Ambassador Theatre Group
secrets & lies
zoĂŤ wanamaker in passion play
jason donovan
desert fun
spamalot the hit musical comEDy
hotlist! on the road with rocky chic feet michelin starred luxury
JAMES McAVOY claire foyMacbeth
Spring 2013
contents
spring
of the best
1
into the dark
Murderous ambition and paranoia in Macbeth starring James McAvoy
The first international retrospective of the extraordinary career
of David Bowie is at the V&A from 23 March. Featuring more than 300 objects including handwritten lyrics, original costumes, fashion, photography, film, video, set designs and Bowie’s own instruments. vam.ac.uk
and Claire Foy
3
love and marriage
Zoë Wanamaker returns to the West End for Passion Play
5
9 to 5 competition
at the Dollytastic new musical
Leave your daily grind behind
6 knighty knight
In days of old when knights were Priscilla Queen of the Desert
bold - it’s Spamalot
7 the queen and i
An encounter with royalty sparks some
Step up the style: pink studded pussy cat pumps by Marc Jacobs from Liberty’s. liberty.co.uk BAFTA winning actor James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Atonement, X-Men) and CLAIRE FOY (White Heat, Hacks) star in Macbeth, Jamie Lloyd’s inaugural production in a season of work for Trafalgar Transformed - new productions designed for the reconfigured auditorium of ATG’s Trafalgar Studios. atgtickets.com
lively comedy in Maurice’s Jubilee
9 desert song Jason Donovan unleashes his inner
diva in Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire
topped the Stage 100 list for the
11 shock horror
fourth year running this January. The list ranks the powerhouses of British theatre - and this year, the ATG Chief Executives shared the accolade with the National Theatre. ‘Rosemary and I are both humbled and delighted that The Stage continues to recognise that ATG is a great British success story,’ said Panter.
The raunchiest Rocky Horror Show yet
13 atg tickets
Your one-stop-shop for the hottest
tickets this Spring
15 best in shoe
From park to premiere - Spring style The Rocky Horror Show
for your feet
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
17 taste sensations A-list experiences for the Ambassador Group productions / Ambassador Theatre Group LONDON Theatres Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615 The Harold Pinter Theatre 0844 871 7622 Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624 Duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623 Fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626 Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615 Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629 Piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630 Playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631 Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687 Trafalgar Studios 0844 871 7632
Spamalot at London’s Playhouse Theatre treats audiences to an array of surprise guests as Sir ‘Not Appearing in the Show’. Those who have appeared in this taxing role so far include Heather Small (M People) and Richard Arnold (Daybreak, Strictly) . spamalotwestend.co.uk
The Hit Musical Comedy!
Escape the winter gloom and get set for Spring at a thoroughly British spa. Chewton Glen, a world-renowned boutique hotel on the edge of the New Forest offers the weary worker aromatherapy saunas and crystal steam rooms alongside Europe’s largest hydrotherapy spa pool plus a range of fabulous treatments and therapies. chewtonglen.com
Ambassador Theatre Group REGIONAL Theatres Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 0844 871 7607 New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 0844 871 3011 Theatre Royal Brighton 0844 871 7650 Bristol Hippodrome 0844 871 3012 Churchill Theatre Bromley 0844 871 7620 Edinburgh Playhouse 0844 871 3014 Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone 0844 871 3015 Kings Theatre Glasgow 0844 871 7648 Theatre Royal Glasgow 0844 871 7647 Grimsby Auditorium 0844 871 3016 Empire Theatre Liverpool 0844 871 3017 Palace Theatre & Opera House Manchester 0844 871 3018 Milton Keynes Theatre 0844 871 7652 New Theatre Oxford 0844 871 3020 Richmond Theatre 0844 871 7651 Southport Theatre & Convention Centre 0844 847 2380 Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent 0844 871 7649 Sunderland Empire 0844 871 3022 Princess Theatre Torquay 0844 871 3023 New Wimbledon Theatre & New Wimbledon Studio 0844 871 7646 Ambassadors Cinemas Woking 0844 871 7643 New Victoria Theatre & Rhoda McGaw Theatre Woking 0844 871 7645 York Grand Opera House 0844 871 3024 Online booking at atgtickets.com Jessamy Hadley Editor Pat Westwell, Jasper Rees, Al Senter, Benedict Nightingale, Nancy Groves, Victoria Kingston, Mark Bouman Neena Dhillon, David Bradbury, Alice Gimblett Contributors Shaun Webb Design Design and Art Direction John Good Print The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd 39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OAR The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd. Cover photograph by Jay Brooks / shootgroup.com
theatre-loving gourmet
R
Interview
oughly how old are the
the production, studied it at GCSE.
Macbeths? We know
they have had at
least one child,
Aged 15, McAvoy had a more personal, even life-changing experience when the actor
presumed dead, but
David Hayman, who had
beyond that
played Lady Macbeth
Shakespeare offers
at the Glasgow
no further clue.
Citizens, came to
Such is the
his school to give
trajectory of their
a talk. ‘That was
moral
the first time I
degradation that
really became
audiences, and
aware of Macbeth,’
indeed casting
he recalls, ‘as well
directors, tend not
as the idea of acting
to think of the
as something that
Thane of Glamis and
somebody might be
his wife as still having
able to do one day.’
the bloom of youth on
He duly saw several
their cheeks. Thus the lead
productions - his first was
role can happily be taken on by
in Leith ‘and I just remember
someone in his 60s, as happened with Patrick Stewart when the play was
He is all Scottish courtesy to his co-star. ‘The funny thing is you would never ever think the man is this movie star,’ says Foy. ‘He’s just so down to earth. He could turn round to me and go ‘Your accent is shocking!’ I have to remind myself to actually stop looking at him.’
thinking that it was thrilling’. Since formulating the desire to play the part,
most recently revived in the West End.
