Still showing at the New Theatre until 12th January 2020 is Cinderella, and I was very lucky to interview both Cinderella and Prince Charming backstage, after a matinee they did. Rob Wilshaw and Teleri Hughes were a joy to talk with.
Carl Marsh
How can we get the audience to come and see the show in January as pantomime is not just about Christmas viewing, is it?
Rob Wilshaw
Well, I’d say the show is full of energy. It’s magical and it’s a lovely story. You get to see Gok Wan off the telly, you get to see us! It’s really a happy thing to come and see after the Christmas blues.
Teleri Hughes
And I think it’s not necessarily just a Christmas show, I think if you know you’re feeling a bit oh, like if you are pondering after Christmas. It’s a nice thing to, like you said, get your energy up and see in the new year, you know, do that kind of thing. It’s amazing just coming to the theatre anyway, and with something so bubbly and energetic as this, it will definitely revive you.
Carl Marsh
What’s the highlight for you both in this show, which part of Cinderella gives you the most joy?
Teleri Hughes
I think the opening as it’s just nice to climb up behind the balls and then when the curtain comes up, I can have a moment to just take it all in as you feed off people’s energy, and especially with Gok opening the show. You feed off the energy of the audience as Gok has set them up and its nice to just come on and take that and then tell the story.
Rob Wilshaw
For me there are two parts. There’s one bit where when Cinderella comes in as Princess Starlight and she walks into the ball and she’s got this beautiful ball gown and the lights all hit the ball gown when she walks down the staircase. It’s really magical, it’s beautiful. And then there’s a bit where I’m on the stairs as well, and I’m singing and I’ve got the slipper in my hands. I’m singing this big bit about “Life can’t go on without you” and I have a slipper in my hand and the spotlight’s on the slipper. Its that big dramatic bit which I really like. [Laughs]
Carl Marsh
Do any of you still get nervous when you are on the stage?
Teleri Hughes
Yeah, I do. The brain’s a funny thing, isn’t it? Because, like today, I was like, ‘Oh God, I hope I remember everything’ as I’ve had a day off! But yeah, I was actually thinking as I was stood in the wings if I would ever ‘not get nervous’. But I think nerves are a good thing. They’re the thing that shows that you’re still excited by it and that you still care about what you’re doing.
Rob Wilshaw
I think you need those nerves to carry into your performance, it’s that kind of energy, isn’t it?
Carl Marsh
I guess it is and it must mean that you self-critique your performances after every show?
Rob Wilshaw
I think if you’re not monitoring what you’re doing then you can just get complacent, you could get lazy, and so on.
Teleri Hughes
As actors we are always self-analysing anyway, we must be as people to be actors. So I just think that just comes through, but I think I’m trying really hard to let go of that aspect of what it seems like and just kind of enjoy it and do and trust what you know.
Carl Marsh
What do you do in your downtime on your days off?
Teleri Hughes
I like being in my own company and just sitting and trying to read my book as much as I can. Maybe just lighting a candle, sticking Friends on or Gavin and Stacey. I put my humidifier on last night with a White Company Winter Sun candle and I was just feeling so ‘Zen’ as the show can be so upbeat, it’s kind of nice to just relax. I’ll make some food, put a wash on. Very basic things, very boring. But I really find a lot of joy as our job is so unpredictable and so high energy anyway, but you have to, and I think in my own opinion as I’ve been touring for the last year, that I needed (some sort of) sanctuary.
Carl Marsh
I guess you’re completely opposite?
Rob Wilshaw
{Laughs) I’m quite similar. I feel like I need that time, as when we’re around the kind of people that we are around, we all have that high energy all the time. It’s nice to kind of like remove yourself from that and have that downtime.
