SPAMALOT
STARRING JOE PASQUALE AND TODD CARTY
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
Mon 27 Apr - Sat 2 May
STARRING JOE PASQUALE AND TODD CARTY
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
Mon 27 Apr - Sat 2 May
Direct from three years in the West End Monty Python’s Spamalot gallops back out on tour to bring the West End production to theatres across the land (to the sound of banging coconut shells).
Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a kind-of new musical with a book by Eric Idle and an entirely new score for the new production, (well almost) created by Eric Idle and John du Prez.
The latest tour, starring Joe Pasquale, who made his West End musical debut in the show; and Todd Carty and directed by Christopher Luscombe, follows hot on the heels of the can’t believe-how successful-it-was Monty Python reunion at The O2 and Eric Idle’s acclaimed performance on ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony – the world sang along, and Spamalot audiences get the opportunity to do so too!
Joe Pasquale clearly has a real zest for life and is loving every minute of being part of this production. Born and raised in Grays, Essex, Joe, who plays King Arthur in the show, very kindly took some time out before going on stage to chat to me about how the tour is going, how he is really looking forward to playing in front of a ‘home crowd’ and how he would love a part in Les Miserables.
How's the tour going?
Very good, we’ve been on road for 3 months and we’ve got another couple of months to go yet; we’re just over half way. Yeah, it’s excellent. I’m looking forward to coming to Southend because I’m on home ground there for the first time on the tour. I’ve been gigging in Southend for 25 years so The Cliffs Pavilion is an old haunt for me. I live in Kent but I always say that Essex is home. You can take yourself out of Essex but you can’t take the Essex out of you.
If you hold a shell suit up to your ear, you can hear Essex.
Did you come to Southend quite a lot as a child?
Yes, and when I got my first motorbike I was one of those annoying kids that used to ride up and down the front on my moped.
Do you get nervous before a show?
Yeah, it’s the nature of job but I’ve been doing it for over 30 years now and I always think you can’t put too much pressure on yourself. I just think you learn the lines and then as my first agent always said to me “a relaxed performer always knows what he’s doing.” If you know what you’re doing out there then there’s no reason to get nervous. Because if you don’t know what you’re doing, then you’ve lost control of it. If you’re in control of what’s going on then that’s the only thing you need to do. Thankfully, touch wood, nothing gone’s wrong on this show but the show is based on mayhem anyway and if you come to see it you’ll understand.
I haven’t actually seen the show, how would you sell it to me?
I always say that it’s 2 hours of a great comedy. It was a much longer show when it first went up on Broadway and in the West End ten years ago and then, when Eric Idle decided to put it back on, Chris Luscombe came in and redirected it and cut all the fat off of it, as it were, and now it’s 2 hours of laughs - it’s a non stop comedy machine, is the way I look at it. Even if you don’t like Monty Python you don’t need to.
Listen, all you do is turn on the tv or open the paper and it’s bad news out there; I can guarantee that this will make you forget about everything for 2 hours - it’s just a great laugh. There’s a broad spectrum of humour on this show as well. From slapstick to great dialogue to visual comedy. Some great dances and great music. It’s got a great score. People underestimate the music in this as well, until they see it. Generally speaking as a score on its own, it stands alone.
How did you like working with Bonnie Langford in the West End production?
I’ve worked with Bonnie a lot over the years and we’ve done pantos together, so it was great.
You’re no stranger to musicals, you’ve appeared as Leo Bloom in The Producers?
I did the Producers a few years ago and I love doing musical comedy. I like doing comedy but it’s nice to be able to diversify from doing stand up, voiceover work, pants, musicals. I quite like the fact that I don’t spend too much time doing any one thing because then you don’t get the chance to get bored with anything.
You’ve also appeared in a Ray Cooney farce, Tom Dick & Harry and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencratz & Guildenstern?
Yes, I enjoy the whole eclectic mix of stuff. It’s very rewarding. I find Spamalot very rewarding because I grew up watching Monty Python so to go out and do an Eric Idle script is heaven for me every night.
I understand that you learnt to fly because you were scared of flying?
After I did I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, (that was 11 years ago, that was) I got back from that and I thought, ‘what am I scared of’ and I was scared of flying so I did a couple of lessons, got my pilot’s licence, did a couple of parachute jumps. I took up boxing because I’d never had a fight before and then I started doing running, so I did the London Marathon 2 years ago and I’ve started doing a Degree with the Open University in Neo-Science. You get to a certain age where you think about mortality and realise you’re not going to be here for too long.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?
Dealing with the death of my mum I suppose. It puts everything into perspective.
What’s the most showbizzy or glamorous thing you’ve ever done?
There’s no glamour in this business, none of it’s glamorous - you should see most of the dressing rooms. If you’re Elton John, you might get glamour but not at my level. I’ve just been over to Marks & Spencers and got a sandwich and a bit of chicken.
