Brown discusses his new live show 'Only Human,' which will be performed at Mayflower Theater.

Despite the show's highly secretive nature, Brown shares insights about its creative process, emphasising the role of audience participation and the challenges of preparing such a show.

The conversation also delves into broader topics including the public's awareness of the power of the mind, the psychological underpinnings of magic, and societal trends such as the popularity of manifesting.

Additionally, Derren shares his views on manifesting goal-setting, the influence of political ideologies, and the inherent balance between right and left-wing perspectives.

He cites personal experiences and historical references to illustrate his points, highlighting the complexity and nuances of human psychology both on and off the stage.

Being Human is at Mayflower Theatre from 10th February 2026 to 14th Feb.

https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/derren-brown-only-human-2026/

 Photo of Derren Brown by Pamela Raith Photograph

Photo: Brinkhoff Moegenburg

African Activities

https://africanactivities.org.uk/ 

Deloe 

https://www.instagram.com/deloe_official/ 

Silva B 

https://linktr.ee/silvab1?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadv5pzviF-qcwnL4RV6kg-dMMN1jjacMVI0Q19nC9P3BUHeTuHDdScxutvvUg_aem_4UKc_imxIQj7ppveiDhykA

In this interview on Southampton's Voice FM, Xan Phillips speaks with actor James Wilby about his role in the new play 'By Royal Appointment' by Daisy Goodwin, which delves into the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and her dresser.

The play features Anne Reid as the Queen and Caroline Quentin as her dresser.

Wilby discusses his character, a designer loosely based on Hardy Amies, and the complexities of bringing such a role to life.

He shares insights into the importance of costumes for actors and reflects on the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, her subtle use of clothing for communication, and her personal traits.

The play is described as gentle and respectful, offering a glimpse into the private conversations of the Queen.

Wilby also discusses the challenges of performing on stage, particularly in terms of costume practicality and maintaining relaxation while acting.

Book your seat here www.mayflower.org.uk

It's set in a recycling centre. Four workers give new life to waste and rubbish, including propane tanks, umbrellas, balls, two boxes, horns and big bags. horns and bin bags by using percussion movement and slapstick in various musical sketches. Here to tell us more about it is the artistic director, David Ottone.

David, a very good afternoon to you. How are you? 

David Ottone: Fantastic. And you said everything about the show in the introduction. 

Xan Phillips: There's nothing else to talk about. 

David Ottone: It's exactly, exactly that. I mean, it's got all that. 

Xan Phillips: Well, no, I'm sure there's more to talk about though, because but I think first of all I know, and, and, and almost I'll say every child knows, but there's a child in me that if you bang something, it makes a noise.

And if you bang a couple of things, you think that's really good fun. But when did you first think that banging various bits and pieces could be actually turned into a very successful stage show. 

David Ottone: Well, I mean, I think there's two things in this show, how the way we created it. Not first, I mean, we've been investigating for a long, long time about this, this kind of objects, you know, we, we have a career in, in, in in physical comedy and in music, you know, I'm blending it together.

So we, we already knew. That, you know, it could be done. And they were it's like the imagination, no? How do you create instruments from things that they are actually waste? But this is what one aspect. And another aspect was a very important one that is the, the. Where we are going as a society, you know, I mean, the world is going to tatters.

Really, the world is really in a situation that is very, very dangerous. The climate change the environmental situation is very, very, very, very complex and very, very it's an issue that we have to raise. So we try to combine the two of them. I mean, so basically we took all these inventions and we, we, we knew that they could work musically and as a comedy pieces.

And at the same time, We tried to blend it with this message about, about the environment. So the two together put together came trash as a show. So the show tries to deal with that. I mean, first it's a very funny show. It's an entertaining show. It's musically, it's beautiful. It's very inventive, but at the same time without preaching.

It tackles the issues about, you know, that are very, very important is the environmental problems that we are facing as a society. 

Xan Phillips: So if a chance you break something, let's say you know, your toolbox breaks, you hit it too hard or something. Do you then have to scour the local area to find some more rubbish to hit?

How do you go about it? 

David Ottone: No, I mean, the thing is, every, every element and every instrument and every piece that we have in the show is very, very well studied, you know, and it's very, very tuned and is very but we use a few things, I mean, especially in the, in the process of investigation on the process that we, it took like a three, four months to, to play with things and stuff like that.

