SOUTHEND THEATRE SCENE
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Main feature writer - Kim Tobin
  • COMING UP
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
    • David Streames Interview
    • Daniel O'Donnell
    • Matt Wycliffe Interview - Million Dollar Quartet
    • Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull
    • Tony Stockwell Interview
    • Priscilla Queen of the Desert Tour - Interview with Emma Crossley
    • Phil Walker - Guitar Heroes
    • Rock for Heroes Review
    • Once the Musical - We interview Daniel Healy & Emma Lucia as we are invited to watch the cast rehearse!
    • The Overtones 2019
    • Derren Brown - Showman
    • Stephen K Amos Interview
    • Geoff Norcott INTERVIEW
    • Diversity and Kev Orkian Interviews
    • Giles Cooper talks about Nigel Slater's TOAST
    • Kristian Lavercombe - Riff Raff - Rocky Horror Show
    • Dan Partridge & Martha Kirby talk Grease the Musical
    • Village Green Festival 2019
    • Lee Mead, David Streames & Richard Foster
    • Craig Revel Horwood
    • Jenny Gayner
    • Nigel Slater
    • Alex Bourne Interview - Annie Tour 2019
    • Beverley Craven Interview
    • Gary Barlow and Tim Firth Interview - Calendar Girls
    • Tom Stade 2019 Interview
    • Karen Gibson - The Kingdom Choir
    • AJ Pritchard
    • Jonathan Wrather - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Tilted Wig Productions
    • Kevin Clifton & Graziano Di Prima Interview - Burn the Floor
    • Elesha Paul Moses Interview - Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It?
    • Juliet Mills & Maxwell Caulfield Interview
    • Juliet Mills Interview
    • Holly Liburd - The Bodyguard
    • Alexandra Burke - The Bodyguard
    • Janine Duvitski Interview
    • Matthew Kelly & David Yelland
    • Aled Jones Interview
    • Quadrophenia Live Interview with Doug Freeman
    • Diversity's Ashley Banjo, Jordan Banjo, Perri Kiely & Terry Smith
    • Ali James & James Cranfield
    • Ed Speleers, Mairi Barclay & Adam Lilley
    • Rachel Lumberg & Faye Christall Interview
    • Rain Main - Mathew Horne & Ed Speleers
    • Charles Sharman-Cox
    • Matt Terry & Antoine Murray-Straughan
    • Collabro Road to the Royal Albert Hall Interview
    • Steve Michaels - Elvis
    • Paul Young Interview
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Jersey Boys Interview
    • Colin Blunstone - The Zombies
    • Dave Kelly - The Blues Band
    • Clive John - Johnny Cash Roadshow
    • Paul Opacic & Richard Walsh
    • Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace
    • Alexander O'Neal Interview
    • Kevin Whately - Our Finest Hour
    • Jenny Eclair - Grumpy Old Women Tour
    • Séan Aydon - Great Expectations
    • Joe McElderry Live in Concert
    • Nichola McAuliffe Interview
    • Natalie Anderson & Jonathan Halliwell
    • Geoff Norcott Interview
    • Mark Steel - Comedian Interview
    • Debra Stephenson & Alice Barlow
    • Dr Feelgood's Kevin Morris
    • Ali James Interview - Oh Yes It Is!
    • Tom Stade Interview
    • Sarah Earnshaw - Nativity the Musical
    • Karina Jones - Wait Until Dark
    • The Stylistics
    • Tom Chambers & Charlotte Wakefield
    • Jessie Wallace - Deathtrap
    • Paul Bradley - Deathtrap
    • George Kemp - The Wipers Times
    • Joe McElderry - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
    • Ian Hislop & Nick Newman - The Wipers Times
    • Chris Simmons, All or Nothing the Musical
    • Caroline Flack, Tom Chambers Interview
    • Ruth Madoc
