by Priscilla

Jul.09, 2010, under Cast Blog

We asked you to send in your questions for Ben. Here are the third set of them and his answers.

How do you cope with heels?

One of the first things they did was get me a pair of heels to take home and learn to walk in. They told me you have to learn how to walk in them and not walk like a rugby player. I’ve never done it before. It used to hurt my feet at the beginning. Some of the guys in this show have done drag outside of it and so know what they are doing more. I will never confess to be the world’s best drag artist, but I can now walk a lot better than when I started.

Ben Richards

What do you do in between shows on a two-show day?

I grab some food. Food is king with this show. I have a shower, because I am sweaty and horrible at the end of a show. Then I grab some food, the right type of food and I do that early so I can digest it, before I have to get into the costumes. Sometimes I will have a massage for a shoulder problem I have, but other than that it is rest and then get your make up on to go again.

What is your favourite Song?

I love MacArthur Park. That moment for Tick is great. Once the audience realise what he’s doing when he sings about the cake in the rain they go mad. I remember watching it as well, when the cupcakes come around the bus and thinking this show is incredible. I love singing that bit. I love Both Sides Now. I especially love singing with Benji at the end. Hopefully the audience have followed the journey and have watched Tick go from being so scared about all his fears of what Benji will think of him and then to the reality of meeting a great kid who loves his dad for being his dad. The reaction from the audience is great. You can feel the warmth from the audience. The heart of Priscilla is what attracted me to it. How the characters’ emotional journeys happens.

What other shows would you like to do?

I would love to work with Baz Luhrmann. I’ve always said that I would love to do the musical version of Moulin Rouge. I would love to play the writer. I think it would be an amazing show. One of my favourite shows is Jesus Christ Superstar, it makes me cry every time. If it is interesting or has an edge to it then the chances are that it will appeal to me. Even Guys and Dolls, which I did, had a bit of an edge to it. I also love being a judge on Strictly Dance Fever. If it inspires me, whatever the medium, then I’m up for it.