Debbie Kurup is currently reprising her performance in The World Goes Round: The Songs of Kander & Ebb which is transferring to the St James Studio following its run last year at the Pheasantry.
With the cast also including Oliver Tompsett, Steffan Lloyd-Evans, Alexandra Da Silva and Sally Samad, The World Goes Round runs between 2nd and 7th February 2016. Kander and Ebb are best known for writing musicals such as Cabaret, Chicago, Fosse and The Scottsboro Boys.
Having played Mimi in the West End production of RENT, Debbie recently starred in Seasons of Larson at the Lyric Theatre. Her West End credits also include: Nicki Marron in The Bodyguard (original West End cast), Velma Kelly in Chicago (Cambridge/Adelphi), understudy Deloris in Sister Act (Palladium) and Dee Dee in Tonight’s The Night (Victoria Palace).
A handful of Debbie’s other theatre credits include: title role in Jack And The Beanstalk (Hackney Empire), Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (Sheffield/UK tour), Nancy in Oliver! (Cyprus), Chess In Concert (Royal Albert Hall), Diana in I Love You Because (Landor), Anita in West Side Story (Cyprus), Sylv in East (Leicester Curve), Carmen in Fame (UK tour), Guys And Dolls (Sheffield), Diane in Pal Joey (Chichester) and Jo-Anne in Poison (Tricycle).
Last week I sat down with Debbie during a break from The World Goes Round rehearsals to discuss why she loves performing Kander & Ebb’s music, her memories from starring in the West End production of RENT, dusting off her tap shoes for Anything Goes plus lots more…
Recently you have been doing so many completely different things – from Whitney Houston to Cole Porter, Jonathan Larson and now Kander and Ebb!
[laughs] …and don’t forget I was climbing a beanstalk in-between!
That kind of variety is madness! What is going on inside your brain right now?
Oh my goodness! I have to say, it has been wonderful. As an actor, you strive to have variety and being cast in so many different contrasting roles. I’m on cloud nine right now! There has been no rest point, I’ve been jumping from one thing to the next. My brain is full, but at the same time it’s firing on all cylinders. It feels really good, I’m very inspired right now.
