by Priscilla

Nov.12, 2009, under Cast Blog

We asked you to send in your questions for Oliver. Here is the first lot of questions and his answers.

When you guy go on TV shows do you sing live or is it pre-recorded?

When we go on TV shows, we always sing live. There might be differing set ups on each show, like they might not have a live band, but the constant factor is that we always sing live.

Oliver Thornton

Is Priscilla as much fun for you to do as it is to watch, or is it just a hard job?

I think it is probably harder than people think. Part of our job as theatre actors is to make things look easy or effortless. I would say that there are large parts of the job that are physically difficult and that we make look easy. I’d say of all the shows I’ve done it is the most fun to perform and it gets the best reaction from the audience. It is lovely when you get the response we do.

What was the hardest dance routine to learn?

For me it hasn’t been the difficulty of learning the choreography, it is more the difficulty of doing it in heels. It was probably hot stuff, not the challenge of the moves, but doing them in four inch stilettos.

How do you find wearing heels?

I was saying to someone the other day, it is now like putting on a costume, but at the start I found it physically hard. I had to have lots of massage on my calves as they would get very sore, but slowly your body adapts. Now it’s just like any other part of the costume.

Are there songs in the show that you don’t sing, but would like to?

No. I have to say I think I get a pretty good deal. I am happy with my lot.

How did you find learning an Aussie accent?

I was conscious of wanting to portray and authentic Aussie accent. I think we all have an idea in our head of what it should be, but it is only when you delve into the accent that you appreciate the nuances. I would say initially it came very easily, but then we had accent lessons and I realised I was doing a lot of approximations. I would say when you are learning any accent it is easy to have an idea, but harder to get the specifics and hopefully I’ve achieved that now.

Adam/Felicia is a strong character; if you met him in real life do you think you would get on?

No. I would absolutely hate him. I can’t impress upon people enough that I would hope I am nothing like Adam. It’s not like I have contempt for him as a character, but I think if I had him as a friend he would be a challenging friend to keep. He is demanding, high maintenance, selfish and bitchy. He’s great to play. He is more fun to play than to have as a friend.