McAvoy has made sure not to see other productions.
But now the Hollywood star James McAvoy brings
‘I thought I’d like to do this one day and I don’t want
the zip and springiness of someone known mainly for
to be bound into not doing something because I’m
it’s awful to say it but i can see what leads lady macbeth to do what she does. Her husband’s
destiny has been proclaimed and she says ‘You’ve got to meet it.’ Which women do all the time.
Into the
dark
Murderous ambition & paranoia in macbeth starring james McAvoy & claire foy
1
playing callow young men in the likes of The Last King
worried that somebody else made a similar choice.’
of Scotland, Atonement and The Last Station. He turns
It sounds as if, like Macbeth, he knows a thing or two
34 during his run in the role at the Trafalgar Studios,
about ambition.
and the latest king of Scotland is joined in matrimony
Foy on the other hand did not have the opportunity
to Claire Foy, who turns 29 in April but looks young
to be quite so strategic. ‘I never thought that I would
enough to have twice played teenagers in 2012: at the
ever get to play this part or do Shakespeare. I wasn’t
Royal Court in Mike Bartlett’s Love Love Love and in
longing for it.’ And yet, unusually for a young actress
the BBC drama White Heat.
in leading roles, she is at least familiar with the idea of
McAvoy and director Jamie Lloyd have been
not having the audience on her side: among several
cooking up this much anticipated reinvention of
feisty and even unpleasant characters, she has played a
Macbeth since they worked on Three Days of Rain
spoilt young Fascist sympathiser in Upstairs Downstairs
in the West End four years ago, but in fact the Scottish
and a ballsy tabloid editrix in Channel 4’s hacking saga
film star has had half an eye on Macbeth for nearly
satire Hacks. ‘When I got the audition for Macbeth,’ she
a decade, since he played the lead in a BBC series
confides, ‘it’s awful to say it but I can see what leads
Shakespeare Retold which punchily updated six of
her to do what she does. Her husband’s destiny has
the plays to the present day.
been proclaimed and she says ‘You’ve got to meet it.’
‘It was a fantastic experience,’ he recalls. ‘I was very
Which women do all the time.’
young. And that made me think, obviously this isn’t
To fit in with a predominantly Scottish ensemble,
Shakespeare’s text but it’s quite interesting having a
and her Scottish husband, Foy is attempting the accent.
young Macbeth because what you get is him and Lady
Not that McAvoy sees the Scottish play written for
Macbeth perceived to be throwing away their future,
England’s Scottish King James I as a Scottish play.
all through ambition. And it makes their loss all the
‘It’s not got a Scottish voice. It’s written for an English
sadder when he delivers the ‘Tomorrow and tomorrow
voice. But it is historically set in a place depicted by
and tomorrow’ speech, which is an expression of utter
Shakespeare as brutal and violent, incredibly
blackness and fatalism.’ Foy concurs. ‘I had all these
superstitious, and that’s something that I do
received ideas about what age she should be. It’s more
believe is Scottish.’ ■
depressing if they’ve got their whole lives to lead.’ For both actors, their first encounters with the play were at school. Foy, like many who will come to see
Interview Jasper Rees
Photography by Jay Brooks and Joanne Davidson
Jamie Lloyd and James McAvoy
TRAFALGAR STUDIOS shakespeare’s
MACBETH Jamie Lloyd’s inaugural production in a limited season for Trafalgar Transformed Starring James McAvoy Claire Foy Designed by Soutra Gilmour Until 27 April 2013 Box Office 0844 871 7632 Online booking at atgtickets.com ATG Magazine / 2
Interview Winner of
Evening Standard Award Best Play
Love
& marriage
infidelity proves a rich source of black comedy in peter nichols’ passion play
N
ow a sprightly eighty-five, Peter Nichols
He hit upon the idea of giving the central couple
can lay serious claim to being the oldest
James and Eleanor an alter ego each.
working playwright in this country and
‘I think that there must have been something of
one of the consequences of survival into
Coward’s Blithe Spirit in the back of my mind then,’
great age is that you are regularly re-discovered. More
he explains. ‘The alter egos in Passion Play represent
than a decade ago, Michael Grandage directed Nichols’
aspects of James and Eleanor but they cannot talk to
joyous Privates on Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
each other until later in the play. They also contribute
and he recently chose to revisit the play at the Noel
to the idea that once you start to lie continuously, you
Coward Theatre. In 2000 Grandage went on to stage
end up unable to differentiate between the truth and
Passion Play, Nichols’ celebrated black comedy about
lies. The play is less about adultery, I think, than about
love and infidelity and now multi-Olivier award-winner
dishonesty and betrayal.’