It's true that, I mean, we went through the streets and finally we saw something for it to the studio. play with it. Oh, fantastic. No. So, I mean, we were scouting, you know, around the streets and we could find something that it was kind of useful, no? But then when we created a show, everything is very, very, very well studied to, to create the effect that we wanted to create.

Xan Phillips: So how do you tune a propane tank then? 

David Ottone: It's incredible, but it works so, so beautifully. It's one of the most poetic moments in the show, actually. No, it sounded like, I mean, we, well, basically, I mean, it's engineering. Really, we had like people that they are really engineers and and we, we tuned it. And it's, it's, it's one of the most poetic moments because it's, it's, it's alone.

This, this amazing performer with two propane tanks and it creates like a beautiful, beautiful moment. And and this is an example that we did with the rest of the show. There's so, so many other things that are so, so surprising, how something that is already discarded and you think that, you know, it hasn't any new use, suddenly becomes something so useful and so beautiful and so powerful.

Xan Phillips: So, the story, the show is set in a recycling centre, is there actually a story to it, a sort of a beginning, a middle and an end? Not 

David Ottone: so much, I mean, it's the characters that they take their story through, I mean, it's not a big story, a complex story, basically, it's these four very, very, I mean, kind of like I could say funny and very, you know, I kind of yeah, you could say funny characters know that basically they are on each character is called their personality.

There's the boss and there is the guy who's a bit goofy, stuff like that. And with those four characters, we, we kind of like go through all these elements that I arrive into this Recycling center and they are trying to see if it's worth it or not worth it. And so they play around with them. And of course the sense that, I mean, there's a stories because the characters, there's little interactions between them that and, and there is a small story within them, but it's not a story.

It's not like a story beyond the characters that they take it through. I dunno if I, if I make myself understood . 

Xan Phillips: No, it's fine. Well, I've got another question for you actually, but it, so is this like a silent movie with music? 

David Ottone: Yeah, basically. I mean, this comes from a company's called Ana. We've been for 34 years creating physical comedy.

We've been in North Broadway with a show and, and I mean we, we've, we've toured around 46 countries around the world. So what we, the main thing, what we do is, is physical comedy. So the whole show is, is nonverbal. So, and and we use basically our bodies, our music and, and gesture, that's the only thing we use.

And and with that, I mean, we've been able to go, I mean, the show has been running in Paris for three, three months, we've took it to Milan, we took it to Portugal, we've been to Korea. I mean, so we, we, we cover the world and the world and always has been. 

Xan Phillips: I'm sure you've been asked this question before because you've toured around Europe with this show.

Do, do different nations react differently to certain bits of the comedy or is it, are you able to span every, every desire and every thought? 

David Ottone: Yeah, we, we, we managed to create yeah, to, to the, to our surprise always. I mean, we, we've been doing this for 34 years, so we kind of know how to create a show that speaks to humans, you know, not, not to cultures, you know, in the sense that, I mean, it's more I mean, all, all, we humans, we are very, very we are very, very similar.

I mean, we perform in Korea, we perform in China, and, and we, of course. I mean, there is this, perhaps it's the way that they react. I mean, perhaps in, in, in Japan, for example, they are more quieter, quieter and stuff like that as a response. But I mean, they always, they always we always have find that they, they understand perfectly well and their reaction is kind of always the same.

So for us, he said, I mean, we've done it in France. I mean, hopefully now in England. It's, it's going to be a hit as well. So hopefully, yeah. 

Xan Phillips: So you're using physical comedy. Which is the funniest part of the body? 

David Ottone: The bones. Funny, we always say funny bones. Yeah. It's using the body. It's using the, you have funny bones in the way you, the movement, the bones are the best, you know, and it's the way you combine the movements of the bones is what makes things funny.

Xan Phillips: Right. Excellent. I mean, I, I, and, and do you, I mean, have you actually recorded this into an album? Do you think this is something that people could take away and listen to, or is this something that you definitely need the, the physical action to, to bring it all to life? 

David Ottone: I think, I think it's very important.

The visual is very, very important. The visual, I mean, percussion. I mean, because one of the things we do here, I mean, there, there's certain shows, for example, I mean, you can take us an example of some stomp. For example, an example, you know, Stomp is one of, you know, one of the most famous, famous percussion based shows.

