by Priscilla

Apr.25, 2010, under Cast Blog

I was seen for the role originally and was down to the last day of recalls. I was made up in the outfits and everything, but I think the plan was always to bring Tony across from Australia which is what they did. When I heard they were doing a musical of the film I was really excited. I’d been a fan of the film for a very long time and always thought that is something I could do. It’s now really nice to get a chance to do it. I originally auditioned in 2008, so it has been a bit of a journey in itself.

Don Gallagher

Initially the most challenging part was: 1 - where are you supposed to be on stage? 2 - where do you exit? And 3 - where is your next quick costume change? I’ve done West End musicals before so the performance side was not something new to me. One of the challenges in rehearsals was to find the right voice while I was speaking and then to adapt my singing voice which is big, bass baritone, to sound like that speaking voice. There is nothing worse in a musical when someone speaks in a certain way and then sings in a completely different way. I had to keep pitching it up. I’m now finding after the show that when I speak my voice is pitched higher. So the muscles are obviously adapting.

The chance to play a character this good doesn’t come around very often. The only other time that I have been in a dress was in The Producers for just one scene. It’s a brilliant part and I really wanted to bring some pathos to it and try and gain some sympathy from the audience. There are poignant moments in the show that I really wanted to heighten and I think John (who plays Bob in the show) and I have really managed to do that. People seem to enjoy our storyline. The character as illustrated when she sings “after all the loves of my life” has been round the block and back again, but she’s always trying to retain this air of class, because of the way she dresses and holds herself. I see her modelling herself on a failing old 1950’s starlet. She can, because of all her experience, be as tough as all boots but is equally vulnerable as well.