Theatre interview: David Essex in All The Fun Of The Fair

Thursday 14th May 2009

Natalie Hale meets up with David Essex and Louise English, stars of the hotly-anticipated musical All The Fun Of The Fair

“On my mother’s birth certificate my grandfather listed his occupation as ‘travelling tinkerman’, so I’ve always been interested in gipsy culture. I think it’s in my blood.”

The long, tousled locks; the glint of an earring; the smooth charm and the distant look in those ocean-blue eyes, David Essex has always had that romantic, Romany quality.

Now he is starring in a role he was made for – as travelling funfair owner Levi Lee in the new hit musical All The Fun Of The Fair.

The musical has been touring the country since September last year, and has proved to be a big hit – particularly with the women!

David, of course, has been a hit with the ladies since the early Seventies. His gravelly voice and devastating good looks gave the singer a strong female fanbase and his British tours created scenes of hysteria reminiscent of Beatlemania.

One of the biggest pop stars of his generation, David was a heartthrob who simultaneously wowed legions of adoring fans on record, the stage and the silver screen.

“It was an amazing and surreal period. At one point Godspell was the hottest theatre ticket, That’ll Be The Day was the biggest film and Rock On was the number one song all over the place, so I was at the top of these three different mediums. I don’t think that anyone has ever done that before or after.

“Ever since then, I have enjoyed working in different mediums. It keeps things interesting and fresh for me and it also draws in different kinds of audiences.

“Just before I did this show, I did 56 rock concerts and before that, I played a grumpy old bloke in Aspects Of Love.”

All The Fun Of The Fair is a comic, action-packed musical with a dark underbelly.

Set against the backdrop of a travelling funfair, David’s character Levi Lee is coming to terms with the loss of his wife and the attentions of a gypsy fortune teller. He is also struggling to deal with his rebellious teenage son’s tangled love life and ambitions. David says he has an affinity with the character and his lifestyle, and it’s easy to see why. The singer’s grandfather and mother were Irish travellers; the star’s charity work, for which he was awarded an OBE, has included high-profile campaigning for the rights of travelling people; and he was formerly a patron of Britain’s National Gipsy Council, which works for equal rights, education and services for Romany people and Irish travellers.

“I do have a relationship with that kind of life,” he tells me. “I can connect to it.”

The title of the show, of course, comes from David’s album of the same name and includes hits from his back catalogue, such as Gonna Make You a Star, Hold Me Close and Silver Dream Machine.

“It’s kind of overdue in a way,” he explains. “The All The Fun Of The Fair album was kind of a concept album, but now seemed to be the right time to do it.

“I worked with the director of this show on Aspects Of Love and I saw how terrific he is at his job. I showed him the script and instantly he was very positive and wanted to be involved.

“I mapped out the story and arranged the songs – it was very important to me that the songs integrated and weren’t crow-barred in. The plan was to make it seamless. I think it works and I’m very proud of it.”

The show also stars Louise English and newcomer Paul-Ryan Carberry.

“We were lucky to find him,” says David of Paul-Ryan. “It wasn’t easy because we wanted a special kind of boy and everybody who came for an audition was too stage school, too...”

Jazz hands? I suggest.

“Yes! Too jazz hands. Luckily, Paul isn’t like that. In fact, I don’t think he likes musicals. I just saw something in him. And Louise, of course, is fantastic.”

Louise is one of the UK’s leading musical theatre stars and has led West End shows and national tours to record-setting success. She is also remembered for being one of the very beautiful Hill’s Angels on The Benny Hill Show.

“I’m loving All The Fun Of The Fair,” she smiles.

“I play an Irish traveller who believes she has the gift to see things. I don’t know if anyone else believes it, but she certainly does. She’s a good, caring mother and she adores and worships David’s character Levi.

“She goes on a moving journey in the show, although I can’t say too much or it will spoil it for the audience.

“I’m actually playing my age for the first time. I’ve always played women who are 29 or 30 before – this character is about 40. I like that, it’s more comfortable.”

Louise’s first professional role was as the ballet dancer in the 1976 film Bugsy Malone. But it was at the tender age of 16 that she became a regular face on our TV screens in The Benny Hill Show.

“I was very, very young when I look back. Benny was very strict and quite demanding.

“It was never easy and never handed to me on a plate, but I adored him. He worked so hard himself and couldn’t understand why others didn’t. So I had that discipline from the age of 16, which was really useful.

“He came to see me in a show just four days before he died. He was obviously unwell and knew it. He insisted on having our photograph taken together, which I thought was very odd because he’d never done that before.

“That picture became the one that was used in the papers just a few days later, after he passed away.

“He didn’t die unhappy and didn’t die alone, as many papers reported. He chose that life and was perfectly happy in it.”

Louise’s diverse career has spanned everything from Benny Hill to Brush Strokes, Shakespeare to Snow White.

“Having that diversity is something I’ve always strived for. It would have been very easy to have just done light entertainment all the time, but I wanted to also do straight plays and Shakespeare and luckily I’ve been able to do that. I enjoy a challenge – that’s what it’s all about for me.

“I’m loving this tour. You just know when you’re on a successful show – it’s a lovely feeling.

“We get standing ovations regularly and it’s not something I take lightly. I’m looking forward to bringing it to Bristol audiences.”

All The Fun Of The Fair appears at the Hippodrome from Monday, May 25 until Saturday, May 30. Tickets cost £12.50-£30 – call 0844 847 2325.