Showing posts sorted by relevance for query ballet. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query ballet. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday 27 July 2018
In Conversation With... Ian Stroughair aka Velma Celli | Interview
Ian Stroughair aka Velma Celli has the voice of an angel, is as hilarious as they come and truly knows how to put on a show. After seeing Velma Celli's West End Christmas I was completely overwhelmed and have since been following Ian's career (and life) on twitter. His latest venture is Iconic- A History of Drag which will be playing at the Edinburgh fringe...
How did Velma Celli come about?
Well, I have always been a singer much to my siblings annoyance. At age 14 I auditioned for a new musical called ‘Kes’ at The York, Theatre Royal. It was a professional show which needed an ensemble of kids. Much to my surprise I was cast. It was my first time on stage. I joined a Ballet school in York just before my sixteenth birthday. 3 months later my Ballet teacher sent me for an audition for a Theatre School. I got in and started that summer.
After 2.5 years I was out into the world and working as a singer/dancer/actor. I have appeared in West End and musical productions of Cats, Fame, Chicago, Rent and also appeared on Eastenders as myself…. I know, CAMP!!!!
When I was in Chicago I was asked out for an evening of drinks by the “girls" In La Cage and Priscilla. I bought a dress and some makeup and dragged myself up and out of stage door and met them in Madame Jojo’s. Apparently I ended up on stage belting out some queen and dropping into the splits. I can’t remember this, #gin! When I was leaving the manager asked me back the following week and I have never looked back!
You've had a very varied career, what's your favourite part of performing as Velma and creating your own show?
The freedom. When you are in a West End musical it's very strict. You are directed to give the same show every night and there is little room for your own creativity and interpretation. Velma is mine and she can do whatever she wants. Sing whatever songs she like. It’s very freeing!
You're taking your show, Iconic- A Brief History of Drag to Edinburgh. What can people expect from the show?
Iconic - A Brief History of Drag is a journey through my most favourite moments in drag history, whether it be music, pop culture, film or theatre it's those Iconic unforgettable drag events that inspired me to do drag and cultivate me into the queen I am now. They can expect to laugh (a lot) cry (a bit) and learn a bit about drag, things that people may not know. The past hero’s. A blooming good night if anything else!
Can you sum up A Brief History of Drag in 5 words?
Heartfelt, funny, camp, belt and emotional
You have a stunning voice. How do you keep it strong and healthy whilst facing the strains of touring?
Thank you. Lost of water and vocal rest. Healthy food!
If you could go back to any era, when would you go to and why?
I would have to say the 1960’s. I believe I am quite the hippy!
What's your number one piece of advice for aspiring performers who would like to carve their own, unique career?
WORK HARD. Work harder then repeat. This business is not for the faint hearted. It’s tough at times and the competition is high so armour yourselves with as much knowledge and learn as many skills as possible. Bring something to the party too. The odds of getting cast are extremely slim so I encourage all my students to write their own material and / or shows.
Thank you to the incomparable Ian Stroughair/Velma Celli for your amazing advice and story. Iconic- A Brief History of Drag will be at the Edinburgh Fringe from the 1st-26th August, at Assembly Checkpoint.
Interview by Editor, Olivia Mitchell
Wednesday 3 August 2022
Billy Elliot the Musical, Leicester Curve | Review
Billy Elliot the Musical
Leicester Curve
Reviewed on Saturday 30th July 2022 by Hope Priddle
★★★★
After a staggering eleven years in the West End, Billy Elliot the Musical returns in an ambitious new Made at Curve production, directed by Nikolai Foster. Billy Elliot is the uplifting tale of a working-class boy from northeast England who discovers a love of dance during the Miners’ Strike of 1984/85. With a grieving family and embittered community at the heart of this narrative, Billy Elliot celebrates the vital, restorative potential of art and the value of coming together. With many of us bearing witness to the rising cost-of-living, an assault on the arts and a summer of strikes, it is no surprise that this musical - inspired by Stephen Daldry’s legendary film - continues to resonate.
