INTERVIEW
Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately
OUR FINEST HOUR WITH THE BBC BIG BAND
SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
Monday 23 April
SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
Monday 23 April
The BBC Big Band is coming to Southend to commemorate the Dunkirk evacuation, and the Battle of Britain in the show Our Finest Hour.
Vocalist Annie Gill will be singing songs made famous by Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, the Andrews Sisters, and others with the music of Glenn Miller. The show features, songs such as We’ll Meet Again, The White Cliffs of Dover and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square as well as some of the classic music the war inspired, including the Dam Busters March and the music from Ron Goodwin’s classic scores to Battle of Britain and 633 Squadron.
The show contains the famous speeches of Winston Churchill, and the best tunes of the time from the dance halls and the wireless, to celebrate our finest hour. Additionally, Kevin Whately, who is a familiar face from TV’s Morse, Lewis, and Auf Wiedersehen Pet, will host the show.
Vocalist Annie Gill will be singing songs made famous by Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, the Andrews Sisters, and others with the music of Glenn Miller. The show features, songs such as We’ll Meet Again, The White Cliffs of Dover and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square as well as some of the classic music the war inspired, including the Dam Busters March and the music from Ron Goodwin’s classic scores to Battle of Britain and 633 Squadron.
The show contains the famous speeches of Winston Churchill, and the best tunes of the time from the dance halls and the wireless, to celebrate our finest hour. Additionally, Kevin Whately, who is a familiar face from TV’s Morse, Lewis, and Auf Wiedersehen Pet, will host the show.
The memory of Dunkirk is very relevant to Southend as in 1940, many small boats set off from Leigh to rescue the soldiers from the beaches. Overall there were 300, 000 French and English saved. Additionally, the airport in Rochford was a base for the pilots of the Battle of Britain. Indeed, there are memorials in the town to those that didn’t return, and anniversary parades every year.
Kevin Whately takes a few moments to speak to me about the show and his role in it.
‘When they approached me to host it, it fitted with my plans. It was something different and I loved the thought of being in front of an orchestra on stage. There is nothing better for an actor than performing in front of a band or orchestra. Although the show is about music, I also read letters and poetry from soldiers at the front. It is a nostalgic show, but it should also be educational for young people.’
I ask him why people are feeling nostalgic about the war now, as most of the people from that period would have passed away.
‘People today look back at that time as a noble time when people were less selfish and pulled together. Politicians today say that we must pull together, but it is just words. Through the blitz, people really had to do that and there was sacrifice. One letter I read is from an airman who explains why he felt he had to sacrifice himself for the greater good. I’m not sure whether you would get that kind of feeling nowadays. It is difficult to come to terms with being someone that has been alive for sixty years and has never been involved in a war. People then were in tune with sacrificing themselves as a duty. The songs convey that feeling, whilst some of the songs today are trite.'
'Although some of the war songs are poignant and sad, many are jolly to entertain and cheer people up. It was important for the people at home as well as the soldiers abroad to listen to songs that would keep up their spirits. People like Vera Lynn went overseas and entertained the troops and she recently had her 101st birthday.’
I mention that not long ago a CD of her songs was released and it had gone to the top of the charts and I wondered why young people would buy it.
‘The songs from that period have lasted because they are tuneful and with the swing band behind, the music is still relevant. Glen Miller and Benny Goodman feel new and exciting for kids today as well as having a feeling of nostalgia for older people. When I was a child war movies were always on at the cinema and they celebrated achievements. Later people seemed to be embarrassed to be proud of their nation. Now we have successful films like The Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman as Churchill and the excellent film Dunkirk where a disaster was turned into a triumph. This of course is relevant to Southend with the small boats that went out. It is a time to be patriotic in the right sense of the word, and proud of what we did, but not in a nationalistic sense. As well as the singing, there will be newsreel clips of Churchill projected on stage, and recordings of his speeches.'
Kevin Whately takes a few moments to speak to me about the show and his role in it.
‘When they approached me to host it, it fitted with my plans. It was something different and I loved the thought of being in front of an orchestra on stage. There is nothing better for an actor than performing in front of a band or orchestra. Although the show is about music, I also read letters and poetry from soldiers at the front. It is a nostalgic show, but it should also be educational for young people.’
