Orlando Bloom is starring in the West End production of “In Celebration,” a 1969 play by David Storey. It is now playing at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London. Bloom stars as one of three brothers who travel to their parents’ home to celebrate their wedding anniversary, at which point a lot of old family issues come up and bad feelings ensue.

It is Bloom’s stage debut, and he said he was really looking forward to it. “I have been kind of desperate to do a play for the longest time and this opportunity came up when I met this director, Anna Mackmin, who I’m now working with on a play called In Celebration - a play by David Storey. I was just hungering for an opportunity to be part of an ensemble cast in a great play. It’s a phenomenal play.” [From The Gossip Girls]

In a recent interview with London’s The Evening Standard, Bloom says that he’s nervous about his performance, and that he hopes this will help him break out of the heartthrob role that Hollywood has created for him:

“Theatre acting is just a different muscle, and I’m sort of shocking it into life. Right now, I’m finding the rehearsal space where we’re working a very intimidating place, much more so than any $300million movie set…”

“Somehow I think the perception is I’m some sort of, I dunno, pin-up movie star, whatever.” He laughs, embarrassed. “For the most part, though, I’ve just been very supported by fans. And anyway, Londoners are a bit cool-for-school, you know what I mean?”

While that new mustache is most likely for the role, it could be real. He was seen with the ’stache in a recent televised interview promoting the play.

It also might be a ploy by Bloom to deliberately step away from his “pin-up” image. My brother grew a mountain man beard back when he was in his 20s and was tutoring students. He’s an attractive guy and was scared because some high school girls were hitting on him, so he grew the ugly facial hair as a defense. It worked for him, and maybe Bloom has a similar strategy.

Thanks to WENN for these pics.