While this Made at Curve production features book and lyrics by Lee Hall, and music by Elton John, it marks a radical break from the original production, with warmth and intimacy replaced by an allover grittier aesthetic. Tender moments such as The Letter were sadly eclipsed, not least by the Curve’s cavernous stage. However, this vastness is extremely effectual in capturing Billy’s loneliness and the colossal feat ahead of him.
Alongside Ben Cracknell’s impressive lighting design, Michael Taylor’s set is highly effective. Though the severe industrial scaffolding lacks a homely sense of place, it intimates towards a more universal working-class experience. The use of a mineshaft as Billy’s home is inspired, whilst moving railings are used to great effect in numbers such as Solidarity and Angry Dance, creating cage-like prisons which mirror the claustrophobic, limited world from which Billy is trying to break free.
The score sounds bigger this time around, with jazzy synthesized accompaniments a welcome addition. The tempo has been upped leaving several numbers feeing rushed. He Could Be A Star, a heartbreaking number in which Billy’s father desperately contemplates crossing the picket, is not given time to breathe, whilst Born to Boogie is treated as brief musical interlude rather than a tiring ballet bootcamp. Nevertheless, the ensemble moments swell and soar. The Stars Look Down is an extraordinarily emotive and impactful opening number, ushering in what remains a truly triumphant score.
Ironically, dance is no longer the focus of this production. Breathtaking ballet routines have been removed in favour of more instinctual and age appropriate movements. It is hard not to miss Billy furiously tapping against a barricade of riot shields with razor sharp precision during the Angry Dance and Hind’s choreography does feel a bit flat. However, this earthly and grounded style still makes sense in context.
The adult cast are incredibly strong; Joe Caffrey reprises his touching and empathetic performance as Billy’s grieving father, while Luke Baker delivers a passionate turn as brother Tony. Sally Anne Triplett offers just the right measure of chain-smoking cynicism and tough love as Mrs. Wilkinson. Lastly, Leo Hollingsworth and Bobby Donald were charming, cheeky and confident as Billy and Michael, capturing our hearts with a magical friendship that was a true delight to watch.
Changes aside, Billy Elliot the Musical still packs a mighty punch. Made in Curve have done an impressive job at reimagining this well-loved musical and brought with it a much needed celebration of determination, difference and daring to dream.
photo credit: Marc Brenner
Tuesday 31 January 2023
Cast for Cake- The Marie Antoinette Playlist Announced
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The brand-new musical, come gig, come ballet is from some of the most exciting figures in modern British Theatre, with an Olivier Award winning creative team including Olivier Winner’s Drew McOnie(In the Heights; Jesus Chris Superstar) and Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia - The Globe)
Cake will be venturing on a UK tour from 18 March 2023, starting at the MAST Mayflower Studios, Southampton.
Casting will include, fresh from her magical run as Mary Poppins on the West End, Zizi Strallen (she/her) stars as Marie Antoinette, with Renée Lamb (she/her), Catherine of Aragon from the original cast of SIX, starring as Jeanne.
The cast is completed by B Terry (they/them) as Nicole, Travis Ross (he/him) as Cardinal with Ope Sowande (he/him) and Megan Bryony Gibbs (she/her) as the ensemble and Lukas Hunt (he/him) and Amie Hibbert (she/her) as swings.
Cake combines music with 18th century France to retell a story that sparked a revolution. When Marie Antoinette married King Louis, her reputation was already tarnished by gossip. But when she is implicated in a crime to defraud the crown jewellers of a diamond necklace, it is not just her reputation at stake, but the monarchy and France itself.
Originally commissioned by Paul Taylor-Mills (Heathers & In the Heights), Cake promises to re-define our expectations of what a musical can be.
Paul has said, “We are delighted to be partnering with 5 of the leading regional theatres to present a development production of this brilliant new show. I first commissioned this at The Other Palace five years ago and am delighted to be working with some of the best theatre makers in Drew McOnie, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Tasha Taylor Johnson and Jack McManus. The show started life at our first MTFestUK and it’s great to see it come to production.”
Cake is written by Morgan Lloyd Malcom directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie with songs by Tasha Taylor Johnson and Jack McManus, casting by Will Burton CDG and based on an idea byPaul Taylor-Mills.