I ask him why people are feeling nostalgic about the war now, as most of the people from that period would have passed away.
‘People today look back at that time as a noble time when people were less selfish and pulled together. Politicians today say that we must pull together, but it is just words. Through the blitz, people really had to do that and there was sacrifice. One letter I read is from an airman who explains why he felt he had to sacrifice himself for the greater good. I’m not sure whether you would get that kind of feeling nowadays. It is difficult to come to terms with being someone that has been alive for sixty years and has never been involved in a war. People then were in tune with sacrificing themselves as a duty. The songs convey that feeling, whilst some of the songs today are trite.'
'Although some of the war songs are poignant and sad, many are jolly to entertain and cheer people up. It was important for the people at home as well as the soldiers abroad to listen to songs that would keep up their spirits. People like Vera Lynn went overseas and entertained the troops and she recently had her 101st birthday.’
I mention that not long ago a CD of her songs was released and it had gone to the top of the charts and I wondered why young people would buy it.
‘The songs from that period have lasted because they are tuneful and with the swing band behind, the music is still relevant. Glen Miller and Benny Goodman feel new and exciting for kids today as well as having a feeling of nostalgia for older people. When I was a child war movies were always on at the cinema and they celebrated achievements. Later people seemed to be embarrassed to be proud of their nation. Now we have successful films like The Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman as Churchill and the excellent film Dunkirk where a disaster was turned into a triumph. This of course is relevant to Southend with the small boats that went out. It is a time to be patriotic in the right sense of the word, and proud of what we did, but not in a nationalistic sense. As well as the singing, there will be newsreel clips of Churchill projected on stage, and recordings of his speeches.'
Annie Gill
'As the show at the Cliffs Pavilion will take place on St George’s Day, they want to have the atmosphere of the last night of the Proms. They want to involve the audience in the songs and have a big celebration and commemoration about the Battle of Britain and Dunkirk. It is important that we educate the younger generation as well as entertain them.’
I ask Kevin if he will be singing in the show and he laughs.
‘No, I don’t sing but I have in the past. I busked in the seventies to pay my way through drama school, and have appeared in Gypsy with Imelda Staunton at Chichester. I made my professional debut in 1975 in a Noel Coward musical show in Scotland. Annie Gill is the vocalist; she is from an opera background but also sings Jazz.’
I ask Kevin if he has any plans to be on TV in the near future.
‘As I keep telling people, I am sick of this face on TV and I want to do different and interesting work for the future. That is why I am going to Bergen in Norway to be the narrator for Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. My daughter is an opera singer and her husband is playing Candide, so when they asked me to take part I jumped at the chance to do something different.’
How does he feel about the TV programme, Lewis, ending?
‘When I hit 65 years of age it felt that the show couldn’t keep going. Police usually retire in their fifties and it made no sense for Lewis to still be working.’
I suggest that they could have added a storyline with Lewis in retirement and meeting up with Hathaway solving a crime.
‘They talked about a spin off, but the programme had been on TV for ten years and it was a natural time to end. I was in Morse and Lewis altogether for thirty years and although I am proud of it, I felt it was time to move on. I am still recognised as Lewis. Once in Oxford, I came out of a side street, and bumped into a crowd of tourists doing the Morse Trail. They all started clapping when they saw me.’
I remark that it must have been nice to be recognised, but he laughed and said that he felt a bit embarrassed.
‘When the tour ends, I am looking to do things that will be a bit different and interesting. As a TV actor, I receive offers to tour with plays, but that isn’t something that I want to do.’
However, he ended our chat with, ‘I am open to offers for anything unusual.’
Interview – Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
I ask Kevin if he will be singing in the show and he laughs.
‘No, I don’t sing but I have in the past. I busked in the seventies to pay my way through drama school, and have appeared in Gypsy with Imelda Staunton at Chichester. I made my professional debut in 1975 in a Noel Coward musical show in Scotland. Annie Gill is the vocalist; she is from an opera background but also sings Jazz.’
I ask Kevin if he has any plans to be on TV in the near future.
