CANADIAN actor Charles Ross is bringing his One Man Lord of the Rings show to the Wycombe Swan on Friday night- where he recreates J.R.R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth with nothing more than elbow pads and his outrageous imagination.

He will take the audience through the trilogy- The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King- in 3,600 seconds with special effects, riveting stage fights and harrowing rescues.

Charles, 40, talks about his inspiration behind the one man show.

When did you first read Tolkien’s books?

My mom read The Hobbit to me when I was very young. I started reading the Lord of the Rings when I was 11, and it took me until I was 12 to finish it. Then I read the Simarillion and any other Tolkien writing I could get my hands on.

What did you love about them?

I loved meticulous details in Tolkien’s world. I loved the Valar’s song that created the universe. I loved the invented history that had its own races of everything from elves to dragons. There was something fascinating about mutating of elves into orcs, it even made me feel bad for the orcs, I imagined that deep inside their psyche was something beautiful trying to get out.

When did you decide you wanted to be an actor and why?

I wanted to be an actor as soon as I understood what an actor was. I was probably five-years-old. Of course, I had no idea what competition meant, or what starving for your art was all about. It seemed simple at the time. Time changes your perspective: the work IS simple, actually getting the work is hard.

What was the first play you were in?

It was a Christmas pageant and I was a pyramid. I was more of a visual aid to show the great distance the Three Wise Men travelled to get to Jesus. So, I started my career as a piece of scenery.

What was the first paid role you were in?

The summer before my last year of high school (I was 16) I gave up my job as a store clerk, to earn a pitiful wage playing a 72-year-old gold miner. The show was called the Rossland Gold Fever Follies. There were Can-Can dancers and tap dancing gamblers- it was pretty damned fun- and the measly pay packet was sweeter than anything I’d ever made before. I loved it.

What was your first one man show?

My first one man show was called Wonders of the Invisible World, which was based on the Salem Witch hunts. It was pretty heavy stuff. Strangely enough, it was considered an opera, because the guy I collaborated with had created a soundscape to underscore the performance. It was timed perfectly to the text and he even conducted me throughout the performance. It was bizarre and awesome.

Why did you decide to do a one man show?

I didn’t make a conscious choice to do a one person show. When I originally wrote the Star Wars show I had intended for it to be for three actors. I presented my script to two fellow actors and they were utterly confused by it. I gave them a line reading (which is a no-no) and they said that I should do the script myself because I’d do better than they could. It turns out that they were right. The one man nature of the show is in fact its selling point.

Tell me about the Lord of the Rings show - what can people expect?

People can expect to see a grown man act like an eight-year-old child, but with the skills of a trained actor. The grown man will take the audience from the Shire to Mordor and back in an hour and ten minutes. Over 70 minutes the man will transform into a cast of thousands. No costumes, no props, no set, just a man, his voice and a pair of coveralls. It sounds weird, but you will not be disappointed.

One Man Lord of the Rings is at the Wycombe Swan on September 26 at 7.30pm. Tickets £16 (concessions £1.50 off) from 01494 512000 or go to www.wycombeswan.co.uk.