You don’t get given really good seats in restaurants then?
No, that doesn’t happen. Unless you wanna go to Nandos.
You covered for Paul O’Grady once didn’t you? Who did you interview?
They gave me a choice of who I wanted and my favourite person was David Essex and they got him.
If you could meet anyone alive or dead, who would it be and what would you say to them if they walked into the room right this minute?
Well it would be Stephen Hawking - but he definitely wouldn’t be walking in! I’d say, what have you had for your tea? What’s the meaning of life? I don’t know what I’d say to him. I just think that man is amazing. I love him.
What’s the best advice that you’ve ever been given?
If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel. Oh and life’s too short to take it seriously.
What do you do to relax?
All the things I said before, running, boxing, doing my degree.
You’re interested in geology aren’t you?
Yes, I just had an interest in the way the planet works and a general interest on how this planet was formed and how the solar system got here. It gives me a perspective of how short our time on this planet is.
Have you ever had to use your boxing techniques on anybody?
Only in the ring. I do sparring. I get beat up a lot.
Are there any roles that you would like to play?
Yeah, I love to go into Les Mis and do Thenardier. I’d love to go and audition for that.
Yes, Matt Lucas did that didn’t he? There’s a lot of comedians going into musical theatre, why do you think that is?
It’s work. The pure economics of the situation is that it’s work. You’ve got to keep changing and rolling with the punches and take what’s being offered to you.
After winning I’m A Celebrity and also taking part in Dancing on Ice, is there any other reality show you would like to do?
I’d like to do Strictly. I’d like to do something where you’re going to learn something. I don’t want to sit on my backside for 3 weeks in Big Brother. I would like to do Strictly because you get a skill at the end of it. I couldn’t even stand up on the ice when I did Dancing on Ice, let alone go around lifting somebody up, but I did. I’m never going to get an Olympic medal at it but I’m quite a competent skater now.
I suppose you can teach your Spamalot co-star Todd Carty (who wasn’t very successful on Dancing on Ice) a few things then?
Todd won’t even open the fridge now - that’s how scared of the ice he is!
To read the Spamalot Review click here
To get tickets to see Joe in Spamalot, click on the Southend Theatres link below:-
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Mon to Thurs 8pm plus Wed and Sat 2.30pm - £33.50*, £32.50*, £26.50*
Fri and Sat 8pm - £36.50*, £35.50*, £29.50*
Conc £1.50 off (exc Fri and Sat)
U16s £18.50* (exc Fri and Sat)
Group discount: 10% off groups 10-19, 20% off groups of 20 or more
*A £1.50 per ticket booking fee applies, capped at four per order. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a kind-of new musical with a book by Eric Idle and an entirely new score for the new production, (well almost) created by Eric Idle and John du Prez.
The latest tour, starring Joe Pasquale, who made his West End musical debut in the show; and Todd Carty and directed by Christopher Luscombe, follows hot on the heels of the can’t believe-how successful-it-was Monty Python reunion at The O2 and Eric Idle’s acclaimed performance on ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony – the world sang along, and Spamalot audiences get the opportunity to do so too!
Joe Pasquale clearly has a real zest for life and is loving every minute of being part of this production. Born and raised in Grays, Essex, Joe, who plays King Arthur in the show, very kindly took some time out before going on stage to chat to me about how the tour is going, how he is really looking forward to playing in front of a ‘home crowd’ and how he would love a part in Les Miserables.
How's the tour going?
Very good, we’ve been on road for 3 months and we’ve got another couple of months to go yet; we’re just over half way. Yeah, it’s excellent. I’m looking forward to coming to Southend because I’m on home ground there for the first time on the tour. I’ve been gigging in Southend for 25 years so The Cliffs Pavilion is an old haunt for me. I live in Kent but I always say that Essex is home. You can take yourself out of Essex but you can’t take the Essex out of you.
If you hold a shell suit up to your ear, you can hear Essex.
Did you come to Southend quite a lot as a child?
Yes, and when I got my first motorbike I was one of those annoying kids that used to ride up and down the front on my moped.
Do you get nervous before a show?
Yeah, it’s the nature of job but I’ve been doing it for over 30 years now and I always think you can’t put too much pressure on yourself. I just think you learn the lines and then as my first agent always said to me “a relaxed performer always knows what he’s doing.” If you know what you’re doing out there then there’s no reason to get nervous. Because if you don’t know what you’re doing, then you’ve lost control of it. If you’re in control of what’s going on then that’s the only thing you need to do. Thankfully, touch wood, nothing gone’s wrong on this show but the show is based on mayhem anyway and if you come to see it you’ll understand.
I haven’t actually seen the show, how would you sell it to me?
I always say that it’s 2 hours of a great comedy. It was a much longer show when it first went up on Broadway and in the West End ten years ago and then, when Eric Idle decided to put it back on, Chris Luscombe came in and redirected it and cut all the fat off of it, as it were, and now it’s 2 hours of laughs - it’s a non stop comedy machine, is the way I look at it. Even if you don’t like Monty Python you don’t need to.
