If you were stuck in the wilderness, with no food or shelter, you could rest easy if you had Ray Mears with you. The survival expert, who makes roughing it look like being pampered, talks about human nature, being prepared and sleeping in his own bed.

Your stage show isn’t about your own survival stories is it?

What’s really interesting is they are tales of very ordinary people who do extraordinary things because they set their mind to it. Very often they are people who weren’t prepared and weren’t expecting it. I am well prepared. I am an expert, so I haven’t got experiences of being stuck somewhere and not having the right equipment!

What sort of stories are they?

I can’t give specific answers, as that would spoil the show. But they are tales of other people and how they have managed to survive in difficult circumstances. They are truly amazing. In one, someone spent nearly 200 days in the wilderness without a fire – with no training. That was amazing.

How do you bring the tales to life in the show?

I have visual aids and I don’t have trouble bringing the stories to life, because they are so amazing! Doing a stage show is so much more personal. As soon as you get on stage you can feel the audience and it’s wonderful.

And are the stories funny?

Our ability to find humour in times of adversity and to motivate ourselves by focusing on returning to our loved ones is astonishingly powerful. Stripped bare by adversity, survivors cling to the most fundamental emotions, instincts and human qualities. This in its own way can be an instructional guide to living outside of adversity.

What’s your favourite place?

I really don’t want to say as then everyone will go there! I prefer dry environments to wet ones, otherwise you’re stuck in your wet clothes day after day. You can relax more when it’s warm and dry. I also love forests. And I don’t like anywhere too grand. What is important is that every person finds their own favourite place.

You’re away from home a lot – do you get bored when you’re just at home, in a house?

I was away from home last year for five or six months but when I get home I don’t want to go out. I want to be at home. I want to be with my wife and family. Tucked up in bed in your own home is the best. Is anywhere better than being at home?

THE SHOW

He may be a survival expert, but Ray Mears’ profession is officially a woodsman.
He runs Woodlore, the School of Wilderness Bushcraft, which he founded in 1983, and holds bushcraft courses in the UK as well as overseas expeditions.

The 52-year-old made it onto TV for the first time with Wild Tracks in 1994 and has had numerous TV series since. In his theatre tour, Tales of Endurance, Ray has chosen some stories of survival which aim to inspire and amaze, showing how human beings can cope in adversity.

He also takes questions from the audience so if you have a burning desire to ask him about his own stories, you won’t be disappointed. His no-nonsense, down to earth approach and obvious love for his subject, has made him popular.

Ray’s new TV show, Wild France, airs on ITV later this year and he is also set to record a Wild Australia programme.

THE DETAILS

Ray Mears: Tales of Endurance will be at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford on Thursday, March 10 at 7.30pm. For tickets costing £21 call 01322 220000 or visit www.orchardtheatre.co.uk