Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Starring Michael Praed, Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson and Gary Wilmot
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
10th - 14th November 2015
Starring Michael Praed, Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson and Gary Wilmot
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
10th - 14th November 2015
In anticipation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels coming to the Cliffs Pavilion next week, I went along to catch up with the cast just before they went on stage at the Norwich Theatre Royal a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, Michael Praed wasn't feeling too good that particular week (apologies Robin Hood and Dynasty fans) and couldn't make it but the wonderful Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson and Gary Wilmot were more than happy to talk to me about the show, how they keep up their stamina on such a long run, trying not to laugh on stage and...erm.....naked yoga......
In a pathetic attempt to try and win them over, I took along a stick of Southend rock to give to each of them - which seemed to go down rather well and so we soon settled down for good old chat.
In a pathetic attempt to try and win them over, I took along a stick of Southend rock to give to each of them - which seemed to go down rather well and so we soon settled down for good old chat.
Meeting the cast of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson and Gary Wilmot
I started off by asking them if they’d ever been to Southend before, not realising that Gary used to live in Rayleigh and knows the area really well. "When I was training for the London Marathon I used to regularly run around Rayleigh and Hockley." he says.
Noel, who came to Southend when he toured with Rock of Ages last year tells me, “I was training for a hike of Kilimanjaro at the time and obviously there are no hills in Southend so we just went along the coast as far as we could go.” So, he didn’t go to the end of the pier then? “No, well that’s further than going up Kilimanjaro!!” he laughs. Looks like Noel and Gary will be showing Carley some of the Southend sights then as she’s the only one who hasn’t paid Southend a visit.
I ask them about their characters in the show and Gary says, “I play Andre Thibault, the chief of police, who supplies information to Lawrence Jameson, a high class con man (played by Michael Praed) who accepts payment for the information. He’s kind of like Lawrence’s sidekick.” Gary began his career on New Faces and steadily became one of the most popular entertainers on tv throughout the 1980s and 90s. He has carved out a hugely successful musical theatre career, starring in Me and My Girl - "You two would be great in that" he tells Carley and Noel - Carmen Jones, Copacabana, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Oliver to name but a few and seems to always be in demand. "As soon as this tour's finished, I'm off to do panto with Wayne Sleep and Priscilla Presley," he informs me.
Noel, who came to Southend when he toured with Rock of Ages last year tells me, “I was training for a hike of Kilimanjaro at the time and obviously there are no hills in Southend so we just went along the coast as far as we could go.” So, he didn’t go to the end of the pier then? “No, well that’s further than going up Kilimanjaro!!” he laughs. Looks like Noel and Gary will be showing Carley some of the Southend sights then as she’s the only one who hasn’t paid Southend a visit.
I ask them about their characters in the show and Gary says, “I play Andre Thibault, the chief of police, who supplies information to Lawrence Jameson, a high class con man (played by Michael Praed) who accepts payment for the information. He’s kind of like Lawrence’s sidekick.” Gary began his career on New Faces and steadily became one of the most popular entertainers on tv throughout the 1980s and 90s. He has carved out a hugely successful musical theatre career, starring in Me and My Girl - "You two would be great in that" he tells Carley and Noel - Carmen Jones, Copacabana, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Oliver to name but a few and seems to always be in demand. "As soon as this tour's finished, I'm off to do panto with Wayne Sleep and Priscilla Presley," he informs me.
“I play Freddie Benson,” Noel tells me, “who is Lawrence’s arch nemesis really. I start off hero worshipping him at the top of the piece and then we fall out and make a bet; whoever can con Christine Colgate (played by Carley) out of $50,000 wins the bet and the other one has to leave town.” “I get to play a selection of characters which is really nice and probably Freddie's the one without any proper skill. Lawrence is the debonair, suave and charming one and Freddie is the polar opposite.”
I mention that in the film, Freddie is the recipient of a fairly harsh whipping and wonder how Noel copes with this part of the show. “We should have that on the poster - 'Glitz, Glamour, Wheelchairs and Whipping!'” Noel laughs, “It’s such a brilliant part. There’s not many moments when you’re on stage where you get to look into the audiences eyes while magic is happening. Normally, you’re in the moment, in the action but I have a lot of time just sitting and looking out staring straight at the audience and seeing their reactions - and it’s amazing. I’m just sitting there thinking ‘these people aren’t even thinking about what’s going on in their lives at this moment in time, they’re just laughing - really hard.'” Carley, reiterates, “The audience are hysterical some nights and he even makes me laugh - and I see it every night!” So do they corpse quite a lot in this production? “We shouldn’t,” Carley says, “but try telling Michael Praed that?” "The director does tell us off quite a lot!"
I ask them if the musical is very much like the film but just with music and Carley agrees. “Yes and I think the music kind of gives it even more.” Gary adds, “It’s exactly the same plot which is fantastic.”
