Interview: Hayley Gallivan

Hayley Gallivan is currently standby Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. She will soon leave the musical to star as Nancy in the Sheffield Crucible's revival of Oliver. 

Hayley’s other theatre credits include: 'Hermia' in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Ragtime (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), 'Olive Ostrovsky' in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Donmar), 'Jan' in Grease (Piccadilly Theatre), 'Martha' in the original cast of Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith and Novello), 'Fruma Sarah' in Fiddler On The Roof (national tour), 'Deb' in Ordinary Days (Finborough), 'Nancy' in The Boyfriend and Lady Be Good (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), 'Alice Fitzwarren' in Dick Whittington (Swansea Grand) and Follies in Concert (Palladium). She also took part in the National Theatre’s workshop of The Light Princess.

Wicked, which is currently booking until 1st November 2014, has been seen by over 5 million people since its premiere in September 2006. Stephen Schwartz’s musical tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz and is already the 15th longest-running West End musical of all time.

Recently I spoke to Hayley about landing the part, playing Elphaba for the first time and what it was like to recently perform on the show’s seventh birthday…

You’ve nearly finished your run in Wicked, can you believe that it’s almost come to an end already?
It’s so weird because it feels like I’ve been there for such a long time, but at the same time I feel like I’m only just getting started! It’s an odd combination of emotions but I’m going to be very sad to say goodbye to Elphaba. 

Going back to when you first got the part, how did it feel when you found out you had been cast as standby Elphaba?
It was just beyond amazing really! I was the person who went to the first ever preview in London and from the moment it started I was completely swept up and crying [laughs] and then I was the person who went to the show’s press night which was incredible. When I was training I used to sing ‘No Good Deed’ in my performance classes, I was just completely in awe of the show – the songs and story and everything about it is just so magical so to get the call saying “you’re going to be playing Elphaba”, and to know that as standby I would be given guaranteed shows was a dream come true. I know everybody says that, but for me it was something I so wanted to tick off my list of roles to play and the phone call was just extraordinary. 

Tom Edden, Hayley Gallivan & Ben Richards to star in Sheffield Crucible's Oliver

Full casting has been announced for a production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The production, which runs between 29th November 2013 and Sat 25th January 2014, will star many West End favourites including Tom Edden (Fagin), Hayley Gallivan (Nancy) and Ben Richards (Bill Sikes, pictured right).

The cast also includes: Georgie Ashford (ensemble), Kathryn Barnes (ensemble), Andrew Bryant (Noah Claypole), Nick Butcher (ensemble), Adam Dutton (ensemble), Emilie Fleming (Charlotte Sowerberry), Bob Harms (Dr Grimwig), Victoria Hinde (Assistant Choreographer and ensemble), Kiara Jay (ensemble), Rebecca Lock (Widow Corney), David Mara (Mr Brownlow), Myra McFadyen (Old Sally), Rachel Moran (Bet), Harry Morrison (ensemble), James O’Connell (ensemble), David Phipps-Davis (Mr Bumble), Adam Rhys Charles (ensemble), Liza Sadovy (Mrs Sowerberry/Mrs Bedwin) and Chris Vincent (Mr Sowerberry). 

Editor's Blog: Return visits to Spamalot and Wicked, and saying goodbye to The Color Purple

As a reviewer, night after night I see brand new productions of shows that I sometimes know very little about. Therefore occasionally it’s nice to arrive at the theatre knowing exactly what to expect. 

On Tuesday evening (24th October) I attended a special gala performance of Spamalot as Life’s Too Short co-stars Les Dennis and Warwick Davis have joined the cast as King Arthur and Pasty. Their casting is utter genius and, having seen the show several times over the past twelve months, it’s interesting to see how the pair have made the roles their own.

Warwick Davis & Les Dennis

Spamalot is a show which is happy to adapt for its cast members, something which is actually quite rare in the West End. Often long running shows like new cast members to be carbon copies of their predecessors, but Spamalot is a show which embraces change therefore keeping the musical, which is ‘lovingly ripped off’ from Monty Python’s The Holy Grail, feeling fresh and relevant. 

Bonnie Langford is still just as fearless as The Lady of the Lake and it was fantastic to, once again, see her perform opposite Chris Jenkins as Sir Galahad. I could watch them perform their hysterical duet ‘A Song That Goes Like This’ all day and I would still find it hilarious.

After seeing the horrifically awful Barking In Essex at the Wyndham’s Theatre last week I found myself in some desperate need of some theatre therapy... so I booked a trip to see Wicked. I am thrilled to report that (once again) the show restored my faith in theatre and I am still buzzing after watching one of the best performances of the smash hit musical that I’ve ever seen.

New Wicked Cast Announced

At long last the new cast of Wicked has been announced! So, without further ado,  from Monday 29 October 2012, Wicked will star: Louise Dearman (Elphaba), Gina Beck (Glinda), Ben Freeman (Fiyero), Louise Plowright (Madame Morrible), Keith Bartlett (The Wizard), Christopher Howell (Doctor Dillamond), Sam Lupton (Boq), Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose), Hayley Gallivan (Standby Elphaba), Lucy van Gasse (Standby Glinda), Florence Andrews, Gemma Atkins, William Bozier, Oliver Brenin, Lauren Brooke, Philip Catchpole, Aisling Duffy, Chlöe Hart, Jacqueline Hughes, Robert Jones, Sophie Linder Lee, Tania Mathurin, Marc McBride, Stacey McGuire, Tom Muggeridge, Sean Parkins, Michelle Pentecost, Stuart Ramsay, Lindsay Taylor, Paulo Teixeira, Justin Thomas, Hannah Toy, Matt Turner, Oliver Watton and Jason Winter.