    • Scott Reid - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
    • Samuel Clemens, Director
    • Elizabeth Elvin
    • Ray Cooney - Out of Order
    • Susie Amy
    • Sue Holderness
    • Shaun Williamson
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher & Oliver Ormson
    • Geoff Norcott
    • Navi - King of Pop
    • Damian Williams Interview
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher Interview
    • Samantha Womack Interview
    • Les Dennis Interview
    • Clive Mantle - The Verdict
    • Stephen Bailey Interview
    • Steve Hackett Interview
    • Alastair Whatley - The Original Theatre Company
    • Paul Carrack Interview
    • Janine Johnson - Back to Bacharach Interview
    • Lewis Griffiths - Dirty Dancing
    • Ben Portsmouth Elvis Tribute
    • Paul Nicholls - Shawshank Redemption
    • Anne Odeke - Night Must Fall
    • Elaine Paige
    • Jimmy Osmond - Christmas Extravaganza
    • Brian Conley & Gok Wan
    • Jonathan Kiley - Qdos Pantomine Producer
    • Lee Mead - Some Enchanted Evening
    • Maximum Rhythm & Blues
    • Joe McElderry - Northern Light Tour
    • Carol Harrison - All or Nothing
    • Paul Cattermole - The Rocky Horror Show
    • Tommy Steele
    • Cheryl Baker - Formerly of Bucks Fizz
    • Gabrielle Cocca from Cats the Musical
    • PJ Proby Interview
    • Ashleigh & Pudsey - Mission ImPudseyble
    • I'm Cold - Alex Thorn
    • Mon Amie - supporting Jason Donovan
    • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    • Richard Ede - The 39 Steps
    • Collabro
    • The Searchers
    • Fanny Galore
    • Paul Carrack
    • Rose Marie
    • Gary Wilmot, Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson
    • Megan Terry
    • Sharon Rose - Little Eva in West End's Beautiful
    • Roy Chubby Brown - Britain's Rudest Comedian
    • Fascinating Aida's Dillie Keane
    • Ben Portsmouth - Elvis Tribute Artist
    • Ugly Sisters, Martin Ramsdin & David Robbins - Cinderella
    • Lauren Hall (Cinderella)
    • Michael Harrison, West End Producer
    • Brian Conley
    • Sharon Rose - X Factor
    • The Bodyguard - Zoe Birkett Interview
    • Alex Bourne (Daddy Warbucks)
    • Michael Corbidge Royal Shakespeare Company
    • Ashton Moore - Samson
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Phill Jupitus
    • Michael Sharp Playwright
    • Ray Cooney OBE
  • MUSIC
  • YOUTUBE
  • Features
    • Echoes From Essex
    • Immersive Actor Training
    • Afternoon Tea at the Cliffs Pavilion
    • N-Act Theatre Stage - Village Green
    • Chameleon Productions
    • Sheku Kanneh-Mason
    • Aladdin - Panto Cast Announcement
    • Sounds Familiar Music Quiz
    • N-Act Theatre in Schools
    • Ray Cooney comes to see Lindisfarne perform his play
    • Theatre Etiquette
    • Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society's Backstage Crew
Picture
INTERVIEW with BEVERLEY CRAVEN
ahead of the
WOMAN TO WOMAN  2019 TOUR
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
20th June 2019
Beverley Craven talks about joining Judie Tzuke and Julia Fordham for their forthcoming Woman to Woman  tour
Picture
Following a sell out Woman to Woman tour during 2018, and a single that topped the iTunes charts, the second leg of the tour begins in June.  It brings together again the formidable talents of Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke and Julia Fordham. All well known and successful singer songwriters in their own right, they join forces to perform their own individual hits and also new material as a harmony trio.
 