Listen, all you do is turn on the tv or open the paper and it’s bad news out there; I can guarantee that this will make you forget about everything for 2 hours - it’s just a great laugh. There’s a broad spectrum of humour on this show as well. From slapstick to great dialogue to visual comedy. Some great dances and great music. It’s got a great score. People underestimate the music in this as well, until they see it. Generally speaking as a score on its own, it stands alone.
How did you like working with Bonnie Langford in the West End production?
I’ve worked with Bonnie a lot over the years and we’ve done pantos together, so it was great.
You’re no stranger to musicals, you’ve appeared as Leo Bloom in The Producers?
I did the Producers a few years ago and I love doing musical comedy. I like doing comedy but it’s nice to be able to diversify from doing stand up, voiceover work, pants, musicals. I quite like the fact that I don’t spend too much time doing any one thing because then you don’t get the chance to get bored with anything.
You’ve also appeared in a Ray Cooney farce, Tom Dick & Harry and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencratz & Guildenstern?
Yes, I enjoy the whole eclectic mix of stuff. It’s very rewarding. I find Spamalot very rewarding because I grew up watching Monty Python so to go out and do an Eric Idle script is heaven for me every night.
I understand that you learnt to fly because you were scared of flying?
After I did I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, (that was 11 years ago, that was) I got back from that and I thought, ‘what am I scared of’ and I was scared of flying so I did a couple of lessons, got my pilot’s licence, did a couple of parachute jumps. I took up boxing because I’d never had a fight before and then I started doing running, so I did the London Marathon 2 years ago and I’ve started doing a Degree with the Open University in Neo-Science. You get to a certain age where you think about mortality and realise you’re not going to be here for too long.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?
Dealing with the death of my mum I suppose. It puts everything into perspective.
What’s the most showbizzy or glamorous thing you’ve ever done?
There’s no glamour in this business, none of it’s glamorous - you should see most of the dressing rooms. If you’re Elton John, you might get glamour but not at my level. I’ve just been over to Marks & Spencers and got a sandwich and a bit of chicken.
You don’t get given really good seats in restaurants then?
No, that doesn’t happen. Unless you wanna go to Nandos.
You covered for Paul O’Grady once didn’t you? Who did you interview?
They gave me a choice of who I wanted and my favourite person was David Essex and they got him.
If you could meet anyone alive or dead, who would it be and what would you say to them if they walked into the room right this minute?
Well it would be Stephen Hawking - but he definitely wouldn’t be walking in! I’d say, what have you had for your tea? What’s the meaning of life? I don’t know what I’d say to him. I just think that man is amazing. I love him.
What’s the best advice that you’ve ever been given?
If you look like your passport photo, you’re too ill to travel. Oh and life’s too short to take it seriously.
What do you do to relax?
All the things I said before, running, boxing, doing my degree.
You’re interested in geology aren’t you?
Yes, I just had an interest in the way the planet works and a general interest on how this planet was formed and how the solar system got here. It gives me a perspective of how short our time on this planet is.
Have you ever had to use your boxing techniques on anybody?
Only in the ring. I do sparring. I get beat up a lot.
Are there any roles that you would like to play?
Yeah, I love to go into Les Mis and do Thenardier. I’d love to go and audition for that.
Yes, Matt Lucas did that didn’t he? There’s a lot of comedians going into musical theatre, why do you think that is?
It’s work. The pure economics of the situation is that it’s work. You’ve got to keep changing and rolling with the punches and take what’s being offered to you.
After winning I’m A Celebrity and also taking part in Dancing on Ice, is there any other reality show you would like to do?
I’d like to do Strictly. I’d like to do something where you’re going to learn something. I don’t want to sit on my backside for 3 weeks in Big Brother. I would like to do Strictly because you get a skill at the end of it. I couldn’t even stand up on the ice when I did Dancing on Ice, let alone go around lifting somebody up, but I did. I’m never going to get an Olympic medal at it but I’m quite a competent skater now.
I suppose you can teach your Spamalot co-star Todd Carty (who wasn’t very successful on Dancing on Ice) a few things then?
Todd won’t even open the fridge now - that’s how scared of the ice he is!
To read the Spamalot Review click here
To get tickets to see Joe in Spamalot, click on the Southend Theatres link below:-
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Mon to Thurs 8pm plus Wed and Sat 2.30pm - £33.50*, £32.50*, £26.50*
Fri and Sat 8pm - £36.50*, £35.50*, £29.50*
Conc £1.50 off (exc Fri and Sat)
U16s £18.50* (exc Fri and Sat)
Group discount: 10% off groups 10-19, 20% off groups of 20 or more
*A £1.50 per ticket booking fee applies, capped at four per order. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.