Zoë Wanamaker leads David Leveaux’s revival into the
Nichols freely admits the debt he owes to Eros
Duke of York’s. It must be irritating in the extreme to
Denied, a book written by the Labour/SDP politician,
watch yourself glide in and out of fashion but Nichols
Wayland Young, in the genesis of Passion Play.
seems to have mellowed to the point where he can
‘I was very taken with it,’ he explains. ‘In the book,
strike a philosophical note about the considerable
Young talks about the repression of physical sex by the
number of new plays he’s written that
authorities that seek to keep us in our place. I’d argue
remain unperformed.
that monogamy for most human beings is very difficult
‘I’ve written a sequel to Passion Play and a kind of
to maintain and yet there are animals and birds that
prequel to Privates on Parade set in India. There are
mate for life. So it seems that neither promiscuity nor
about eight that are ready to go into production which I’d like to see staged one day. Plays that lie on the shelf are not really plays; they are more like blueprints for buildings Passion Play’s much anticipated return to the West End reunites director David Leveaux (Arcadia, Betrayal) with Zoë Wanamaker (Harry Potter, BBC’s My Family and Miller’s All My
Zoë has appeared extensively in film and on television including the Harry Potter films and the award-winning BBC series My Family. Her work on stage includes Much Ado About Nothing, All My Sons with David Suchet and
3
monogamy is necessarily natural. If we repress our feelings, that is considered to be unhealthy but if we give way to them, we are haunted by guilt. Either way, we’re sunk!’ Perhaps the recent success of his Lingua Franca
that are never put up.’
zoë wanamaker
Zoë Wanamaker at the UK premiere of My Week with Marilyn in which she starred with Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne Photograph courtesy of Rex Features
in New York will lead to further investigations into the unperformed plays in the bottom drawer. Nichols is cautiously positive. ‘My plays have usually been successful and I’m not the sort of writer who simply crosses his fingers and hopes for the best. To have written work that hasn’t
Sons) for the first time
been performed seems such a waste of my time.
since their award-
But then I sometimes wonder if people want new
winning collaboration on Electra at the Donmar Warehouse. The play has been hailed as a modern classic and in it
plays anyway.’ In dealing with some legal matters recently, Nichols came across the word ‘usufruct’ and he was intrigued to discover that it means ‘the power to enjoy’. As he enthusiastically waves goodbye from what must be a roof terrace, despite the freezing temperatures and
passion play Written by Peter Nichols Starring Zoë Wanamaker RICHMOND Theatre 12 - 20 April Box Office 0844 871 7651 theatre royal brighton 23 - 27 April Box Office 0844 871 7650
The National Theatre’s The Cherry Orchard.
Nichols aims for
the flurries of snow on this January afternoon, the
She has won two Olivier Awards for Best Actress; for her
a fluidity that
thought occurs that Nichols has been giving audiences
performance in Electra at the Donmar Warehouse and her
speeds the
‘the power to enjoy’ his work for five decades. It would
performance in Once in a Lifetime at the National Theatre.
audience from
be nice to think that he could continue the tradition
Zoë has received four Tony Award nominations for Piaf!,
one short
with one of those new plays awaiting a summons
Loot, Electra and, most recently, the Lincoln Centre
scene to
from the shelf. ■
duke of york’s theatre 1 May -3 August Box Office 0844 871 7623
production of Awake And Sing!
another.
Interview by Al Senter
Online booking at atgtickets.com ATG Magazine / 4
competition ★★★★★ it’s a dolly good show sunday express
Knighty night M
news it’s spamalot the award-winning hit musical comedy!
y Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen - gather
round. The award-winning hit musical
who isn’t a real bona fide Knight can still get their
But if you’re only a peasant - worry not. Anyone
Spamalot gets topical this Spring
free ticket just by dressing up as a Knight and arriving
- jam-packed full of gags with new ones
at the Playhouse at least one hour before curtain
added every day, this hilarious comedy has something
up. But don’t be fooled, being a Knight is a serious
for all ages - and now all classes. To celebrate the
business and those looking to bag themselves a ticket
2013 New Year’s Honours List, the new and even
must prove their mettle by including certain knightly
sillier 2012 production has issued a challenge to titled
articles as part of their costume (see list). So grab
theatregoers everywhere - hopefully including Baron
your gauntlets and go get em! ■
★★★★★ Daily star sunday
★★★★ evening standard time out
Sugar, Sir Bob (Geldof) and Sir Wiggo - a free ‘knight out’ to anyone from the New Year’s Honours list and anybody else who can prove that they are a Knight of the realm.
Based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail,
Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy (or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, witchburnings (cancelled - health and safety), flying cows, killer rabbits and French people. The show also
Essential gear for Knights:
you must have at least four of the following: helmet, hood, chainmail, armour, tunic, tabard, cape, gauntlets, shield
includes the nation’s Favourite Anthem Always Look on the Bright Side of Life and Eric Idle himself as God (see small print)***
9 to 5 the musical Written by Patricia Resnick Music and lyrics by Dolly Parton Starring Mark Moraghan Jackie Clune Natalie Casey Amy Lennox Bonnie Langford Featuring Dolly live from her desk in Dollywood Princess Theatre Torquay Mon 18 - Sat 23 February Box Office 0844 871 3023 Milton Keynes Theatre Mon 4 - Sat 9 March Box Office 0844 871 7652 Bristol Hippodrome Mon 18 - Sat 23 March Box Office 0844 871 3012 Full 9 to 5 tour details & online booking at atgtickets.com Terms & conditions One winner will be chosen at random after the closing date. The prize includes 4 tickets (Mon - Thu perfs only) to see 9 to 5 at the venue of your choice from the list above plus one bottle of champagne, show merchandise and two house programmes. Prize is subject to availability, non-transferable and non-redeemable for a cash value. Not open to employees of Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd. Editor’s decision is final.