Beverley Craven is one of the most successful singer/songwriters the UK has ever produced. Best known for her 1991 hit single Promise Me; she’s sold a staggering 4 million albums. Her string of chart successes also includes Memories, Holding On, Woman To Woman and Love Scenes.

Judie Tzuke first shot to stardom thanks to her 1979 Top 20 hit Stay With Me Till Dawn, which was followed by four further Official Singles Chart entries. Judie has seven Top 40 albums under her belt. 

Julia Fordham too has a long and illustrious recording career that has taken her all over the world. Previously a backing singer, Julia broke through as a solo artist in 1988 with her ballad Happy Ever After. She’s scored four Top 40 albums, and made the Top 20 in 1991 with her single Love Moves (In Mysterious Ways).

Beverley Craven took some time out to chat to me about the forthcoming tour, and how the trio got together.  

She tells me, "I felt that we all had a similar style, being introspective singers and songwriters; plus we all had the same agent and our demographic audience was also the same." 

As a result it was Beverley's idea to join together as she felt strongly that it would work.

She added,  "I'd always been a fan of Judie Tzuke and would have liked to have been her backing singer."  She reveals, "I met her once at a charity event and rushed up to tell her that I was her biggest fan, never thinking for one minute that we would end up working together!"

Having made the decision to get together with Judie, she felt that Julia would make a great third person.  It also meant that they could play bigger venues and add a 5-piece band to the mix. "There is currently a definite desire for nostalgia with various acts from the past touring and performing," she explains.


All of the women will perform together, harmonising and singing, with each singer taking the lead on their own individual hits, with the other two performing backing vocals for each other.  As expected Beverley will play the piano, and Julia plays the guitar. Fans will get to hear all their favourites, with the girls getting to perform three part harmonies on songs such as Julia’s song and most recent hit, Safe.  This single was taken from the album Woman to Woman which was released to coincide with last year’s tour.  Additionally, Beverley tells me,  there will be new material, including Judie’s song If.  In between songs, Beverley says that she likes to tell funny stories and talk about the songs.  "Some of the songs are so introspective and dark, it's nice to chat and provide a bit of light relief." 
Judie Tzuke
Julia Fordham
I ask Beverley how they choose the material for the show.  "It was a collaborative mix," she replies, "each of us threw songs into the ring, and then discussed which would be the best fit.  It was a struggle to limit the number of songs; I chose my own, but Judie has written so many that it was difficult for her to choose."  

Beverley admits that when she first suggested that the trio join up, an album was suggested but she only wanted to tour and perform live, knowing how much the music industry has changed.  However, the other two felt that they should produce an album.  Much to her surprise the album has become a huge success with the single from it, Safe, going to the top of the iTunes chart and now, of course, she’s glad that they went ahead with it.  She says, "The album has had lots of air play which has been great for pulling in audiences for the tour.  After we appeared on Michael Ball’s Sunday radio programme at Radio 2 we received lots of great feedback." 

She continues, "Although there will be some new material on the tour, I feel it is important for audiences to hear our old favourites".  So much so she insists that they have to be performed in the same style and not given a new spin.

She says, "It is important to look out and see the audience transfixed in the memories of when they first heard the songs. I love it when the audience react.  Even the band has had to learn the accompaniment as it was played before."  


Intriguingly, during the show, there is video footage as a back drop with some silent filmed performances playing so that the girls can sing live to the footage.  To enable the film to sync to their singing they use an ear monitor to keep time. It is so precise that some people think the girls are miming, but they only sing live.
Picture
The second leg of the Woman to Woman tour begins in June with just thirteen shows, and already several of the venues are sold out with limited availability on others.   They are, however, pacing the shows more carefully on this leg of the tour as unfortunately, Beverley's health took a turn for the worse.  

"The tour was due to start in May," she explains, "but as I was having treatment for a recurrence of cancer, it had to be postponed until June". She adds, "Judie and Julia have been very supportive." 

Beverley is very forthcoming about her cancer and we discuss how, nowadays so many people suffer from breast cancer that it is almost an epidemic.  We both feel it must have something to do with lifestyle or hormone treatments such as HRT or contraceptive pills for which there was no long term data on side effects when first introduced.  "Now women are suffering the consequences," she sighs.

The treatments for the disease are evolving all the time and Beverley feels that targeted immunotherapy will be the next development.
"I finished my last chemo treatment three weeks ago and am now feeling more like my old self and raring to go!" Adding, "It is important that people can speak openly about cancer and its effects as that can help people to not feel so isolated.  Additionally, it can have a positive effect and that can be half the battle." 