Having such experienced performers in the show with Gary Wilmot and Michael Praed, I ask Carley and Noel if they’ve picked up any tips from them. Noel says, “It’s been really nice because Gary did the show in the West End and now he’s joined a completely new cast on the tour; so he’s given us a lot of input and just showed us little changes we can do to make it funnier - it’s been fantastic.” “I really love Gary’s work ethic,” Carley smiles, “and I’m not just saying that because he’s sitting next to me! He really comes in and lifts us up - I wish I was working more with him on stage.”
Carley has been quite a busy bee. Since leaving Hollyoaks as Steph Cunningham, she has starred in the West End as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Princess Fiona in Shrek and the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot. She has also just released an EP featuring three songs which, Carley says, have a lot of meaning for her. (Click here for iTunes download. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/carley-ep/id1017060021)
She has a strong passion for country music and the first song on the EP, 'Hurricane', reflects that. 'About You Now', a Sugababes cover is a nod, she tells me, towards Hollyoaks as she sang it at Max’s funeral. “I had a lot of fans telling me how much they loved my version of it in Hollyoaks and how they cried when they saw that episode and so I thought it would be a good choice.” “'Take Me Away' is a nod to musical theatre with Scott Alan, who’s a beautiful musical theatre writer.”
Obviously, I can’t get away without asking Noel about Hear'say, the band that made him a household name through the Popstars franchise back in 2001. “Hear’say was an amazing experience, I talk about it every day pretty much. But it wasn’t the direction I wanted to go in. I kind of fell into it. I just went and auditioned for the experience and it kind of just went that way for a bit. But musical theatre was my passion - I come from a very musical family and roundabout the time I was doing my A Levels I realised that you could actually make a career from it and so I started focusing all my energy on doing that. So when the band fell apart it was quite natural for me to go back to theatre. It was quite a cathartic experience because within theatre you can be whoever you want to be; and it’s therapeutic, as well as giving you a place to express yourself.”
I ask him how he got into the West End, appearing in productions such as Fame, Grease as Danny Zuko, Flashdance and the lead role of Galileo Figaro in We Will Rock You in the West End Production of the musical at the Dominion Theatre. He replies, “I didn’t just burst into the West End. I wanted the respect of my peers within the industry, so I’ve picked my roles and kind of worked my way up, I suppose. I wanted to have something tangible that can’t be pulled out from under me.” Noel has taken on some of the biggest roles a musician can take on vocally and has certainly proved himself to be worthy of gracing the West End stage with some amazing reviews. “You can’t fake it - doing 8 shows a week, you have to have the discipline and stamina to maintain that.”
So how to they all maintain that stamina? They all agree that eating well, drinking lots of water and plenty of sleep are really important as well as doing vocal warm ups before every performance with the rest of the cast. Carley also swears by Manuka honey, which she takes every day and wishes it wasn't so expensive (hint hint Manuka honey makers).
Gary says, with a cheeky grin, “The naked yoga we do at the end of every performance really helps!” Carley, mis-hearing, “I wish that was true because Gary’s wife came along once and we did yoga with her and I wish we could do that every time. It was amazing!” At this point Noel and Gary are giggling like naughty schoolboys. “Naked yoga!??”
“OH NO, is that what you said, I didn’t hear that - you dirty beggar!” she cries, as we all crack up laughing.
And so, with a promise from them to pass on my stick of Southend rock to Michael, I thank the wonderful Dirty Rotten Scoundrels cast for taking the time out to chat to me, as they dash off to do their warm ups and perhaps a bit of yoga; and very much look forward to seeing them in at the Cliffs Pavilion on the 10th November.
I mention that in the film, Freddie is the recipient of a fairly harsh whipping and wonder how Noel copes with this part of the show. “We should have that on the poster - 'Glitz, Glamour, Wheelchairs and Whipping!'” Noel laughs, “It’s such a brilliant part. There’s not many moments when you’re on stage where you get to look into the audiences eyes while magic is happening. Normally, you’re in the moment, in the action but I have a lot of time just sitting and looking out staring straight at the audience and seeing their reactions - and it’s amazing. I’m just sitting there thinking ‘these people aren’t even thinking about what’s going on in their lives at this moment in time, they’re just laughing - really hard.'” Carley, reiterates, “The audience are hysterical some nights and he even makes me laugh - and I see it every night!” So do they corpse quite a lot in this production? “We shouldn’t,” Carley says, “but try telling Michael Praed that?” "The director does tell us off quite a lot!"
I ask them if the musical is very much like the film but just with music and Carley agrees. “Yes and I think the music kind of gives it even more.” Gary adds, “It’s exactly the same plot which is fantastic.”
Having such experienced performers in the show with Gary Wilmot and Michael Praed, I ask Carley and Noel if they’ve picked up any tips from them. Noel says, “It’s been really nice because Gary did the show in the West End and now he’s joined a completely new cast on the tour; so he’s given us a lot of input and just showed us little changes we can do to make it funnier - it’s been fantastic.” “I really love Gary’s work ethic,” Carley smiles, “and I’m not just saying that because he’s sitting next to me! He really comes in and lifts us up - I wish I was working more with him on stage.”