‘As I keep telling people, I am sick of this face on TV and I want to do different and interesting work for the future. That is why I am going to Bergen in Norway to be the narrator for Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. My daughter is an opera singer and her husband is playing Candide, so when they asked me to take part I jumped at the chance to do something different.’
How does he feel about the TV programme, Lewis, ending?
‘When I hit 65 years of age it felt that the show couldn’t keep going. Police usually retire in their fifties and it made no sense for Lewis to still be working.’
I suggest that they could have added a storyline with Lewis in retirement and meeting up with Hathaway solving a crime.
‘They talked about a spin off, but the programme had been on TV for ten years and it was a natural time to end. I was in Morse and Lewis altogether for thirty years and although I am proud of it, I felt it was time to move on. I am still recognised as Lewis. Once in Oxford, I came out of a side street, and bumped into a crowd of tourists doing the Morse Trail. They all started clapping when they saw me.’
I remark that it must have been nice to be recognised, but he laughed and said that he felt a bit embarrassed.
‘When the tour ends, I am looking to do things that will be a bit different and interesting. As a TV actor, I receive offers to tour with plays, but that isn’t something that I want to do.’
However, he ended our chat with, ‘I am open to offers for anything unusual.’
Interview – Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Our Greatest Hour is on at the Cliffs Pavilion
Monday 23 April 2018 at 7.30pm
Tickets :- £34.50, £32.50, £27.50
Concessions £2.50 off
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
http://ourfinesthourconcert.co.uk/
This series of triumphant and rousing concerts will tour the UK hosted by Kevin Whately and Peter Bowles and featuring vocalist Annie Gill as follows:-
Presented by Kevin Whately
Friday 13 Apr Birmingham Symphony Hall 0121 780 3333
Sunday 15 Apr Cardiff St David's Hall 029 2087 8444
Tuesday 17 Apr LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall 0151 709 3789
Wednesday 18 Apr EDINBURGH Usher Hall 0131 228 1155
Friday 20 Apr GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall 0141 353 8000
Monday 23 Apr SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion 01702 351135
Presented by Peter Bowles
Thursday 3 May GATESHEAD Sage 0191 443 4661
Friday 4 May MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall 0161 907 9000
Saturday 5 May LONDON Barbican Hall 020 7638 8891
Presented by Kevin Whately
Saturday 22 Sep BASINGSTOKE The Anvil 01256 844 244
Sunday 23 Sep LEICESTER De Montfort Hall 0116 233 3111
Thursday 27 Sep LEEDS Town Hall 0113 376 0318
Friday 28 Sep NEWCASTLE City Hall 08448 11 21 21
Sunday 30 Sep IPSWICH Regent Theatre 01473 433 100
Thursday 4 Oct POOLE Lighthouse 01202 280000
Friday 5 Oct CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange 01223 357851
Monday 23 April 2018 at 7.30pm
Tickets :- £34.50, £32.50, £27.50
Concessions £2.50 off
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
http://ourfinesthourconcert.co.uk/
This series of triumphant and rousing concerts will tour the UK hosted by Kevin Whately and Peter Bowles and featuring vocalist Annie Gill as follows:-
Presented by Kevin Whately
Friday 13 Apr Birmingham Symphony Hall 0121 780 3333
Sunday 15 Apr Cardiff St David's Hall 029 2087 8444
Tuesday 17 Apr LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall 0151 709 3789
Wednesday 18 Apr EDINBURGH Usher Hall 0131 228 1155
Friday 20 Apr GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall 0141 353 8000
Monday 23 Apr SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion 01702 351135
Presented by Peter Bowles
Thursday 3 May GATESHEAD Sage 0191 443 4661
Friday 4 May MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall 0161 907 9000
Saturday 5 May LONDON Barbican Hall 020 7638 8891
Presented by Kevin Whately
Saturday 22 Sep BASINGSTOKE The Anvil 01256 844 244
Sunday 23 Sep LEICESTER De Montfort Hall 0116 233 3111
Thursday 27 Sep LEEDS Town Hall 0113 376 0318
Friday 28 Sep NEWCASTLE City Hall 08448 11 21 21
Sunday 30 Sep IPSWICH Regent Theatre 01473 433 100
Thursday 4 Oct POOLE Lighthouse 01202 280000
Friday 5 Oct CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange 01223 357851