Barry graduated from the Guildford school of Acting in 1966, after winning best actor of the year. He went on to spend a successful 12 months at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. It was here that Mark Cunningham, the associate director of the National Theatre, approached him to join Sir Laurence Olivier’s company. He stayed for seven years, enjoying varied principal roles, including a Woman killed with Kindness, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Edward 11, Danton’s Death, Sancho Panza and Lord Olivier’s production of The Merchant of Venice that was subsequently televised and released on video.
Theatre credits include: Harry in A Letter to Harvey Milk (Waterloo East Theatre); Arvide Abernathy in Guys & Dolls (Théâtre Marigny, Paris); Bert Baxter in The Secret diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ The Musical (Menier Chocolate Factory); Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Monsieur Firmin in Phantom of the Opera (Haymarket Theatre, London); Herr Schultz in Cabaret (Lyric Theatre); Mr Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors (Menier Chocolate Factory); Thénardier in Les Misérables (Palace Theatre, London and Queen’s Theatre, London); Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (Dominion Theatre, London and UK Tour); Amos Hart in Chicago (Adelphi Theatre); Mr Bumble in Oliver! (Palladium Theatre); Ladislav Sipos in She Loves Me (Savoy Theatre, London, Olivier Nominated); Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd (National Theatre, Olivier Nominated).
Recent Television/Film include: Kenneth in Eastenders (BBC); Dancer in Wonka (Warner Bros.); The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall; Sentry in The Dance of Death (National Theatre for Paramount Pictures); Delilah in Porridge (Channel 4); Claudius in Further Up Pompeii (ITV).