David Hunter is currently starring as Horton the Elephant in Seussical at the Arts Theatre. David recently reached the semi-finals of Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest TV talent search, ITV's Superstar. His theatre credits include Tommy (Gala at The Prince Edward Theatre), One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre & Adelphi Theatre) and Spinach (Manchester Royal Exchange). David chats to West End Frame about Seussical, life post Superstar and his favourite West End show...
Are you enjoying playing Horton the Elephant in Seussical?
Very much. I've been a big fan of Seussical and the show's writers (Flaherty and Ahrens) since I discovered their work at drama school. They've written some wonderful musicals and this is no exception. I was thrilled when I heard it was coming to the West End and desperate to be a part of it. Luckily it all worked out and here we are!
What can people expect from the show?
The show brings together several Dr Seuss stories and centres mainly around Horton Hears a Who. Seuss isn't as much of a household name in the UK (although I'm sure everyone knows The Grinch at the very least) but he has such a playful yet pointed writing style and the show really reflects that. On the surface it's a show about an elephant protecting a tiny world on a dust speck, but Dr Seuss doesn't write anything without making a much more serious point. Yertle The Turtle, for example, is a story about Hitler! He just used a turtle to tell it.
The cast is wonderful. Such a lovely bunch and incredibly talented. I said to the director after the first day of rehearsals how brilliantly he had cast the show. Everyone screams the character they've been cast as. As far as I'm concerned Kirsty Ayers IS Gertrude, the adorable little bird with "a one-feathered tail"! Everyone's perfect for their roles.
You recently performed in a special gala performance of Tommy, what was it like?
Tommy was an intense process. We rehearsed for three weeks for just one performance in a beautiful (and huge!) theatre in the West End, so the pressure was really on to get it right first time. Luckily we had a phenomenal cast of really established West End names and they made the whole process a total delight. It could have been an incredibly stressful time, but the cast were exceptional and made it a really memorable process.
What was is it like working with such an experienced cast including the likes of Daniel Boys, Hannah Jane Fox, Glenn Carter, Zoe Birkett and of course Joe McElderry?
I was thrilled when the full cast was announced, it was a chance to work with some of my musical theatre heroes! It's always great to work with talented people and see what makes them tick, especially ones you admire. It was a real privilege to line up alongside such well established names.
How is life post Superstar?
It's good! For me, post Superstar was always going to be a time to be as proactive as possible, trying to get into as many auditions, play as many gigs and make as many positive moves as I could. Strangely, after all that exposure, the first thing I had to do was try to establish myself all over again. I want to play great roles in great theatre and that sometimes means turning down opportunities and being brave. I think through Tommy and Seussical I'm working with great people and sending out a good, strong message.
Have you kept in touch with any other contestants?
Some more than others, but it's always great to hear from them. We went through an incredible (and totally bizarre) experience together and whenever I bump into one of them it all comes flooding back. I speak to Tim Prottey-Jones pretty regularly, but then we shared a bed together during the Majorca stage of the competition and that will always lead to a special bond!
What are your favourite shows in the West End right now?
Without a doubt, my favourite show right now is Matilda. It's the only show I can genuinely recommend to anyone and everyone, knowing that they'll absolutely love it. It's a beautiful show with wonderful music. Go and see it!
What advice would you give to any aspiring actors?
Just to get involved in as many types of performance as you can. Build your skills and your confidence and soak up as much as you can from talented people you work with. You can only learn by doing in my opinion, so get stuck in and enjoy every minute!
What other roles would you like to play in the future?
I don't have too many in mind really, you just never know what's going to pop up next. Things come along and take you by surprise and suddenly you move from knowing absolutely nothing about a piece to being utterly desperate to be involved with it!
Finally, what would you like to say to all your fans for their continued support?
Just a huge thank you! It's incredible to see people taking an interest in my work. I still chat to people on twitter that remember me from my days in a band, years ago. It's so lovely that they stick around to see what's coming next. So thank you one and all, I hope you'll stay for the next adventure!
Visit David's website: www.thedavidhunter.com
Follow David on Twitter: @TheDavidHunter
Seussical runs at the Arts Theatre until Sunday 6th January 2013. Visit www.seussical-london.com for more information and to book tickets.
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