I mean, there are many, many, many, many shows of this this kind of like style, no? And what we tried to do, it was to do something different from them, no? Trying to investigate and trying to do, even if you could see, okay, it's kind of, kind of Stomp, but it's different, no? So we managed to create something completely different.

Very, very different. And we use songs as well. I mean, we, we have a beautiful moment, for example, where we do with toolboxes. We will rock you or there is with we do something for example, with the screwdrivers and finally we play Magalena. This is one, one song from Carlitos Brown. Batucada, you know, so we create, this is one of the things, for example, that we managed to create that is a stamp that is different from all the rest of the shows that they are around is, is that we open musically to a different dimension as well.

So there's moments, for example, they are more melodic, you know, it's true. And you could listen into a record or something like that, but in general, you know, they're like a, like 70 percent of the show is very, very percussion based. And I don't think you will enjoy it if you don't see what is happening.

Xan Phillips: No, I totally understand that. And as far as the audience is concerned, are people coming away sort of feeling different about recycling and rubbish or are people just coming away feeling much, much better about themselves in life? No, 

David Ottone: the first thing, the first thing is they have a good time, a good time.

One of the things, for example, that happens in the show is, I mean, we don't try to preach. You know, it's kind of like it's a different way of in the same speech or, or, or like, you should do this and you should do that. No, but it's true that, I mean, just seeing that really we sometimes, I mean, we are in this, I mean, as a society, even myself, I mean, you are, we're buying constantly things.

I mean, we are using them and we are not really reusing things. So I think it's an example that they show, you know Shows that, I mean, there is so much that damage we're doing to our world because we are not really thinking too much about how we, you know, very, very, very easily we discard things.

I mean, and this show, basically what it does is showing that, I mean, it's got so much possibilities. The elements that we sometimes think that they are already a waste, they are not. No, so I don't know. It makes people kind of like think, but at the same time they are re entertained. So, but I mean, our main, main objective is for them to have a great, great time and open themselves to the imagination.

Xan Phillips: And so you're on the West End in between February and then. Then the next stop is Southampton after Southampton, presumably a UK tour. But are you hoping to hope to get to Broadway? 

David Ottone: Hopefully, yeah. Yesterday when we arrived here in London, and actually we open tomorrow in London and and we, we said this is the first stop to, towards Broadway.

We did it. I mean, we did we did already with one of our shows, 666, we perform at the Villetta Lane Theatre for three months at Off Broadway. It was an amazing experience and and of course, yes, I mean, we want to, we want to learn this as one of our objectives. 

Xan Phillips: That's fantastic. Well David Ottone thank you so much for speaking with us.

He's the artistic director of Trash, which is coming to Mayflower Studios on Tuesday, the 4th of March 2025. for one night and one night only. And so make sure you get your ticket because I'm sure it's going to set out very quick. Thank you very much for your time, sir. 

David Ottone: Okay. Thank you. Good to you.

Bye.

And this is for a major tour opening in Southampton on the 24th and 25th of February. She's now in her. 60s, but Unmian is considered one of the most important artists in South Korea. And here to tell us more about the show is Joe Bates, who is chief executive of Dance Consortium, a group of venues touring the show.

Joe, a very good afternoon to you. How are you? I'm very well. Thank you, Xan, and thank you very much for having me on. No, it's a pleasure. I'm very excited about this. having seen the video, but it is contemporary dance. And for some people, um, contemporary dance either is like really exciting or it's a little bit off putting.

So how could you win the Lister over to come and see, um, Dragons at the Mayflower Theatre? 

Joe Bates: Thank you for that. Well, I think personally that everybody loves dance. It's just that some people might not know it yet. Um, so for me, this piece of work I saw a couple of years ago with some of the programmers from the venues that we're touring to, and we were blown away by the real technicality of the dancers.

So, um, even though it infuses quite a lot of South Asian culture and Korean culture. It does have some more contemporary themes around it as well and contemporary dance. Most of the dancers will have done ballet, so in terms of their technique it's incredibly strong. But this is also really interesting because it's also one of the best digital media and live theatre performances that I've seen.

So it integrates these avatar hologram dancers with the live dancers on stage, so it almost becomes a bit of a game. 

Xan Phillips: Wonderful. Well, that's a lovely lead into what I'm thinking about because not only is South Korea very well known for K pop and within that the dance routines that the boy and girl bands do are fantastic, but also of course in TV, Squid Game, which is another epic thing.