5
Women AT WORK
win tickets for a feisty, fun & fabulous night out
H
ave you ever felt overlooked in your
unite to give Mr Hart a taste of his own medicine.
workplace? Have you ever been frustrated
Based on the popular 1980s film, this warm-hearted
as others get the look-in you deserve?
show boasts an acclaimed original score by Dolly
Have you ever just wished that you
Parton, including the hit title song, of course!
could string up your boss and give them a piece of
We’re offering one lucky winner and three friends
your mind?!
the best seats in the house at a venue of their choice,
playhouse Theatre Monty Python’s
spamalot
where you’ll be treated to some well deserved luxury
hard to believe this was ever not a musical. dolly parton’s songs gallop through: backwoods barbie fits as well as anything in sondheim times
Starring Stephen Tompkinson (appearing until 2 March) Until 2 November 2013 Box Office 0844 871 7631 Online booking at atgtickets.com
with complimentary champagne, programmes and merchandise. To get your hands on this fantastic prize, simply complete the missing word in this line from the song 9 to 5:
Terms & conditions
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a
Actual knights go free (ID required). All knights must arrive no later than 1 hour before curtain up to book their tickets and all knights must be approved by theatre management in accordance with terms and conditions. Management reserve the right to refuse entry. Available only in person at the Box Office on the day. Tickets subject to availability.
Then 9 to 5: The Musical is definitely the show for you! Come put your feet up and leave the daily grind behind
Please return your answer on a postcard, not
with this hilarious tale of girl power, new beginnings
forgetting your name and email address or telephone
and sweetly served revenge.
number to Alice Gimblett, The Ambassador Theatre
When Doralee, Judy and Violet can take no more
Group Ltd., 39-41 Charing Cross Road, London,
from their shamelessly sexist boss, the unlikely trio
WC2H 0AR before Friday 1st March 2013. ■ *** as a visual recording! As if they could afford this God-like comic in the current economic climate!
ATG Magazine / 6
Interview
is there a brighter, livelier person in the british theatre? certainly, none is more versatile.
it’s basically a love story, with nobody quite in love with the right person,’ McAuliffe says.
★★★★★ a triumph. scotsman
★★★★ a touch of alan bennett in the spry wit. yesteryear england at its best. daily telegraph
★★★★
Queen
Julian Glover Sheila Reid Nichola McAuliffe
THE
AND I
LOVE NEVER GROWS OLD IN NICHOLA McAULIFFE’S sparkling maurices’s jubilee
the woman who tends Julian Glover’s Queen-
Is there a brighter, livelier person in the British
obsessed Maurice along with Sheila Reid’s Helena,
theatre? Certainly, none is more versatile. As an actress,
his doting wife.
independent
McAuliffe’s credits range from the mad vagrant in Alan
‘It’s basically a love story, with nobody quite in
Bennett’s Lady in the Van to the three characters
love with the right person,’ she says. McAuliffe is still
Arnold Wesker wrote especially for her in his one-
middle-aged, younger than the 55 years Wikipedia
woman Annie Wobbler, from the acerbic Sheila Sabatini
inaccurately attributes to her, but is fascinated by what
in TV’s Surgical Spirit to the lead in the RSC’s revival of
she calls life’s ‘third act’. Drama, she feels, tends to
Kiss Me Kate, a performance that won her the Olivier
concentrate on the first and second acts, meaning
Award for best actress in a musical. As a writer, she’s
youth and its aftermath. But age adds doubt, a
penned novels and plays why, she’s even worked
realisation that time is limited, and depth to the same
briefly as a theatre critic on The Daily Mail, which let
hopes, dreams and thwarted ambitions - ‘so for me
her acclaim a play whose quiet wit Maurice’s Jubilee
writing about older people is far, far more interesting.’
shares: Bennett’s History Boys.
She’s a bit worried that, if she says more, prospective
McAuliffe feels that actresses get more
punters might think the play morbid, which it decidedly
compartmentalised and typecast than their male
isn’t. How could it be with an author as fond of fun and
counterparts and takes relish in the variety of her roles:
funny stories, some told against herself? There was the
‘I’ve never wanted to do the same thing twice. It doesn’t
time when, filling in at the last moment for a sick Dora
interest me making a career of the comedy barmaid or
Bryan as the fairy in a Christmas panto, she played the
being the spinster in a Poirot or a Morse. I’d rather take
character as alcoholic, meaning she could write her
risks, abseil up the outside of a building, than walk
lines on the brandy bottle she was still clutching when
up the carpeted stairs in its middle.’
she finally slid down the proscenium arch. There was
When we met, she was planning a new play,
the time when, playing the statue of Queen Victoria
it materialise almost unchanged at the Edinburgh
wondering how to acquire the science for a projected
in Peter Nichols’s Poppy, she fell asleep while upright,
Edinburgh Festival, Maurice’s Jubilee came
Festival.
sci-fi novel, and re-rehearsing Maurice’s Jubilee. As
astounding the RSC company that had turned round
to Nichola McAuliffe while she and her
There, it won rave reviews and McAuliffe herself a
someone who firmly distinguishes acting (which
to hear her sing about the responsibilities that
husband were spending a long, dark, rainy
best-actress award for her performance as the nurse
means getting an audience to see into a character)
came with the crown she was wearing.
night driving from Edinburgh to London. She’d been
of the decent title-character who hopes to have the
from performing (which means flaunting one’s own
‘Gentle snores were coming from the statue while
thinking about the death of the utterly decent but
Queen to tea. A surprisingly speedy success for the
personality), she can be relied on genuinely to act a
2,000 people were looking at me, every member of
Interview by
unfulfilled father of a man she’d once nearly married.
