It’s a very small book but a very big message

9:19am Monday 5th May 2008

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IT'S a skill you hope will never be really needed, but it's handy none the less to know you are an expert in fighting with a double handed broad sword.

Just the sort of weapon to wave at the ne'erdowells who gather behind you at the cash point on a Saturday night.

Assuming that is, you have your double handed broad sword to hand at the time. Robert Page left his at home for our interview.

As he did his sword and dagger, sword and buckler, cloak and dagger, his quarter staff and his rapier.

All of which he learned to use proficiently at the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, the sort of theatrical version of the SAS. Except who dares here, wins an Oscar.

For an author who has recently published a motivational story book, Rob has a fascinating, far removed from the subject, CV.

He's a trained falconer and as a youngster kept a pet buzzard and a tawny owl.

"I used to spend all my school holidays down at the birds of prey centre at Newent," he said. "I virtually lived there."

Considering his family home at the time was in Chaddesley Corbett and he was a student at the Royal Grammar School, Worcester, that was some journey.

But then Rob Page has always been a can-do sort of person.

He says so himself and that's the theme of his book The Story of I Can't.

Only a three minute read, it none the less packs a powerful message into a simple format. Beguilingly simple' one critic has called it.

The ideal book for anyone who struggles with low self-esteem.

Which wasn't an affliction affecting young Page.

In an effort to find his way in life, he had an enthusiastic stab at most things from retail to industrial and from the shop floor to junior management without ever finding anything that clicked.

But while the day job varied, the constant in his life was a love of am-dram and he was a leading member of CATS, not the Andrew Lloyd Webber extravaganza, more Chaddesley Amateur Theatrical Society.

"I came to the conclusion I was only really happy when I was involved with the theatre," he said.

So at the age of 23 he enrolled on a three year course at Birmingham School of Speech and Drama determined to give acting a go.

While there he went through his comprehensive course in stage fighting and unarmed combat, which would make him a formidable figure entering from the wings with just about any mediaeval weapon in his hands.

Rob can also ride a horse, although that has limited value on the live stage.

So far this talent has been confined to holding a horse ridden by the lead dancer of the Royal Ballet during a performance at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

"That was to make sure the animal didn't suddenly bolt off stage," he explained. "It only tried to once and fortunately I managed to stop it."

Thus avoiding a brown tights job for a nervy lead dancer. Gradually he drifted more towards the production side of theatre and during one exciting project, he travelled on and off to Hollywood - Los Angeles not North Worcestershire - for three years, where he had the job of editing a musical down from six hours and 42 songs to two hours and 15 minutes and 14 songs.

There was a lot of blood on the dressing room floor after that.

Then in 1999, Rob joined the staff of Worcester College of Technology as a lecturer in performing arts. Five years later, he was asked to write a play for the students and the following year another one.

"Up until then I had no experience of writing," he said.

But what was about to come was going to change his life.

One night he had a wierd dream of helping a giant turtle that had become lost, find its way back to the sea.

From that, the idea for The Story of I Can't emerged.

He decided to write a book that would motivate, inspire and help people fulfill their dreams and wishes and be the best they can be in everything they do in life. No small aim.

It's not really a book in the accepted sense.

It's a small, pocket sized, self-publication with about 20 words on a page and there are only 32 of them. Each facing page contains a stick-style cartoon by illustrator Julie Fisher, a long time friend of Robert's, who admits "to making a funny humming noise when I draw".

The result at first appears to be something aimed at the under-fives. In fact, it's aimed at the 30-somethings and its success lies in its simplicity.

It tells the (obviously) short tale of two friends I Can and I Can't and how I Can't sheds his inhibitions and learns to do things and have fun.

"If there's one phrase I hear more than any other as a lecturer it's I can't do that'," said Rob.

"So many people say it without really thinking.

"The aim of this book is to make them realise they can do that."

He intends to follow it with other publications in a similar style covering subjects like challenges, giant obstacles, guilt, worry, belief and choice.

All, like The Story of I Can't, will eventually be available from High Street book shops, but will initially be downloadable from the internet.

So if you're sitting there thinking "I can't do that", flick through this book and you might realise you can. Although whether that extends to fending off muggers with a double handed broad sword might be another matter.