Friday 24 February 2017
Aida (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed: Wednesday 22nd February 2017 by Melanie Mitchell
★★★
Being a relatively inexperienced Opera goer, I wondered how an opera this grand and majestic could be brought to life on the relatively small stage of the New Victoria theatre. My concerns were soon banished. Ellen Kent’s touring production of Aida comes to life with the spectacle, majesty and grandeur the opera was intended for.
The Triumphal March with a cascade of golden confetti and fire is particularly spectacular. One of the main highlights is the appearance of Houdini the Black stallion as the war horse of Radames which was a magical moment to see.
The cast were truly magnificent as was the Orchestra of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Moldova, conducted by Vasyl Vasylenko, both playing and singing the extremely difficult score with ease and agility.
All the male performers were strong and powerful, however the Spanish tenor, Giorgi Meladze playing the part of Radames is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, and powerful tenors I have heard. His voice soared effortlessly and the intense emotion of the piece could be heard in every note.
The female leads both gave accomplished and spirited performances. The mezzo-soprano Zarui Vardanean has a beautiful voice and gave a real air of jealousy and malice to the role of Amneris Princess of Egypt.
French Soprano, Olga Perrier as Aida was absolutely amazing, she captivated the audience from the first note and kept them there. Her haunting performance was for me the highlight of the show, full of emotion, passion and vulnerability.
Aida is touring the UK and Ireland until May 10th 2017.
Review written by Melanie Mitchell
Thursday 12 April 2018
In Conversation With... Rachel Lumberg | The Band | Interview
Rachel Lumberg is an award winning actress who has been in a whole host of shows from The Full Monty to Romeo and Juliet. She's currently starring as Rachel in the UK tour of The Band. She sat down with me to discuss everything about the show! It's a fairly long but super interesting interview so grab a cuppa and settle down...
Have you always wanted to be a performer? Did you have any random childhood ambitions?
I did have random dreams- I wanted to be a nurse! You know so many of us had those dress up nurses outfits when we were little.
I also went into fashion at school when we took our options but it just didn't appeal to me. I'd always loved drama but didn't really know what area to be involved in. So I started the fashion course and it wasn't really working for me so I went to our head of year and said I'd like to do drama, and she let me change. So ever since then ( I would've been 14) I've been doing this.
It was actually the film-maker, John Hughes -who made the likes of Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club- who I was a huge fan of growing up- who got me very interested in film. Then when I changed to the drama option at school and we started going to the theatre a lot I discovered that this is my love.
Could you explain a little about The Band and how your character Rachel fits into it?
Rachel is the driving force in bringing the girls back together again. She is the protagonist of the story really. She opens the show with a memory.. She begins by telling the audience how she grew up with a boy band and then ‘Boom’ we’re immediately transported back to my bedroom, my younger self (played utterly superbly by Faye Christall) and the incredible tunes of a certain boy band of 1993. It’s a double denim feast for your eyes!!
You then meet all of Rachel’s friends. Each as loyal to each other and to the band as the next one.. They get to see the boys ‘live in concert’ and then on the way home from the gig, tradgedy strikes which changes the girls’ lives dramatically.
Fast forward 25yrs and here we see Rachel again pretty much living the life she dreamt off... or is she? She hasn’t seen her school friends for over 25yrs.. yet she enters and wins a competition to go and see the boys live again on their reunion tour.. is this the time to maybe have a reunion of her own?? Well-you’ll have to come and see the show to find that out..
Tim Firth has written a beautiful story of friendship and the love and influences that come with that..add to that the stunning music of Take That and how could you not want to come and see it?
What attracted you to show? Other than your name, are you and Rachel alike in any way?
I've known Tim [Firth] for a very long time, almost 10 years, as well as David [Pugh] and Dafydd [Rogers], this is my second show with all of them and they're absolutely wonderful.
Rachel and I are alike. Our producers David and Dafydd always said that she's called Rachel for a reason which is incredibly flattering. Rachel has comedy and is very caring and fiercely loyal. Simple things, the love of her family and friends and their happiness are of utmost importance to her.. so there are definitely similarities between her and myself.