Thank you. production that has really gripped the world. So is it fair to say it hangs between the two of those? 

Joe Bates: Um, a little bit. I would say that it has very theatrical elements to it. I think that the audience will sort of see that interactivity as part of it. It's a bit more uplifting and joyous, I would say, rather than the sort of deep dark nature of something like squid games.

But as you say, that kind of Korean culture that's really infusing and influencing across the world at the moment was something that I really felt was important to. bring to the UK at this moment in time. As you say, K pop is massively popular now. I see that you have a K pop show every Wednesday on this radio, which is great.

So, um, and then Korean cinema has obviously had, had a big kind of, you know, influx, um, into the global market. It's over the last couple of years and winning Oscars and things. So Eunmi really is part of that movement and you know, she is an icon in South Korea. As you said, she's worked with Gucci recently and is working with fantastic people.

So I think if people want to come and see Korean culture on stage in all its glory, then this is the show to come and experience it. 

Xan Phillips: And she's also proof that dance is very good for you, because she's now in her 60s. She'll be on stage. So not only are you seeing a fantastic show, but you're seeing like a living legend of dance right there in front of you.

Joe Bates: Yes, absolutely. And she's so insanely captivating. It's unreal. And what's brilliant is that she, as you said, is in her 60s, but her dancers are very much young in their 20s. And this piece, Dragons, she wanted to work with young people who had been born in the year 2000, which was the year of the dragon. So there's another link in terms of why this piece is all about dragons.

And so seeing that intergenerational, uh, uh, performance on stage is, is just beautiful to watch. She often works with other older and younger, different dancers and community dancers in other projects as well. So she, she really has that passion and love for. for dance and what it can do for people and how it can inspire people.

Xan Phillips: And so when you came away from this show, how did you feel? 

Joe Bates: Oh, uplifted and it's, it's everything. I can't really describe it. It's not particularly, uh, have a narrative or a storyline, but I always think that's okay within dance because actually you get more of a physical feeling when you, when you see people dancing, particularly when you see these dancers who, as I said, are just technically Um, I always like to say for people that perhaps haven't seen dance or don't see a lot of dance, um, but maybe they go and watch sports or football, you know, when you're watching a football match and a goal is nearly scored and, and, and you're, you physically go, Oh, ah, when those things are happening.

And I feel like when you see dance live, that's the same sort of feeling that you can get in your body when you're seeing somebody do an amazing leap or a. backflip across the stage. It's that moment of, oh, so yes, you'll see all of that in this show. 

Xan Phillips: I totally agree with you. I felt the same recently when watching ballet and also opera was that, although I didn't quite understand what was happening in front of me, it was there happening in front of me.

And that's quite different to every other kind of thing that I watch or listen to. Because unless, as you say, sport is a great example of things happening in front of you, but we spend so much time on our screens, whether they're in our hand. We're in our front room, we're in the cinema, but to actually go out and see real people doing amazing things is, is actually, um, something to be celebrated and something to be very grateful for.

Joe Bates: Absolutely. I actually got this job, um, in. May 2022. So two and a half years ago, I took over dance consortium and I went to watch a performance of a company that the consortium were touring at that time. And it's the first time I'd been back in a theater, probably for a couple of years with, with the pandemic and everything.

And I felt it so kind of emotional and overwhelming to be sitting there and, and seeing such amazing dancers on stage, lifting each other and touching each other. And just at that moment in time, really that. It really did take over my body in a way that I just, it's really hard to explain, I think, to people, but I just urge them to kind of come and experience it.

Xan Phillips: I'll tell you one thing that's um, possibly very hard to explain. I'm sure I remember them having like a tube on their head, and on the top of the tube there's a little video screen with someone's face. So it looks like a worm with a face dancing around, and I just love that. I thought it was um, very inventive, but also it pushes your mind in a little bit of a different direction.

Joe Bates: Absolutely. And I think those sorts of digital technologies that are in the show. And as you said, they're, they're led fans that have these, these images of the dancers pulling faces. And I, it's the kind of thing that I think, um, every kid that comes to see it is going to want one of those to play with after the show.

Um, and I should say that this absolutely is for, for all ages, people can enjoy this. So when I went to see it. first couple of years ago in France, there was a, uh, a family with young kids, must've been eight, nine years old, and they were just absolutely captivated by what was going on, on stage. And then afterwards, the dancers all come round to the front of the stage and take their bow.