hilariously funny but poignant piece McAuliffe had
role she never intended to take. Kika Markham was
the cast was shaking with laughter, and there was a
And when the Queen’s jubilee year came into her mind
written in just three weeks after being told she’d better
originally to play nurse Katy, but got a major TV part at
part of my brain that was saying: this silence shouldn’t
Photography by
she turned to her husband, told him she’d an idea for
hurry up finishing the play as the brochure advertising
the last moment, meaning that McAuliffe found herself
be here.’ That’s Nichola McAuliffe for you: peppy,
a play, talked him through it - and in August 2012 saw
it would soon be printed! Perhaps; but then McAuliffe
cancelling a foreign holiday and hurriedly becoming
humorous, one of the theatre’s great originals. ■
T
Benedict Nightingale Phil Tragen
7
is an all-electric surprise herself.
a sparkling gem. a touching love story with a twist in the tail.
he inspiration for the smash hit of last year’s
Maurice’s Jubilee Written by Nichola McAuliffe Starring Julian Glover Sheila Reid Nichola McAuliffe Richmond Theatre Tue 19 - Sat 23 February Box Office 0844 871 7651 Theatre Royal Brighton Tue 26 February - Sat 2 March Box Office 0844 871 7650 new alexandra Theatre Birmingham Tue 5 - Sat 9 March Box Office 0844 871 3011 Churchill Theatre Bromley Tue 26 - Sat 30 March Box Office 0844 871 7620 For casting details and online booking visit atgtickets.com ATG Magazine / 8
Interview
Desert SONG
B
something, I like to commit to it.’
ritain is caught in a surprise snowstorm
the day Jason Donovan calls to talk about
Strictly is ‘pantomine but not as much as X-Factor’,
his latest stage outing. But after a long
says Jason, who admits to feeling ‘a little bit sorry’ for
afternoon’s run through in central London,
fellow Westender Denise Van Outen and the stick she
he is already home safe and dry for a Friday night in
got for being overqualified for a dance contest. ‘Of
with his family - long gone Jason’s partying days of old.
course, Denise has a bit of experience. I was accused
The Australian pop and soap star may have settled
of that too. But it’s about casting across the board for
for life in a cold UK climate, but professionally
a show like that. At the end of the day, Louis Smith
speaking, he is back in the desert - Priscilla, Queen
wasn’t a dancer - and he won. Denise was a dancer
i love how the story carries this show rather than just the music.
It has three really strong central characters, a great plot and some fantastic songs too. It’s a real journey. of the Desert - the big-hearted, bigger-heeled tale
and she didn’t. It’s more than just a dancing show.’
of three Sydney drag queens that became Jason’s
And while Jason might seem like musical theatre’s
most solid gold success since his run in Joseph and
ideal ‘triple threat’ - actor, singer, now dancer too - he
the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in the 1990s.
remains clear about his first love. ‘Acting is the thing
Despite turning down a role in the original 1994
I feel most comfortable with,’ he says, adding that it
Priscilla film, Jason appeared in a spangling 450
was Stephan Elliott’s script which first attracted him
performances of the musical at London’s Palace
to Priscilla. ‘They talk about juke box musicals, but I
Theatre between 2009-10. And now the show is
love how the story carries this show rather than just
parking up at Manchester Opera House as part of the
the music. It has three really strong central characters,
Manchester Gets It First initiative before a nationwide
a great plot and some fantastic songs too. It’s a
tour. It stars Jason as Tick, aka ‘Mitzi Mitosis’, who
real journey.’
drags his queenly colleagues ‘Bernadette’ and ‘Felicia’ on a road trip to Alice Springs - and
What made Jason want to get
hugely entertaining, insanely glitzy
back on this bus? ‘Rarely do you have
daily telegraph
a hoped-for reunion with his eight-yearold son.
a show where you not only established a character yourself but opened that show in town,’ explains the 44-year-old. ‘I was always sorry that I didn’t follow through with more time in Joseph - these opportunities don’t come around as much as falling into a role that other people have established.’ Since his last stint in Priscilla, he’s been far from idle, exercising his talents first as a contestant (and eventual finalist) on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing; more recently on the panel of Superstar on ITV1, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for a new Messiah. Which did Jason prefer: judging, or being judged?
Jason is feeling pretty chipper about things. Fresh out of a European tour of rock opera, War of the Worlds, he also guested at Stock Aitken Waterman’s massive Christmas gig, The Hit Factory, even duetting with old pal Kylie on ‘Especially For You’. ‘It was a big success,’ he smiles. ‘Kylie and I had never really done it live before!’ Now in his fifth decade, what keeps Jason trucking? ‘School fees,’ he deadpans. ‘No, I’m just someone who keeps going. This business has been quite good to me. But I’ve worked very hard.’ Also, he adds, ‘I enjoy the good things and they don’t come cheap!’ Once upon a time, this might have meant something different - Jason’s early battles with drugs are well
the best feel-good show since mamma mia! Featuring over 20 dancefloor classics including I Will Survive, It’s Raining Men, Hot Stuff and Go West 9
sunday express
Jason Donovan journeys to the heart of fabulous
documented - but these days, his luxuries are more salubrious: ‘I love holidays, I love spending time with my family and drinking good wine. I live in a nice house in central London and I like to come home and put on the fire.’ Does he ever dream of moving home to Australia
‘I certainly understand now that judging is about
on chilly days like this? ‘I’ve found a home here,’ he says.
being honest and brave in your comments,’ he says
‘I’m a big fan of England and its history and the public
of the two experiences. ‘When Craig (Revel Horwood,
have been extremely good to me. Things happen here.