More so I think with lovely Faye [Christall] who plays 16 year old me; it's weird seeing someone play you! We spent a lot of time together watching each other and watching out for the little habits we all have to make sure it seems truthful that we're the same person.
My mum came to see the show on press night and she said "that is her, that's Rachel at that age"... It's quite frightening! So I think both Faye and I are quite similar to each other and to Rachel.
The show focusses on how music influences our lives. Which musicians have inspired you?
I'm a bit of an all-rounder really. I'm one of those people that if I like a song, I like it! I was a fan of Take That, I wasn't necessarily hardened but I was a fan of them. I'm a big fan of Duran Duran, and Spandau Ballet- they were more my era 'cause I'm a little bit older than Rachel.
My huge influence growing up was more 60s because of my mum and dad. It was the likes of Gerry and the Pacemakers, Fats Domino all of that kind of music that my parents had on in the background.
On my wall were actors mainly, not musicians. There was James Dean, of course; it was mainly theatre and film actors that influenced my teenage years. Then when I got older, and absolutely when Take That reformed, I really, really enjoyed their music and I went to see them before I was ever involved in this!
Besides yourself, which actor in the production is going to blow people away?
You know I think most people that come, leave thinking "I was not expecting that" so it's the show that blows people away. A lot of people of course, are expecting the story of Take That but it isn't that, and that is absolutely not what they wanted. This show is a thank you to their fans for 25 years of loyalty. They were trying to find a way to do that, they always wanted Tim [Firth] to do it and they managed to.
The boys are phenomenal. There's always been the "oh they got them off a telly show", but they absolutely blow you away. The young girls are phenomenal, the older women, you know, everybody stands out in this.
What have people been saying as they leave the theatre?
What we've found is: "wow","wasn't expecting that", "you've relived my youth for me", "I've laughed, I've cried, I've danced, I've clapped", "I want to see it again". I've never really been in a show where we've had people see it more than once. We've got people on their 14th and 15th time, it's incredible how they come back.
As an actor you play to your crowd but it's also important that the audience listen and I've found that they really listen with this show. You can absolutely hear the listening. Some theatres are a little bit rowdier than others, especially on a Friday and Saturday but it's one of those shows that people are coming out of and booking more tickets straight away. So that's a huge compliment to us.
Also, the majority of the audience are in their forties because they grew up with Take That but they're bringing their children and their partners and their mums and dads so it's lovely. The other day there was a lady in the grand circle in her seventies who came out of her seat and she had her arms in the air like everybody else and that's exactly what it's about! Older women have also contacted us to say that we're telling their story, we didn't expect that and the contact we've had from them has been incredible and very heartwarming.
I would love to watch our show (with me in) to see and realise truly the effect it has.
If you had a magic wand, which show would you do next?
It would be one that I've already done and left actually, one of Tim's other shows and hopefully timing will let me do it again and that's This Is My Family. I do still have many roles i’d love to play that remain un-ticked on my bucket list. Some I am now too old to play and therefore will have to remain on the list, and some I’m (surprisingly) still too young to play.. so I live in hope!!
My casting bracket and skill set allows for character roles and I adore these. Complex characters that come with comedy and pathos that an audience member can relate wholeheartedly to... more characters similar to Rachel in The Band, I suppose. But above all, I just want to continue to work at the what I simply adore doing, and that is being out there, on stage, for you guys, 8 shows a week, for as long as I can and as long as audiences want to see me... I truly love my job!
If you could travel back to any era, when would you go to and why?
ohhhhh interesting! I would go back... to the 40s and 50s. Mainly for the beautiful costumes! And the incredible music! There's a tv series called A Place to Call Home that's set in the 50s, it's so beautifully designed and the costumes and cars are so fabulous. I'm just like "yes please, I would like that!"
Finally, what’s your best piece of advice for aspiring performers?
Always put money away for tax! Always take a percentage of your salary each week and put it into an account you can't touch and then you won't be hit with anything you're not prepared for!
I wholly believe that if your heart says you want to do it then do it. It's not an easy career, I mean, for me to be in this envious position of having a role written with me in mind to play it, has taken 28 years, so I can only say to anyone: stick at it and always follow your dreams. If you don’t follow them, someone else will!!
