West End performers Helen Hobson (pictured right) and Charlotte Wakefield are currently preparing to star in Picture Perfect: A New Musical.
The contemporary song-cycle explores love and relationships using the songs of award-winning American composer Scott Evan Davis. Conceived and directed by Simon Greiff, it receives its London premiere at the St James Studio with four performances on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June.
Over the past few years Helen and Charlotte have become famous for working together. The pair first worked together when they played mother and daughter – Donna and Sophie – in the West End production of Mamma Mia (Novello Theatre), following stints in the show’s international tour. The pair both left Mamma Mia at the same time and immediately went on to star as Mother Abbess and Maria in The Sound of Music (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). The production won rave reviews, sold out and broke records at the Open Air Theatre.
Helen recently appeared in the sold out run of The Kinks’ musical Sunny Afternoon at the Hampstead Theatre. Her theatre credits also include: The Sunny Side of the Street (Jermyn Street), Ma in The Human Comedy (Young Vic), Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers (Phoenix), Rita in Educating Rita (Palace Theatre, West Cliff), Cathy in Heathcliff (Hammersmith/UK Tour), Grizabella in Cats (UK Tour) and Rose Vibert in Aspects of Love (Prince of Wales).
Charlotte (pictured left) received her second Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Maria in The Sound of Music. She was previously nominated for her performance as Wendla Bergman in Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith/Novello). Charlotte returns to the St James Studio fresh from starring in a successful run of A Spoonful of Sherman.
I recently spoke to Helen and Charlotte about what it’s like to be back working together, why they were attracted to Picture Perfect and what they think about the current state of new writing in London…
What’s it like to be back together, working opposite each other once again?!
[both laugh] Helen Hobson: Really, really brilliant! I saw Charlotte the other night when she came to see my show at the Hampstead Theatre and we whooped with joy in the bar afterwards, it’s very exciting – third time lucky!
Is new writing something both of you like to be a part of?
Charlotte Wakefield: Yes, I would say so. It’s exciting to work with new writers on new projects because you have so much creative licence. To sing songs like this, which are brilliant, gives us the chance to do something a little bit different from what we’re used to. Although I’ve done pop before, people now tend to see me as this soprano, but I actually get to sing some pop belt which is really nice! What about you?
HH: I would agree, for me it’s especially amazing to work with new young writers and it’s very exciting that it comes from New York. We’re performing in an intimate space which is great because, as actors, we really get to explore it. I’ve worked with our MD, Colin Billing, before at London School of Musical Theatre from a teaching point of view. We worked together teaching students there, but now it’s so refreshing that he’s the MD of this project because I get to work with him as a proper actress! It’s brilliant!
What do you think people can expect from Picture Perfect? It sounds very real and very relatable – I imagine most people will have either been in one of the situations the characters find themselves in or know someone who has…
HH: What you’ve just said is exactly right! You can write that down right now [laughs]! It definitely pulls on the heartstrings and the emotions. For me the lyrics are particularly pertinent because I do have a child and I’m very lucky because I haven’t had to give up my career, I have a very supportive husband and family. I sing a particular song which talks about elements of that – the actress having to stand down and start a different kind of life.
CW: I’m playing someone who is my age which is not something I’m not necessarily used to. She’s very real and is maybe a little lost in her life, not quite knowing where she belongs. The music is so gorgeous and the lyrics are written so well that you completely relate to it. It was originally a song-cycle, but Simon (Greiff), the director, has written a really beautiful story around these songs.
Helen & Charlotte in The Sound of Music
There is so much discussion and debate about new writing in London at the moment, what do both of you think about it?
HH: I’ve noticed recently that a lot of fringe venues – or off-West End theatres – seem to be saturated with new writing at the moment. I just did The Kinks musical at the Hampstead Theatre, Sunny Afternoon, which was a new original piece. The A-Z of Mrs P at the Southwark Playhouse was another new original piece. Charlotte and I recently did a fantastic workshop, The House of Mirrors and Hearts by Eamonn O'Dwyer! The fringe venues are definitely accepting it more, but possibly not so much mainstream. I mean we had The Book of Mormon… and then I Can’t Sing came in and out.
CW: I did Spring Awakening which was a new musical!
HH: It’s interesting that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber have not had success with their recent musicals, maybe times are changing. I’m not quite sure what is needed to convince producers to invest more money in new writers!
The first show you two did together was Mamma Mia. Looking back do you have fond memories?
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| Helen & Charlotte in Mamma Mia |
HH: I have great fond memories of doing that show. I kicked it off back in 2004 on the original international tour, with Michael Xavier as my Sky – so to work with him almost ten years later as a man on The Sound of Music (Michael played Captain von Trapp) was hilarious.
CW: It’s one of those shows that once you’ve been in it you become part of the family. We’ve both done the show a few times, I did it twice. I was twenty when I started doing Mamma Mia and I grew up a lot doing it. I went off on tour and saw a lot of the world before going into London and meeting Helen! I had the best time!
And can you believe it is almost a year since you both starred in The Sound of Music at the Open Air Theatre?
HH: Is it really a year? God it is isn’t it!
CH: Yes, we started rehearsals on 17th June!
HH: Wow!
CH: I always describe The Sound of Music as a chocolate box job because everything about it was perfect [laughs]!
HH: It was!
CH: We were very lucky because all the elements just came together, all the stars aligned and everything fell into place. It was perfect and I don’t know about you, but I had the time of my life!
HH: Definitely!
CH: Maria was a dream role and we were working with a brilliant creative team, the cast were also absolutely amazing and after we all met everyone was so comfortable. I knew Michael – we went to the same high school! We were a few years apart, but we’re from the same place so I knew Michael before and there were three others who went straight from Mamma Mia into The Sound of Music so it felt lovely to be able to be creative and put on a show which was… a hit?
HH: Yes it was!
A huge hit!
HH: It was fantastic that The Sound of Music was nominated for Best Revival at the Olivier Awards, and of course Charlotte was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical; it was so well deserved! And talking of connections, our cast member Joel Harper-Jackson is also from your neck of the woods!
CH: We’re from the same area of Sheffield which is bizarre!
Interviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
Picture Perfect: A New Musical runs at the St James Studio on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June 2014. Please visit www.stjamestheatre.co.uk for further information and tickets.
Photo Credit 3: Francis Loney
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