Strictly judge) says something, he’s normally right. I
That’s not to say they don’t happen in Australia. They are
respect Craig. And Craig respects hard work. If you
just a little more removed.’ He pauses for a moment and
don’t dig deep in this business, you don’t get the
shivers. ‘But Australia is never going to go away, and
results. I’m the sort of person that when I do
yes, at this time of year, I do dream of the beach!’ ■
Jason Donovan
new theatre oxford 25 February - 2 March Box Office 0844 871 3020 edinburgh playhouse 4 - 9 March Box Office 0844 871 3014 new wimbledon theatre 11 - 16 March Box Office 0844 871 7646 New alexandra theatre birmingham 18 - 30 March Box Office 0844 871 3011 sunderland empire 8 - 13 April Box Office 0844 871 3022 bristol hippodrome 15 - 27 April Box Office 0844 871 3012 princess theatre torquay 29 April - 4 May Box Office 0844 871 3023 york grand opera house 13 - 18 May Box Office 0844 871 3024 empire theatre liverpool 20 - 25 May Box Office 0844 871 3017 regent theatre stoke-on-trent 10 -15 June Box Office 0844 871 7649 king’s theatre glasgow 17 -29 June Box Office 0844 871 7648 For casting details and online booking visit atgtickets.com Interview by Nancy Groves ATG Magazine / 10
backstage
richard o’brien wrote it in a week, i think. wouldn’t everybody love to do that - write a hit show in a week.
The songs are catchy, it’s a bit crazy and it’s still very left-field. There’s nothing else like it.
part, like everyone else, so I feel I have to go out there
counting on their fingers. ‘There’s quite a few,’ says
and do my best. I know I am very fortunate to be in this
Ben. ‘Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, Galileo in We
show - and particularly being directed by Christopher
Will Rock You, Joe in Sunset Boulevard, Chris in
Ben Forster
Luscombe.’ ‘He’s a lovely guy,’ says Rhydian. ‘and he’s a fantastic director too. So the show feels very fresh, because of him.’ Not surprisingly, both men are grateful to the talent shows that groomed them. ‘It gave me a profile which helped me to get into musical theatre, which is my passion. It was like auditioning on a bigger platform,’ Rhydian recalls. ‘Absolutely,’ Ben agrees. ‘In a normal,
fun, frolics and frivolity guaranteed!
two minute audition, they get no insight into the kind of person you are, what you can cope with. On the TV, they watch you grow and develop - and the final ten
Miss Saigon. I’m going to do them all, trust me.’ And
contestants get highlighted, and that’s good for their
Rhydian joins in: ‘I want to play Phantom, without a
careers, but also for the business itself.’
doubt. I relate to that character and I’m moved every
So, in terms of future roles, what burning ambitions
time I see the show. Sweeney Todd, anything in Les
do they have? They both chuckle at this and start
Mis, Billy Bigelow in Carousel. My Boy Bill is one of my party pieces.’ Yes, a lot of ambition there. But
Shock
All New 40th Anniversary
Party Production
ultimately, I ask them, what is the phenomenal appeal of Rocky Horror Show? The story of Brad and his fiancée Janet and their scandalous adventures in the castle of Frank N Furter, is packed with timeless songs (Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet and Time Warp), brilliant costumes, and bags of energy. It’s as popular as ever after 40 years - translated into over 20 languages and performed in over 30 countries. Why? ‘Well, I think it’s a masterpiece,’ says Rhydian. ‘Richard O’Brien wrote it in a week, I think. Wouldn’t everybody love to do that - write a hit show in a week? The songs are catchy, it’s a bit crazy and
Stockings, suspenders, stilettos - get ready for rocky!
still the sexiest & funniest show in town evening standard
11
else like it.’ Ben agrees. ‘Richard
t’s hard to argue with the merit of TV talent shows,
his rich baritone voice, and Cowell signed him up for
O’Brien grew up in a small town, and
when you learn that two of the stars of the 40th
a record deal the day after the final. He has starred
he wrote this musical as an escape,
Anniversary Production of The Rocky Horror Show
in three Albert Hall galas, appeared in a UK tour of
to express himself in an extrovert
are products of that gruelling, elimination process.
Grease, and sung with an impressive list of artists,
way. It has become an escape for
I am having coffee with them and they are both total
including Katherine Jenkins, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
audiences too. It means a middle-
charmers. Ben Forster, who plays Brad, won the TV
and Bryn Terfel.
aged man can stand at the bus stop
series Superstar, a nationwide search for Jesus, guided
Was it a bit daunting being offered such sought-
in stockings and suspenders and it’s
and judged by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber himself,
after roles in Rocky? ‘I was really honoured,’ says Ben.
perfectly acceptable. He can say to
and he then played the role in a UK and Ireland tour,
‘The nerve-racking thing is that the audiences know
people - oh, I’m going to see The
along with Melanie C, one of the judges. At 31, he
every line of it, so you can’t get it wrong. Brad is a
Rocky Horror Show tonight - and
has a strong CV - he has starred in West End shows,
perfect role for me - and different in so many ways
they will understand. It’s about
Grease, Thriller Live and All You Need Is Love.
from Jesus, which people associate me with - Jesus
having 1,000 people in an
Rhydian, who plays Rocky, is now 29, a platinum
doesn’t end up in stilettos, so that’s one difference!’