And then Open up for questions to the audiences and these kids were just like, I want one of those and what's that? And how does that work? And it's just brilliant to see that intrigue and interest from young people 

Xan Phillips: now You mentioned this is a almost a new job or two years in the job as I think it's quite a long time But can you explain to the listener what's dance consortium actually is and its connection to the Mayflower Theatre?

Joe Bates: Absolutely. So dance consortium is a group of 22 large scale venues all over the UK and Ireland. And I work with the directors and programmers of those theatres to bring in large scale international dance companies. And we tour them round to those different venues. So not every venue is on every tour.

Um, but we have opened this one with the Mayflower in Southampton, as you said, who have been a long standing member of. Dance Consortium probably for nearly 20 years and are already all and they're always incredibly supportive of bringing in international dance to put something a bit different in their program for people to see and locally.

Xan Phillips: Yes, it's um, no it's, it must be, is that, but there is a reluctance isn't there amongst people to see dance because there's, I personally think that worry I think you answered a little bit earlier on, you're expected to understand it, but actually with this, it doesn't really matter if you don't understand it.

Joe Bates: Yeah, I think sometimes it can, particularly when you mentioned the words contemporary dance, that people think of contemporary art practice or museums and galleries. And I think, you know, if people go and see something in an art gallery. Similarly, particularly with modern art, you don't necessarily know what it was about or what the feeling behind that piece of work was.

But you will have a feeling because of it. And you don't necessarily need to have the same feeling as the person sitting next to you. That's okay. But seeing different pieces of art and different cultures, I think, is just really important, um, particularly at this moment in time, you know, open opening the world up and seeing where people come from and how they approach particularly artistic practice and choreography, perhaps a bit differently to what people might have experienced in, you know, their local dance class or doing their tap or their jazz or their ballet classes. 

Xan Phillips: That's amazing. Well, um, I think I am very excited about this. Um, it's coming to South Hampton on the 24th and 25th of February. It's called Dragons. It's by the legendary choreographer Unmi Ahn. She is South Korean, working with Gucci, but also was, uh, respected enough to do the opening series of the FIFA.

World Cup and Joe Bates, Chief Executive of Dance Consortium. Thank you very much for explaining that to us. And we definitely look forward to whatever you're going to put on next. 

Joe Bates: That's brilliant. Thank you so much for having me. And I will be down in Southampton for both of the shows. So I hope to see as many people there as possible.

Set in his hometown of Brighton, DCI Grace investigates a cold case that leads him to the secretive world of fine art. But beneath the respectable veneer lurks a dark underworld of deception and murder. With us, and hopefully shining more of a light on the story, is star of Stage and Screen, Jodie Steele.

Jodie, welcome to the show. How are you? 

Jodie Steele: Hello, I'm really well. Thank you for having me. 

Xan Phillips: That's a pleasure. And I always love a whodunit, but I find it one of the most difficult things to interview about because we, we can't give much away. So shall we just start with is this the first whodunit you've been whodunit you've been in?

Do you know? 

Jodie Steele: It is. Apart from one that I can remember doing called Muckleberry Manor when I was 11 and I played the granddad. 

Xan Phillips: The granddad at 11. 

Jodie Steele: I remember, I do remember, bless my mother and father coming to watch things like that. But yeah, no, this is professionally the first Whodunit I've had the pleasure of being part of.

So, yeah. 

Xan Phillips: So as an 11 year old acting as a granddad, is that when you really felt that you could act? 

Jodie Steele: That was it. I thought, yeah, this is it. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Play granddads in Whodunits next. Yeah, I knew from a young age for sure that I wanted. to be an actor. So yeah, I it's sometimes it is, well, not sometimes a lot of the time I'm still pinching myself, but it's, it's my life.

So, and I grew up watching shows at the Mayflower because I was born and bred in Basingstoke. 

Xan Phillips: So what kind of shows, what kind of shows did you go to? Was it panto and a few others dancing, maybe the ballet? 

Jodie Steele: We watched the So every year we saw a lot of musicals, and I do remember going to watch Kill a Mockingbird, which was, you know, high on the syllabus at GCSE back when I went to school.

Maybe it still is. And I remember walking into school Monday morning being like really cool that I had now seen the play live, you know. Yeah, I, I, I fell in love with theater because of the Mayflower. So it's cool to go back there and be the professional on the stage. 

