Last week comedy legend and winner of I’m A Celebrity, Joe Pasquale, joined Bonnie Langford (aka the Queen of the West End) in Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre.
Pasquale stars as King Arthur and Langford plays The Lady of the Lake. Joe Pasquale and Bonnie Langford starred in Peter Pan together thirteen years ago and after they were reunited via Twitter, Joe came to see her in Spamalot. Following the performance, Bonnie suggested that Joe would make a great King Arthur and put the idea to the show’s producers.
Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy (or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, killer rabbits and French people. The show also features fantastic tunes more magical than a Camelot convention, including He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the Nation’s Favourite Comedy Song (Reader’s Digest Poll 2010 - before it went bust), Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.
As one of the country’s most popular funny men for over 20 years, Joe Pasquale has appeared on stage in six Royal Variety Performances and in the touring productions of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, The Wizard of Oz and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Joe won the 2004 series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and also made it to round six of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice earlier this year.
Musical Theatre legend Bonnie Langford has starred in countless musicals including 9 to 5, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Sweet Charity, Oklahoma!, 42nd Street, Me and My Girl, The Pirates of Penzance, Cats, Gypsy and Gone with the Wind. On screen she has starred in Opportunity Knocks, Bugsy Malone, Just William, The Hot Shoe Show, Doctor Who and Dancing on Ice.
Last week I visited Joe and Bonnie backstage at the Playhouse Theatre to discuss Spamalot’s incredible success, what it was like for Joe to join such a well established show, Bonnie’s dream King Arthur and social networking...
What do you think is the secret to Spamalot’s success?
BL: Spamalot was going before in a different incarnation, the show was longer and more ‘Broadway-ish’. What they’ve done with this new version is slimmed it down and ‘trimmed off the fat’ which I think is part of its charm. The show is completely mad but is no longer indulgent. There is something for everyone, ultimately people like the British eccentricity. The show wasn’t actually meant to run this long though, this new production was touring. I joined the tour in 2012 and then that was meant to be it.
And then of course came the Olympics...
BL: Yes, the Harold Pinter was empty over the summer during the Olympics, everybody thought that the theatres were going to suffer, but because Spamalot is such a universal show the run was a great success. Then of course Eric Idle performed at the closing ceremony and the Playhouse became available, it all worked out perfectly! And now the lovely Joe (Pasquale) has come to join us!
JP: Of course comedy does very well during a recession, everybody likes a good laugh!
What I really love about the show is that it appeals to people who don’t usually enjoy going to the theatre!
BL: It really does appeal to everyone of all ages, even my 82 year old Mum loves it and she isn’t a Python fan and then my daughter who doesn’t know anything about the Pythons loves it. It’s essentially just adults being silly, plus it’s very short!
Joe, how have your first few performances been so far?
JP: Really good! I’ve really enjoyed it and have had a good laugh. I love the show because during rehearsals the director told me that we are allowed to laugh on stage to show the audience that we are enjoying it which is rare in theatre! It is such a fun show because audiences love it, it genuinely is hilarious.
Bonnie, I believe it was you who had the idea to cast Joe as King Arthur?
BL: It was, all through the love of Twitter! When I recently returned to the show Jon Robyns, who plays Sir Galahad, told me I needed to join Twitter, and so did the marketing team and eventually I gave in. I was a bit nervous about it because I thought there would be lots of weirdos saying weird things to me! But of course once I joined I became completely obsessed! I started following lots of people and then I think I came across Joe.
JP: I thought I tweeted you first!
BL: (laughs) I don’t know – one of us tweeted the other and then we started doing this direct messaging thing which was very exciting! Joe asked me what I was up to and then suddenly I thought that he would make a great King Arthur!
At the time did you think it would work out?
JP: Not really, you never know with these things, but everything happened at the right time! A week later they gave me a script and told me I was on in two weeks time!
What is it like coming into such a well established show?
JP: I’ve done it before so knew what to expect. It’s hard when everybody else knows the show because you feel like you are playing catch up.
BL: You do feel very exposed, but then at the same time sometimes when you go into a show and everybody else knows what they’re doing it’s slightly easier because it helps you through it.