auditorium, who are on the
recording artist, who shot to fame on Simon Cowell’s
Rhydian didn’t let himself feel intimidated by
same page.’ ■
X Factor. Despite being a runner-up, audiences loved
previous Rocky performers. ‘I auditioned for the
Rhydian
t
Feature by Victoria Kingston
I
it’s still very left-field. There’s nothing
the rocky horror show Written by Richard O’Brien Directed by Christopher Luscombe Musical Arrangements by Richard Hartley Starring Ben Forster Rhydian Roxanne Pallett Philip Franks Oliver Thornton sunderland empire 18 - 23 February Box Office 0844 871 3022 king’s theatre glasgow 25 February - 2 March Box Office 0844 871 7648 edinburgh playhouse 11 - 16 March Box Office 0844 871 3014 grimsby auditorium 18 - 23 March Box Office 0844 871 3016 opera house manchester 25 - 30 March Box Office 0844 871 3018 york grand opera house 8 - 13 April Box Office 0844 871 3024 richmond theatre 6 - 11 May Box Office 0844 871 7651 regent theatre stoke-on-trent 20 - 25 May Box Office 0844 871 7649 Churchill theatre bromley 27 May - 1 June Box Office 0844 871 7620 new Victoria theatre woking 24 - 29 June Box Office 0844 871 7645 milton keynes theatre 15 - 20 July Box Office 0844 871 7652 For casting details and online booking visit atgtickets.com ATG Magazine / 12
atg tickets
The unforgettable excitement of live theatre - get into it this spring using atgtickets.com as your guide
Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615
Trafalgar Studio 1 0844 871 7632
Wicked
macbeth
Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629
Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629
midnight tango
once
Everyone’s favourite Strictly stars, Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace make a welcome return to the West End.
Winner of 8 Tony Awards, a new musical adapted from the Oscar winning film.
Harold Pinter Theatre 0844 871 7622
Duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623
Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687
old times
the judas kiss
Experience the Beatles live in London. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘Beatlemania is back!’ Tony Dibbon, Magic 105.4
viva forever! A fabulous, feel-good story of our times, inspired by the songs of the Spice Girls.
The Lion King
‘I The Book of Mormon’ New York Post
A roller-coaster ride of romance with dazzling state-of-the-art staging book of mormon The smash-hit Broadway sensation from Inner Magic Circle member from the creators of South Park comes to London. Paul Kieve - on tour this Spring.
Piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630
Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615 Disney’s
★★★★★ ghost ‘Simply out of this world!’ Sun
Starring James McAvoy & Claire Foy. Directed by Jamie Lloyd. Part of the brand new Trafalgar Transformed season. Shakespeare’s darkest tale plays out in a dystopian Scotland brutalised by war. Under a toxic fog, Macbeth begins his tormented struggle for power fuelled by ambition and paranoia.
There has never been a better time to experience ‘the hit musical with brains, heart and courage’ (Sunday Telegraph) as it flies into its seventh spellbinding year.
With a cast of over 40 actors, singers and dancers. ‘A beautiful dazzle of invention and imagination’ Evening Standard
Fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626
The Woman in Black One of the most exciting and gripping theatre events ever staged. ‘A truly nerve-shredding experience’ Daily Mail
Playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631
SPAMALOT
The Award-Winning Hit Musical, jam packed full of gags with new ones added every day is now booking until 2 November. This hilarious comedy for all ages includes the Nation’s Anthem ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’. ‘Fantastic Fun’ Daily Express
y of 8 Ton Winner cl. in 2012 in s d r Awa Musical Best New
old times
once the musical
The first Pinter play at the Harold Pinter Theatre since it was renamed after the great man stars Kristin Scott Thomas, Rufus Sewell and Lia Williams in a seductive and compelling drama - directed by Ian Rickson.
Expect all the excitement and exhilaration of an Irish ceilidh live on stage in this new musical based on the much-loved, Oscar-winning film - a celebration of love, friendship and music.
Kristin Scott Thomas, Rufus Sewell Starring Rupert Everett as Oscar and Lia Williams star in Harold Pinter’s Wilde in David Hare’s compelling seductive and compelling drama. drama.
let it be
priscilla queen of the desert Join us for a journey to the heart of fabulous in this fresh and funny musical starring Jason Donovan. Winner of 4 WhatsOnStage.com awards, the tour comes direct from the West End.
Duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623
Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624
The Old Vic 0844 871 7628
Trafalgar Studio 2* 0844 871 7632
Trafalgar Studio 2* 0844 871 7632
the winslow boy
Hemingway’s fiesta
mydidae
PASSION PLAY
trelawny of the wells
Starring Zoë Wanamaker in Peter Nichols’ celebrated black comedy.
Pinero’s love letter to the theatre, directed by Joe Wright.
Lindsay Posner directs Terence Rattigan’s story of a father’s fight to clear his son’s name.
A unique adaptation featuring live jazz of Ernest Hemingway’s tale of love, loss and decadence.
Written by BAFTA award winner Jack Thorne, Mydidae transfers to the West End following a highly acclaimed run at Soho Theatre.
Book your tickets online 13
at atgtickets.com Your One Stop Shop *Studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from Christina Smith
ATG Magazine / 14
Best
style Interview
in shoe
the forecast is for bright and breezy this Spring
1 3 tone brogue From Dune dune.co.uk £80
2 pink studded high top trainer From Ash Footwear ashfootwear.co.uk £139 3 studded taupe leather boots with fluoro pink lace From Kurt Geiger kurtgeiger.com £220 4 orange plimsoll lace-ups From Victoria victoria-plimsolls.co.uk £30 5 green kid suede peep-toe shoe From Ash Footwear £149 6 floral plimsoll lace-ups From Victoria £30 7 pink Peep-toe with fluoro yellow shaped heel From Kurt Geiger £195 8 Men’s ikat fabric slip-on shoe From T & F Slack Shoemakers tandfslackshoemakers.com £235
9 yellow strappy sandal with espadrille wedge sole From Balenciaga selfridges.com £465 Tights and nail varnish from a selection at Topshop and Accessorize All prices quoted are given as a guide only and may be subject
to change by individual retailers
Feature by Mark Bouman 15
ATG Magazine / 16
going out Awaken your senses by indulging in a winning combination of Michelin-starred cuisine and first-class entertainment. Simply follow the fine food and drink from one of our specially selected restaurants with a magical night at the theatre.