Xan Phillips: Have you, I mean, you've been quite a few shows that are toured. Have you been played at the Mayflower before? 

Jodie Steele: Yeah, I have. I've done six there and I did Sherry in Rock of Ages there as well. So, 

Xan Phillips: I would like to have seen that. 

Jodie Steele: Oh, yeah. Good fun. That one's good fun. Yes. Yes. 

Xan Phillips: No, I like, I like rock. It's good. Yes. 

Jodie Steele: Oh, yeah. Oh, the jukebox music in that is just so good.

It was a joy to sing every night, but I don't have to sing in this, so. 

Xan Phillips: Well, I mean, I want to know what you're going to do, but we can't because obviously sometimes it might give it away. So let's talk about your character. Who's, who's Jodie playing? And, what's her background, her backstory? 

Jodie Steele: So, Roberta Kilgore, known as Bobby Kilgore as well, because big twist, but originally written as a man and I actually have a male understudy, which is really cool.

But we're, we're making her a total boss woman. And she is American. She's the only American in the play. She is very clever. She's very devious. She works with Stuart Piper who, let's just say, I don't want to give too much away, is the baddie. But, or I could, I could do this, but who ends up on top?

Is it Roberta or is it Stuart? So it, she's, she's definitely one of the most powerful characters in, in the show. Probably. In the end, probably the most scariest. And really causes some mischief. 

Xan Phillips: Wonderful. That sounds like a great role to play. 

Jodie Steele: It is a gift of a role, for sure. It's the kind of thing you sort of get your teeth into.

Xan Phillips: Yeah. Do you have to dig deep for that? Because you seem quite a pleasant person. 

Jodie Steele: You know, I am a total marshmallow, but I always play the baddie. And the theme kind of started. When I originated Heather Chantler in Heathers, and that was

2018, and I've never looked back. I just, I just love playing baddies. Yeah. And I just, I don't know what it is. I'm worried that I'm giving off a certain vibe in audition rooms that I just switched. But yeah, I, I do. I, I love. doing something that's so far removed from myself. And I'm not afraid to go there.

Yeah, I love it. I love getting deep, deep into a role. Just slightly tapped, which this one most certainly, most certainly is. 

Xan Phillips: So I mean, it's a great, it's a great question this, but let's say, and you don't have to answer it, but because it might give something away, but have you ever on stage murdered someone or been murdered?

Jodie Steele: Yes, I have been murdered on stage. 

Xan Phillips: And was that easy to do? I mean, because to me that I mean, that's very hard to, act because that's like, you don't know what that's like. So, 

Jodie Steele: well, you know, yes, it was odd. And but it was in a comedic way. So it kind of made people laugh. But yeah, I had to choke and then kind of like cough to death and then, and then physically fall to the floor. Although I am quite a physical actor, so I didn't, I didn't mind that challenge as much. But killing somebody on stage. No, I don't think I ever have in any role have I killed someone.

However, I am very highly trained in firearms. So that come in in useful. 

Xan Phillips: Oh, very interesting. So a bit of loading and unloading maybe or pointing. Yes.

Jodie Steele: Perhaps. 

Xan Phillips: Well, I've always, I've always admired the films where you see actors who just seem so natural at it when they just, you know, they got it all done. It's like they're talking and doing some loading, using the gun at the same time.

It's always, I love that. 

Jodie Steele: Yeah, little details like that when you're, when you're playing roles, I think go a long, long way. 

Xan Phillips: Yeah. But one more question about this. I mean, in the real world, are you a bit of a detective? 

Jodie Steele: Do you know, I do love to know. What's really going on but only if someone tells me i'm way too busy to go dig in myself Way too busy as long as someone i'll try and ask that what's really going on there But if you know if they don't know there's no way i'd go Try and find out myself.

Too, too busy, too busy. So I, I think detectives are, yeah, a certain, certain kind of person. Very impressive. And of course, Roy Grace is one of the most infamous detectives we have in Britain. We have him in books, we have him on a TV series, we have him in plays. He's very loved in this country. 

Xan Phillips: Well, yes, I mean, Peter James sold 23 million books. So, I mean, you just said you were really busy. I mean, have you been so busy that you haven't been able to read any of his books? 

