Ruthie Henshall is an internationally acclaimed, Olivier Award-winning performer and long established star of the West End and Broadway. She recently released her most intimate album to date ‘I’ve Loved These Days’ and is currently part way through her first ever nation tour ‘An Intimate Evening With Ruthie Henshall’.
Ruthie played Maggie in the UK tour of A Chorus Line, followed by her West End debut in Cats. Other West End appearances include the original casts of Crazy For You, Miss Saigon, Oliver!, The Woman In White, Peggy Sue Got Married, She Loves Me and Marguerite. She played Fantine in Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre and as part of the tenth anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall. She has starred in both leading roles in Chicago in the West End and on Broadway. Other appearances in New York include The Vagina Monologues, Miss Saigon and Putting It Together. Ruthie has been nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award five times, winning Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Peggy Sue Got Married.
Ruthie’s TV appearances include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Law & Order, The Sound of Musicals and Doctor Who. She was also an original judge on ITV1’s Dancing on Ice before reprising her role of Roxy in Chicago in the West End.
Her solo recordings include: Love Is Here To Stay, The Ruthie Henshall Album and Pilgrim. Whilst 2012 also saw Ruthie release her first book, So You Want To Be In Musicals? offering an insider’s guide to a career in musical theatre. It is packed with anecdotes from Ruthie’s own glittering career and a wealth of advice on how to succeed in the industry.
Last week I had the honour of chatting to Ruthie about her latest album, her first UK tour and what it feels like to still be alive at the end of a show...
I’ve Loved These Days is the most personal album you have released to far. What made you want to release such a personal album?
Well it really came out of the tour because the tour ended up being a very personal journey through my life. When we decided to do the album it really went hand in hand with the tour.
You write in the album sleeve about how much each individual song means to you. How did you find the song selection process?
We listened to a lot of music because I am very much lyric driven. But also when we were planning the show I thought about the spine of the show – which five or six songs would create the spine of the show. Once that was decided it was amazing how everything else just fell into place. It seemed that I have a story to tell and that is when I realised it was going to be a really personal, meaningful journey instead of just a selection of songs which I liked. When I did a week of shows at the Hippodrome, I was talking to the producer and he was the person who first told me about the spine of show. He was absolutely right. My life has been so incredible, like a timeline, because I can pinpoint where I was at certain moments, such as when Diana died, by the show that I was in. It is a wonderful business to be in for many reasons, but when you look back you can almost see your life set out in various chapters.
Are you pleased with the finished result of the album?
Yes I am. I was very nervous because it is just me and a three piece. Often albums are hugely orchestral and so on but I was delighted with the album and that I managed to create such an intimate CD. I am thrilled with how personal the album is and I think it works so well with just the three piece orchestra.
You are currently part way through your first ever national tour ‘An Intimate Evening With Ruthie Henshall’. What can people expect from the tour?
Someone came up to me last night and said to me “Gosh, it really is an intimate evening with Ruthie Henshall, isn’t it!" There are lots of stories about my life and shows that I’ve been in and people that I’ve met. I’m very honest about feelings and things that happened. People can also expect to have a good laugh – I just love to laugh. I’m so used to playing roles where I die so it really is quite liberating to still be alive at the end of the show!
How do you find performing as yourself compared to performing as a character?
I love it. I didn’t know if I would because it seemed so different to just stand there quite naked with no character, no costume, no crew and no script. But I absolutely love every second, it is just so liberating. It is wonderful to not have the boundaries of a character and to really be able to sing something as your heart wants to sing it.
Obviously you’re very busy with your album and tour at the moment, but would you like to return to theatre in the future?
Oh definitely! This is just a chapter in my life. I am enjoying myself so much at the moment that I am already looking forward to planning the next one. I’m just not a fan of seeing concerts where people stand on stage, sing a bunch of songs and then at the end you still don’t know anything about them. I think it is so much more interesting for an audience to be taken on a journey.
What advice would you give to aspiring performers?
You have got to want to do it more than anything. As wonderful as it is you have to learn how to take knocks and at some point in your career you’ll get two weeks’ notice before you find yourself out of a job. So you really do have to want to do it. But I absolutely believe that if it is your passion you have to go at it with all that you have and never take no for an answer. If you don’t get a role it is perfectly acceptable to ask “why” and get some feedback. But then you move on and you attack again.
Have you had the chance to catch any shows recently?
I saw the Bodyguard this week and absolutely loved it even though I wasn’t expecting to! I didn’t think it was going to be my cup of tea at all but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it was visually beautiful, Heather Headly was outstanding, I’m a big fan of hers anyway, and the show just completely drew me in. I’ve also just seen A Chorus Line which I adored!
It is musical theatre heaven isn’t it?!
It is simply musical theatre heaven! To me that is why shows such as Les Miserables are still running – it is like musical theatre royalty.
What would you like to say to everyone who has supported you throughout your career?
Gosh! I have constantly had kindness throughout my career. There is just so much and love and passion for musical theatre. Really I want to thank fans for their kindness. There is so much respect for theatre as well, which I love, compared to fans of TV. When you perform in people’s front rooms it is very different. You know that after seeing a show you can pop round to the stage door afterwards if you want to. So I would just like to say thank you so much!
andrew@westendframe.com
Follow Ruthie on Twitter: @RuthieHenshall
Visit Ruthie's Official Website: www.ruthiehenshall.com
Ruthie’s album, I've Loved These Days, is available to buy from Amazon or www.threepinproductions.com.
Remaining tour dates on Ruthie’s tour are as follows:
Sat 16th - Sun 17th Mar,
Galeri, Caernarfon,
www.galericaernarfon.com/
Tues 19th March,
Barry Memo, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan,
http://memorialhalltheatre.co.uk/
Thurs 21st March,
The Riverfront, Newport,
www.newport.gov.uk/theriverfront/
Keep up to date with the latest theatre news, reviews & interviews on Twitter: @West_End_Frame
Ruthie’s album, I've Loved These Days, is available to buy from Amazon or www.threepinproductions.com.
Remaining tour dates on Ruthie’s tour are as follows:
Sat 16th - Sun 17th Mar,
Galeri, Caernarfon,
www.galericaernarfon.com/
Tues 19th March,
Barry Memo, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan,
http://memorialhalltheatre.co.uk/
Thurs 21st March,
The Riverfront, Newport,
www.newport.gov.uk/theriverfront/
Keep up to date with the latest theatre news, reviews & interviews on Twitter: @West_End_Frame
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