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Oxfordshire
Sensations TASTE
castle terrace
Theatre Royal Brighton Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Oxfordshire Fraiche Merseyside Simpsons Edgbaston
Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, Castle
perfect for dinner à deux.
restaurants to retain its two Michelin stars for an
seasons. Lunch menus starting from £38 take guests
Terrace has established itself as one of the most
ideal pairing: Liverpool Empire (Phantom of the
impressive 28 years, Le Manoir remains a mecca for
on an exciting journey through marriages of flavour
celebrated additions to Scotland’s competitive dining
Opera, Hairspray)
gourmets seeking culinary voyages of intrigue and
and texture captured in artfully plated dishes.
discovery. Painstakingly sourced by executive head
ideal pairing: Bristol Hippodrome (9 to 5,
simpsons
chef Gary Jones, are the freshest seasonal ingredients,
Starlight Express, Priscilla)
in Paris and Istanbul, presents modern British cuisine
Set in a handsome Grade II-listed Georgian house in
two-acre kitchen garden. These form the basis of the
influenced by French cooking techniques and an
leafy Edgbaston, Simpsons is renowned as the smartest
modern French cuisine that is represented in exquisite
appreciation of the best ingredients to come from
restaurant in the Midlands. But it’s not just good looks
menus such as the five-course lunch - a distillation of
Head to one of the prettiest Tudor villages in England
Scotland’s natural larder. The three-course set lunch
that draw people here; the outstanding Anglo-French
the most alluring flavours dreamt up by Le Manoir’s
for expertly devised dishes incorporating the very
menu is particularly good value at £24, with mains
cuisine, overseen by popular chef and industry mentor
50-strong team.
best that Sussex has to offer. With the feel of a country
such as Scottish rabbit à la Provençal or cassoulet
Andreas Antona, is lovingly prepared from quality
ideal pairing: New Theatre Oxford (Soul Sister,
bolthole, Ockenden Manor in Cuckfield beckons guests
of Ayrshire pork.
ingredients sourced from the best regional suppliers.
Joseph)
to an elegant dining room affording sweeping views
scene, picking up a coveted Michelin star less than 18 months after opening. Chef-patron Dominic Jack, who honed his skills in his native Scotland as well as
ideal pairing: Edinburgh Playhouse (Priscilla
On warm spring days, there’s a secluded landscaped
Queen of the Desert starring Jason Donovan,
garden in which to enjoy pre-lunch drinks. Typical
Ghost, Blood Brothers)
lunch delights from the constantly updated menus
including organic produce grown on Le Manoir’s
ockenden manor
across a lovely garden towards the South Downs
casamia
National Park. In this tranquil environment, head chef Stephen Crane presents food that mixes innovation
include Portland crab, Gressingham duck and silky
‘We’ve got two little geniuses, my God can they cook,’
and tradition, rooted in French classical style yet
chocolate tart (£38 for three courses).
Gordon Ramsay has enthused of the Bristol-based
maintaining a loyalty to locally sourced produce. Look
ideal pairing: New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham
brothers, Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, who are
out for popular plates such as sautéed langoustines
Merseyside’s brightest culinary star, located in the
(Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Goodnight Mister Tom,
behind the success of the small but perfectly formed
with crisp pork belly, fricassee of Carlingford oysters
conservation village of Oxton, stands out from the
Midnight Tango)
Casamia. As the youngest chefs to be awarded a
or saddle of Balcombe venison. Puddings are equally
Michelin star in the UK, the self-taught duo has taken
tantalising, featuring classics with irresistible twists,
fraiche
crowd with contemporary French cuisine designed
le manoir aux quat’saisons
inspiration from childhood memories and travels to
from a warm plum clafoutis to a millefeuille of Cox
invent food using superlative British produce. But
apples and white chocolate and vanilla cream.
own twist to things,’ says chef-patron Marc Wilkinson,
Famed the world over, Raymond Blanc’s gastronomic
beyond providing mouthwatering meals, Casamia
ideal pairing: Theatre Royal Brighton (Maurice’s
whose signature six-course tasting menu - packed full
oasis is to be found in a 15th-century, honey-coloured
adopts a Japanese tradition of reflecting seasonal
Jubilee, Yes Prime Minister, Passion Play starring
of innovative flavour combinations and eye-catching
Chiltern manor house situated in the picturesque
change not just in its menu but also in its décor.
Zoë Wanamaker)
presentation - is served in intimate surroundings
Oxfordshire village of Great Milton. One of the few
The result is a sensory experience in tune with the
to take diners on an adventure in taste, texture and temperature. ‘We try to have our own touch, our
17
9 To 5 The Musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert
castleterracerestaurant.com restaurantfraiche.com simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk manoir.com casamiarestaurant.co.uk hshotels.co.uk For full details of what’s on at all the theatres listed in the feature, visit atgtickets.com Feature by Neena Dhillon ATG Magazine / 18