Jodie Steele: So don't tell anyone, but no, I haven't read a Peter James book. I have actually, in fact, read Picture You Dead once I got the role and found so, so much in that especially for my character, but my sister.

She is an avid reader she's definitely the more, you know, intellectual, academic one out of the two of us. She's the lawyer, I'm the actor, goes without saying. And she has every single one of Peter James books. 

Xan Phillips: Wow. So how did she react when you told her you got the part? 

Jodie Steele: She was like, the Peter James, the actual Peter James.

And I was like, yes. She was like, which one? And I said, I'll get you dead. And she was like, oh my God, one of my favorite. And I was like, fuck you.

So yeah, that was my, the most joyous moment. Has been telling her that I had the job because I knew she loved him so much. 

Xan Phillips: So, but do you think this is, I mean, that's a really interesting point because there she is, she's read the book. She knows exactly what's going to happen. So do 23 million other people.

No, roughly. I mean, there's a lot of people have read it, but 23 million books sold, but of course, like your sister, she's got quite a few of them. Yeah. Will this draw them into the theater, even though they know. The ending. 

Jodie Steele: Oh, for sure. Because I think in any sense of that, you know for instance, if we look at two plays in the West End right now, Cursed Child, I mean, I guess that's like a different story of Harry Potter and Stranger Things.

The calling is for the fan base, who know what that world is, but they want to see it live in front of them. How do they do that? You know, what are the characters like? And my character Did I say this before, that it was written as a man? 

Xan Phillips: Yes, you did. 

Jodie Steele: I did say that before. 

Xan Phillips: And I remember it as well.

Jodie Steele: The brain, the brain is going to mush. So I think people who know this book, particularly this book, Picture You Dead, you do know it, but you don't know this version. And you know, we saw the set today. Oh my gosh, the design is just incredible. And everybody's takes on, on the characters. Maybe they're entirely different from what you had imagined when you were reading it.

So yeah, I think, I think it's actually even more fun if you haven't already read the book. Yes, I think that's is that is the it's the old school thing, isn't it? We we love a book that's been made into a movie. You've already read it and knows what you know what happens, but you want to go and see it on the screen.

Well, I think it's even cooler if you go and see it with, you know, humans in front of your face. So, yeah. 

Xan Phillips: Yes, there is. It's like it's like bringing your imagination alive on stage, isn't it? 

Jodie Steele: Exactly. 

Xan Phillips: Yes. Well, I think you've made it sound very exciting, Jodie. And I'm, I'm, I'm in awe and also a little bit jealous that you're actually doing this.

I've never read any Peter James, but to, to be involved in something like this, a whodunit with detectives and 

Jodie Steele: And you know, it's actually based, this book is Peter Met a real life art forger who's now an acclaimed copyist called David Henty. He met him and they kind of got chatting and David, you know, told him about his life and how he started fixing antiques for his dad when he was younger, and so learned the art of forgery.

So one of the characters in this book is based on a real forgerer that Peter James came across in his life. That is just pretty epic to me. And we met him at a press day. So I just could have sat and had him talk at me for hours. His life was insane. So, you know, just to know that it's based on something that really is happening, does happen, that human exists, and now it's on stage and in a book.

It's, yes, really epic. 

Xan Phillips: That sounds fantastic. Well, the play itself, Picture You Dead, comes to the Mayflower Theatre on the 27th of February. You can buy your tickets at mayflower. org. uk. And all that leaves us to say is Jodie Steele, thank you very much for your company and break a leg. 

Thank you. 

When you get to Southampton.

I'll see you then.

Also on board is the character Samuel Ratched, who is played by star of stage, screen, and TV, Simon Cotten. And he joins us on the line. Simon, a very good afternoon to you. How are you? 

Simon Cotton: Good afternoon. I'm very well. I'm in sunny Sheffield at the moment. And yeah, very well. Thank you. 

Xan Phillips: Now, I didn't mention this to the listener, but you are also a writer.

Do you think the title of the play is one of the most evocative in theatre? 

Simon Cotton: I do in literature, I would argue, but actually, interestingly, the writer of our play, our adaptation Ken Ludwig, who's an American writer, very, very successful, has more plays on than anybody in the world at any one time.

He he spent the first week of our rehearsals with us, which was amazing. And he told us that the reason when the Agatha Christie estate approached him and they said, choose any book, adapt it. Whichever one you like, and he went straight for Murder on the Orient Express, and he said the simple reason for that was the title.