Keep at it, you'll get there; there might be different routes you have to take but don't ever take it personally. When you get a no, just move on, it's rarely personal. It's very rarely to do with your own skill and talent, it's just that you're not right.
But if you have a dream, follow it, do your best and put money aside for tax!
A massive thank you to Rachel for taking the time to do this interview. The Band is country touring round the country, tour dates and ticket information can be found here.
Interview by Editor, Olivia Mitchell
photo credit: Matt Crockett
Wednesday 23 November 2016
In Conversation With... Sarah Naudi | In The Heights | Interview
Sarah Naudi is currently starring in Lin Manuel Miranda's glorious brainchild In The Heights as the feisty, loved up Vanessa. Her other credits include the short film In The Name of Bjorn and By The Sea in which she acts alongside Angelina Jolie, to name a few.
After a wonderful performance of In The Heights, Emilie and I interviewed the lovely Sarah. We found out about her journey to becoming a performer, her love for Lara Croft, her future aspirations and so much more. So without further ado, here is our interview:
Was being a performer something you always yearned for or did you have a different career path in mind when you were younger?
I always wanted to be a performer. Oh my god, I have to get into my sob story now! Anyway, I was born with a deformity in my foot and it's a disability and they were like “oh she’ll never dance, she’ll never do anything” so my mother was like “oh I’m gonna send her to ballet lessons then”. And I was always the shittest and the worst but I was facially always the happiest and having the most fun so I just carried on dancing for years.
Then when I was 15 I told my parents that I really wanted to go to England cause I had seen The Lion King here and I was like “oh my god in England they do musicals” so that’s kind of why I came here and again, struggled very much in dance and then was dancing amongst these [the cast of In The Heights] amazing people! I’m very lucky and it's just a dream come true really so yeah, to answer your question, this is what I’ve always wanted to do… but I really want to do film! So I think after this, because this is the part I really wanted to play in musical theatre, and I’ve done Carla and Daniela, Nina and Vanessa which is amazing, I really want to act seriously.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Probably meeting Angelina Jolie, that was amazing. I don’t know if you’ve seen By The Sea it's her film with Brad Pitt? So basically she filmed it in Malta so I had to do a scene me and her and she's like my idol, I’ve always wanted to be like the next Lara Croft or something so when I met her I was like “this is it” and she’s an amazing, amazing woman. She’s motherly, very nice and was like “thanks for being in my film Sarah” and I was like “thank me?? Thank you!”. It was amazing yeah, definitely a highlight!
With all the success of Hamilton do you feel extra pressure being in one of Lin’s shows?
Well I can’t wait to watch it [Hamilton] here, its going to be honestly amazing, just gonna blow everyones minds! Oh god its gonna be so good!
With the success of course there’s more pressure because its brought more attention to the show because everyone knows who he is now but everyday -no matter what happens backstage or in your own personal life- when you hear the music we just realise how lucky we are.
And Gaby (Gabriela Garcia) and I, these were our dream roles at college. We lived together, went to school together, everything and we just cant believe that it's happened, not just for one of us but for both of us. When we’re on those stairs together at the end we look at each other and we go “wow, how did this happen, we are so lucky”. So everyday listening to Lin’s music its just, yeah! And I can’t wait to watch Moana, it looks amazing and the music sounds incredible!
You’ve been with In The Heights since it was at the Southwark, how has it changed since then?
I feel like at the Southwark we loved the show and not the story yet. So there was a lot of heart for the show and it was a ball of energy and that’s why it was such a success but now I feel the focus is on the story, whereas before it wasn’t because we didn’t have time to invest in it whereas now, most of us know it so well and we’ve been doing it for so long that we’re like “this is why he wrote the song!”
And even getting to meet him and hear him speak, when he said he is Nina and Sam is Usnavi like wow, what a compliment for Sam! That’s what I feel the biggest difference is, now I really understand the story, whereas before I loved the music and how I felt, now I really really love, you know the whole Paciencia y Fe and all of that!
The idea of heritage is prevalent in the show, did you face some of the same struggles as Nina and Usnavi when you moved to the UK from Malta?