Carley has been quite a busy bee. Since leaving Hollyoaks as Steph Cunningham, she has starred in the West End as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Princess Fiona in Shrek and the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot. She has also just released an EP featuring three songs which, Carley says, have a lot of meaning for her. (Click here for iTunes download. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/carley-ep/id1017060021)
She has a strong passion for country music and the first song on the EP, 'Hurricane', reflects that. 'About You Now', a Sugababes cover is a nod, she tells me, towards Hollyoaks as she sang it at Max’s funeral. “I had a lot of fans telling me how much they loved my version of it in Hollyoaks and how they cried when they saw that episode and so I thought it would be a good choice.” “'Take Me Away' is a nod to musical theatre with Scott Alan, who’s a beautiful musical theatre writer.”
Obviously, I can’t get away without asking Noel about Hear'say, the band that made him a household name through the Popstars franchise back in 2001. “Hear’say was an amazing experience, I talk about it every day pretty much. But it wasn’t the direction I wanted to go in. I kind of fell into it. I just went and auditioned for the experience and it kind of just went that way for a bit. But musical theatre was my passion - I come from a very musical family and roundabout the time I was doing my A Levels I realised that you could actually make a career from it and so I started focusing all my energy on doing that. So when the band fell apart it was quite natural for me to go back to theatre. It was quite a cathartic experience because within theatre you can be whoever you want to be; and it’s therapeutic, as well as giving you a place to express yourself.”
I ask him how he got into the West End, appearing in productions such as Fame, Grease as Danny Zuko, Flashdance and the lead role of Galileo Figaro in We Will Rock You in the West End Production of the musical at the Dominion Theatre. He replies, “I didn’t just burst into the West End. I wanted the respect of my peers within the industry, so I’ve picked my roles and kind of worked my way up, I suppose. I wanted to have something tangible that can’t be pulled out from under me.” Noel has taken on some of the biggest roles a musician can take on vocally and has certainly proved himself to be worthy of gracing the West End stage with some amazing reviews. “You can’t fake it - doing 8 shows a week, you have to have the discipline and stamina to maintain that.”
So how to they all maintain that stamina? They all agree that eating well, drinking lots of water and plenty of sleep are really important as well as doing vocal warm ups before every performance with the rest of the cast. Carley also swears by Manuka honey, which she takes every day and wishes it wasn't so expensive (hint hint Manuka honey makers).
Gary says, with a cheeky grin, “The naked yoga we do at the end of every performance really helps!” Carley, mis-hearing, “I wish that was true because Gary’s wife came along once and we did yoga with her and I wish we could do that every time. It was amazing!” At this point Noel and Gary are giggling like naughty schoolboys. “Naked yoga!??”
“OH NO, is that what you said, I didn’t hear that - you dirty beggar!” she cries, as we all crack up laughing.
And so, with a promise from them to pass on my stick of Southend rock to Michael, I thank the wonderful Dirty Rotten Scoundrels cast for taking the time out to chat to me, as they dash off to do their warm ups and perhaps a bit of yoga; and very much look forward to seeing them in at the Cliffs Pavilion on the 10th November.
One of the biggest new West End musicals, already seen by over half a million people, comes straight to the Cliffs Pavilion from The Savoy Theatre, London. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has been acclaimed by critics and audiences alike and this major new production is a rare chance to return to ‘AN ALL BUT LOST ERA OF MUSICAL COMEDY’ (THE GUARDIAN) and relive the golden age of the classic musical.
Based on the classic comedy film starring Sir Michael Caine and Steve Martin, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will transport you to the French Riviera and its decadent underworld, as two seasoned swindlers attempt to hoodwink a millionaire heiress. As the pair compete in the true art of the con, they discover there is only room for one of them.
Multi award-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Kinky Boots) leads one of the finest creative teams ever assembled including the comedy duo who gave us TV’s Mad About You (Jeffrey Lane) and West End hit musical The Full Monty (David Yazbek).
Based on the classic comedy film starring Sir Michael Caine and Steve Martin, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will transport you to the French Riviera and its decadent underworld, as two seasoned swindlers attempt to hoodwink a millionaire heiress. As the pair compete in the true art of the con, they discover there is only room for one of them.
Multi award-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Kinky Boots) leads one of the finest creative teams ever assembled including the comedy duo who gave us TV’s Mad About You (Jeffrey Lane) and West End hit musical The Full Monty (David Yazbek).
Sophisticated and suave with a good dash of mischief, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is set to be the finest night out of 2015 - secure your ticket today.
‘ONE OF THE BEST MUSICAL THEATRE NIGHTS OF THE YEAR’ - Whatsonstage
‘VERY, VERY, VERY FUNNY’ - BBC
A £1.50 per ticket booking fee applies, capped at six per order. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
‘ONE OF THE BEST MUSICAL THEATRE NIGHTS OF THE YEAR’ - Whatsonstage
‘VERY, VERY, VERY FUNNY’ - BBC
A £1.50 per ticket booking fee applies, capped at six per order. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk