Simon says the play is a "delight" and hopes the tour will culminate with a West End run. Let's just hope Stephen Fry isn't planning to tread the boards again.

The Winslow Boy is on at the Yvonne Arnaud from August 20-31.

James Bowman