Russell Tovey talks starring role in ‘A View from the Bridge’

Russell Tovey is a huge “Rocky fan,” though it’s not what you might think. Unless you happen to know Rocky is the name of the British actor’s faithful French bulldog. As Tovey’s Twitter feed proves, the two are inseparable.

Best known in the U.S. for his role on HBO’s “Looking,” Tovey is now starring in the critically acclaimed revival of Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge,” now at the Lyceum Theatre through Feb. 21.

Directed by experimental bad-boy Ivo Van Hove, the play is pared down to basics — eight actors, an empty stage. The tale, set in 1950s Red Hook, concerns Eddie Carbone (Mark Strong), an Italian-American dockworker, his wife, buddies and Catherine, the young niece he’s helped raise. She’s now grown, and he’s obsessed with her. Enter Rodolpho (Tovey), an energetic illegal immigrant literally just off the boat from Italy. He immediately falls for Catherine. Things get tense . . . quickly.

A lot has changed since Tovey, 34, debuted on Broadway in 2006, playing a gangly teenager in the hit drama “The History Boys.” He later starred in the film version, then bulked up into a genuine hunk, which has led to roles in several indie films due out next year. He spoke with Newsday contributor Joseph V. Amodio.

It’s funny to hear you speaking in your own accent. Onstage, you don’t sound British.

I’ve actually been walking around the city talking American. I try to do that a lot, except with me mum.

She flew in for the opening?

Yeah. I didn’t tell her anything about the play. I was a little worried. There’s a scene — we call it the sardine scene — where we’re all seated round, and you feel the tension building, and I thought me mum might be like, “What’s going on — has somebody forgotten their lines?” But she said she was shaking, engrossed. It was the best response ever.

Your character, Rodolpho, is . . .

. . . definitely a glass-is-half-full guy. He’s living the American dream. He sings, dances, buys records and pointy boots. He wants to explore. Everyone else is trapped in this little corner of Brooklyn . . . they’re hooked into Red Hook.

Rodolpho is also a singer. So you have to sing.

Just four lines of the song “Paper Doll.”

I’ve heard you’re into karaoke.

I’m all about karaoke. I love the piano bars here. We don’t get that in England. If friends are over from London, I’m like, check this out. We don’t have this Broadway community that’s so passionate and geeky about musicals.

What’s your go-to karaoke song — the one where you kill it?

Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” I can nail that. Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to the Moon.” I might deviate into Lionel Richie or Elton John, depending on the time of night. (He pauses . . . then laughs.) You know, you’ve got to judge the audience.

You must be able to do that easily in this play. The audience practically surrounds the stage. And there’s almost no set.

It’s sparse, intense. We have a chair and a cigar — no other props. It’s like we’re in this brightly lit boxing ring. There’s no escape. Nothing to hide behind.

Was that tough to get used to?

It’s brilliant. A proper challenge. I didn’t realize till about the fifth performance that, ohhh, this is one of those jobs you’ll always remember. There are a couple of scenes where I just stand there in the corner . . . and I feel the audience, I’m so privileged to stand there in that corner on that stage. And then there’s the gasp from the audience, when Eddie kisses Catherine. That’s like nectar. The most rewarding sound. Ever. And it’s just like, hang on a minute — there’s more to come.

So now let’s get down to what’s really important. How’s Rocky?

Great. We’re just being like bros . . . chillin’, havin’ a laugh. (He chuckles.) He’s my best mate. He’d never been in a plane before. You have to get all these certificates to bring him over, and he had to go in this hold — and at JFK they lost him.

Lost?

They couldn’t locate him on the plane. Turned out he’d been taken off by someone else and put in another building. It took an hour to find him. It was terrifying. But we got him in the end.

Are you exploring the city dog runs?

He’s all over it. Whenever we walk in the direction of the park, he pulls you — he just knows it’s where his mates are.

Sounds like he’s having as much fun as you.

We’re sharing the fun. It makes it more fun together.