JP: Yes! That happened to me the other day, I went blank onstage during Find Your Grail but sneakily went over to Jon and asked what my line was.
What are the cast like to work with?
JP: It’s such a supportive company which is great. It’s also a male dominant company so the dynamics backstage are very different. Usually when it’s more mixed you get the guys showing off to the girls and so on but here it’s not like that at all. I think we’re a bit like the scouts actually! Or the cubs!
BL: (laughs) Am I Brown Owl?
JP: No you’re Akela!
Bonnie, who else do you think would make a good King Arthur?
BL: I’m not sure! I mean Joe is gorgeous! It’s a great role because everybody plays it so differently.
JP: I think Bill Bailey would make a great Arthur, or Tim Vine would do a great job.
BL: Alexander Armstrong!
JP: Also John Thompson would be good.
BL: It’s very interesting because it’s all about having funny bones and then understanding how to fit into the framework. Joe just understands the part, I knew he would.
JP: I initially approached the role as an actor and not a comic. During rehearsals the director said “That’s great, now put some of you into it, because otherwise it’s pointless doing it”.
BL: There has to be integrity about it. I always think that with panto too, it’s not just about having a laugh, it’s also about telling a story. Otherwise it’s just a series of gags and then why would the audience return for the second act?
Joe, you’ve toured with musicals in the past but Spamalot marks your West End musical theatre debut. Is that something you’ve always wanted to do?
JP: Yes, that’s why it is so special. I’ve done some stand up in West End theatres before but never a run in a musical, and how amazing to be able to share the experience with Bonnie!
BL: Awww! We do have fun!
Bonnie, most recently you toured the UK with 9 to 5 the Musical, did you enjoy the experience?
BL: 9 to 5 is a very different show to Spamalot in every sense of the word. It was a difficult show for me because the role is so isolated. I’ve actually got to go back and do another week, the audiences seem to love it.
And tell me about your amazing theatrical family who have taken over the West End!
BL: It is a bit weird isn’t it!
JP: I think it just comes down to hard work.
Have you had the chance to see any of them in their shows?
BL: I haven’t seen Zizi (Strallen) in Merrily We Roll Along yet. However, we are changing our performance schedule. Instead of having a Wednesday matinee we will have two performances on a Friday which means I will be able to see her! Scarlett (Strallen) is fabulous in A Chorus Line. Of course Sasi (Strallen) was in 9 to 5 with me so I didn’t see her in it... because I was in it myself! Although I did see her a lot from the wings because I was always off-stage when everyone else was on-stage! They’re all doing very well but I also have other nieces and nephews too who are not in the industry, I am very lucky!
What advice would you both give to aspiring performers?
JP: I always say that there is no such thing as luck. It all comes down to hard work.
BL: I completely agree, Joe turned up to the first day of rehearsals and knew every word of the script.
JP: I was given the script on the Saturday, and started rehearsals on the Monday.
BL: It showed. Joe worked so hard and was so committed which meant a lot to us.
Finally, what is it like to have such loyal fan bases?
BL: Well I’ve only just become aware of it since I joined Twitter – I think it’s hilarious!
JP: I never really notice it, I only joined Twitter in January because I had to for Dancing On Ice, otherwise I was told someone would impersonate me.
BL: Some bloke already has @BonnieLangford! They tried to get the username for me but they couldn’t so I had to put an underscore in the middle.
JP: I always think that we have these thousands of followers, but imagine if they actually followed you everywhere you went!
BL: I much prefer Twitter to Facebook though, I can’t be doing with people writing about their emotional state of mind all day. There are times when I just think ‘I don’t care what you had for lunch’!
andrew@westendframe.com
Spamalot is currently booking at the Playhouse Theatre until 2nd November 2013.
Click here to book tickets (save £20 at certain performances)
Click here to read our recent review of Spamalot
Click here to visit our Spamalot Week homepage.
Follow Bonnie on Twitter: @bonnie_langford
Follow Joe on Twitter: @itreallyisjoe
Photo Credit (2 & 3): Manuel Harlan
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