Her lovely daughters have been a continual support, together with her best friend and boyfriend, who all go to the hospital with her for her treatments, arriving mob handed.


When the tour ends, Beverley will take some time out and then in November will be boarding a cruise ship for the Caribbean, where she will be performing three shows. Her daughters will go with her as, Beverley tells me they have been so helpful during her cancer treatment. Then in 2020, the plan is to take her own show on tour, with a couple of musicians and play more intimate gigs.
Picture
With the tour date approaching, Beverley says that it has given her something to focus on.  "I'm looking forward to it. Julia and Judie are constantly in touch discussing plans for the tour and it is such a change to have female camaraderie on a tour."

There will be a week of rehearsal in the last week of May before they head for their first date in Buxton.  


Before she goes, Beverley quickly adds that she does have one small gripe when on stage and that is, she loves performing live, but wishes that people wouldn’t film bits on their phones during the show.

"It's a distraction - I'd rather the audience got to feel the songs and experience the emotion rather than filming us and putting it online. The quality is never great anyway!" 


On a truly positive note, she tells me that through this tour, she’s become really genuine friends with Julia and Judie. 

"The relationship the audience see on the stage is real," she confides, concluding, with a laugh, "The most difficult decision at the moment seems to be what to wear!"

 

Interview Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Edit: Kim Tobin



Wtwlive.com
The trio performs at the Cliffs Pavilion 20th June 2019 – 01702 351135
Tickets £41.50, £39.00, £36.50
VIP meet and greet package available - Prime Seating,-Meet and Greet -Photo Opportunity and a Signed Lithographic Print - £79.00
www.southendtheatres.org.uk  Box Office 01702 351135
Tickets are on sale now for the Woman to Woman 2019 Tour from all venues, and the Woman to Woman website, details of which are below….

www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Dates & Venues for the Woman to Woman Tour 2019 are as follows – 

June 2     Buxton Opera House (Buxton) 
https://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/event/woman-to-woman-judie-tzuke-beverley-craven-julia-fordham 
June 5     Wyvern Theatre (Swindon) 
https://swindontheatres.co.uk/Online/tickets-woman-to-woman-swindon-2019 
June 7     Cadogan Hall (London) 
http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/woman-to-woman-180413/ 
June 8     The Lowry (Salford) – Orchestral Show 
https://tickets.thelowry.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=D31B670E-C036-432E-8352-DDA76B5CAE42 
June 12   City Hall (Sheffield) 
https://www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=22035DCF-390E-4EA2-8C5E-1CC8C62F5C23&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=9D7BC08B-8A22-4739-88E3-B510FDC9997D 
June 14   Royal Hall (Harrogate) 
https://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/Woman-to-Woman-Judie-Tzuke-Beverly-Craven-and-Julia-Fordham 
June 15   Town Hall and Symphony Hall (Birmingham) 
https://www.thsh.co.uk/event/woman-to-woman-judie-tzuke-beverley-craven-julia-fordham-orchestral-show 
June 18   The Stables (Milton Keynes) 
https://stables.org/event/woman-to-woman-3 
June 20   Cliffs Pavilion (Southend-on-Sea) 
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-woman-to-woman-southend-2019 
June 21   The Apex (Bury St. Edmunds) 
https://www.theapex.co.uk/whats-on/details.cfm?id=389347&ins=501791 
June 22   The Stables (Milton Keynes) ***SOLD OUT*** 
June 24    Theatre Royal (Brighton) 
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/woman-to-woman-judie-tzuke-julia-fordham-and-beverley-craven/theatre-royal-brighton/ 
June 26    St. David’s Hall (Cardiff) 
https://www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk/whats-on/rock-pop/woman-to-woman/ 

Visit www.wtwlive.com for more information.

Home

About

MUSIC

INTERVIEWS

FEATURES

Copyright © 2015