100% I mean I’m from a tiny island in the Mediterranean and people haven’t even heard of it and I always had these big dreams, kind of like Vanessa, really just wanting to go and get out and do something and when I came here I found a massive culture shock. I found, at first, my classmates were very cold. It's a colder culture here, it's more polite, whereas in the Mediterranean we’re used to hugs so I used to talk to people on the tube all the time like “oh I really like your nail polish” and they thought I was a psycho because you don’t do that here! So I really had to learn that but I think when the Brits really get to know you as a foreigner they fall in love with you. I have so many close British friends now but I did struggle. All of them making fun of my accent oh god…. they still do it backstage now!
Have there been any challenges playing Vanessa in general or with your transition for Carla to Vanessa?
More nerves. First of all, more pressure because I have been begging to play this part for I don’t know how long so its like "uh oh the producers are looking at me now", so you really have to deliver.
And vocally there's more pressure. As Carla, if I was having a bad singing day I could do okay. And also when I was playing Carla I could hide behind the humour and really get along with the audience whereas with Vanessa, it's really hard to make her likeable because she's always moaning on stage! So I really wanted to make sure that I kind of play her more sweetly and just like she's trying to get out of here but has a good heart, so that was kind of a lot of pressure to try and get that across. And it was difficult doing 'The Club' with a completely different track and all that... yeah just more pressure!
The idea of home is therefore very important, what three things remind you of home?
The smell of the sea reminds me of home. Damian [Buhagiar], his Maltese accent backstage! He speaks to me all the time in Maltese which is really sweet! And probably my family.
Whats your favourite moment in the whole show?
To play, definitely Champagne. In my life and so many of my friends lives theres that moment where you really want to tell someone to stay and I feel like every night I get to do that and tell the person to stay and I know he doesn’t do that, he stays for the great but I can get over that! But yeah, every night I have the opportunity to do it, in life I sometimes don’t do that so I love playing it.
To listen to as a song definitely Benny’s Dispatch. Every night backstage I’m vibing along and also probably in ‘Carnaval’ Sam’s bit where he sings “a corner full of foreigners” and all that section.
If you had a magic wand, which show would you do next?….. although you want to do film!
Lara Croft the Musical?! haha, no I don’t know. I actually have no idea because this was my dream show! I love Spring Awakening, I think I’d be too old for it now but probably Spring Awakening.
Moulin Rouge… that’s what I wanna be in! That’s the one… something gritty!
If you could be any fictional character for a day, who would you be and why?
A superhero definitely! [Lara Croft?] Yeah! I didn’t want to say it again but lets be honest. Yeah I just like the idea of being a really strong woman who can save lives.
What does your perfect Sunday look like?
Ohh definitely involves a party of some sort! I go to these things called Morning Raves. They’re for people who don’t drink or don’t do anything they just love music and you just party from like six in the morning until 10 to start your day and you start your day really fresh and happy. Also seeing friends, Winter Wonderland- going on the the rides, just something adventurous. Once on our day off Courtney (Mae-Briggs) and I went skydiving in Peterborough! We’re just adrenaline junkies! We booked it two days before and it said ‘North London Skydiving’ but Peterborough is not North London, just saying! It took us ages!
Whats your best piece of advice for an aspiring performer?
Whats your best piece of advice for an aspiring performer?
I would say always be prepared because success is when preparation meets the opportunity. So if you’re always ready and the opportunity comes, then boom. If the opportunity comes and you’re not ready then you're not going to get the part or get into the school you know, so always, always, always be prepared. Keep improving yourself. Gaby (Garcia) is a master at that, I mean, she inspires me everyday because she is always learning and always asking us what she can do better. She goes to lessons all the time so just keeping that. No matter how successful you become just keep working at it. Be kind, be really kind to people. People will wanna work with you again. And be on time… don’t be late!
A huge, huge thank you to Sarah for being so lovely, kind and inspirational. A truly talented lady who I hope to see become a movie megastar in the future! Thank you to Emilie for joining me on the interview and as usual thank you to Lin Manuel Miranda for creating the best musical ever!
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
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