So I think if if Mr. Ludwig says that it's it's the most evocative, then I think, yeah, I agree with him. 

Xan Phillips: And as a writer then, when you're reading what he's done to the book, where, where are you seeing Ken Ludwig's skills? 

Simon Cotton: Well, he, I mean, he's He's managed to take something that obviously is, it sounds stupid, but it's two dimensional.

It's it's there for the reader's imagination. You read it on the page and it's totally your, you create your world in your head when you're reading a book. And he's essentially. three dimensionalising it. So naturally that comes with challenges that actually are the responsibility of the director, the designer, ultimately.

But for, for him, he, he needs to create something that stays true to the spirit of the book, stays true to the spirit of Christie, but is also something that an audience want to spend two hours of an evening being thoroughly entertained by, and I think that's, I think that's the key kind of difference is that we set out not just to tell a classic whodunit story a murder mystery but also to entertain along the way.

So he's the, the tone of our piece definitely has a lot of kind of Ken Ludwig's characteristics in it. There's a lot of humour and it's just a kind of rollicking adventure. And I think you need that in theater. I think you have to be, to pardon the pun, taken on a journey. And as soon as you kind of step onto the platform in our first scene, then, you know, we try.

to take the audience on that journey. And that process starts with Ken, the writer, creating the the place for us to do that. 

Xan Phillips: And, and your lines before we actually get into the character itself and those aspects, but you're the lines that you're saying. How do they compare to other lines that you've had?

Is there a flow? Is there a a is a different Ling way? 

Simon Cotton: Yeah, that's, that's a good question actually. I mean, I, yes, there's a real and that it goes back to that kind of sense of really like once you're on board the journey, once you're onboard the train, it's like bumba, bum, bum. It's quiet at a pace.

And that comes down to actors as well. of course, a director, but within the lines, there's just, there's a lot of rhythm. My character's scenes, without giving too much away, it's kind of the first time I'm, I'm allowed to sit in it a little bit. I have to kind of make an impact in the time I have.

And I've been given a kind of license to sit in it, but at the same time, yeah, it's just written in a way. I mean my character is Italian American, which as you can probably tell from my accent, I'm quite far away from being Italian American. But I remember before I even auditioned and I got the I got the script and it just came very naturally to me.

And I think that's. without doubt, like credit to the writing. It just sits, it feels very natural. It feels very, the characters all feel, even though they're quite in a way heightened in a way, exaggerated version of the kind of characters, you know, and love they, they're, they're very naturally written.

They sit very nicely. And that again, is just down to Ken Ludwig's immense skill. 

Xan Phillips: Well, what the listener can't see is you've got a moustache, which actually makes you very Italian, at least not about Italian American, but definitely Italian. But so when you're working on this character, the, the, the, the first thing you have to inhabit what else did you draw from to, to fleshing  out?

Simon Cotton: Well, we were, I mean, we were really blessed in this production of amazing director Lucy Bailey. She believes in. actors kind of feeling exactly that, like, that they have a foundation before you really start working on the script. So we spent a lot of time as a group of actors not only workshopping it before we actually started rehearsals, although I wasn't actually involved in that workshop, but then when it came to rehearsals, really kind of working on our backstories, working on our relationships to each other, our relationships within the geography of the play the geography of the world at the time, because, you know, it's a historical play, so you kind of have to know where you are within history.

And yeah, a lot of other things I've worked on. Sometimes everyone's on a very busy, stressful schedule and you don't necessarily get the time to luxuriate in that. We actors love those sort of processes. And Lucy really gave us the opportunity. A lot of it you have to do on your own.

It's kind of homework, but I think that depends on what type of actor you are, how deep you want to go. But I find that it is, it's quite literally the deeper the foundations, the more solid the eventual kind of performance will be. So yeah, it comes from play and it comes from imagination. And I think a lot of the reason that us actors get into it isn't just for audiences in front of us and doing the actual performance.

It's all that kind of like what you do when you're a child and you're imagining a world. We're just imagining people. It's all there in the scripts and then it's just kind of taking that on and running with it. 

Xan Phillips: Well, the sets are looking fantastic. So I'm, I'm really looking forward to this one. And when you're on stage, when you're taking part in something like this, which is only a snapshot, it doesn't make you hanker for wishing that you were living in those times.

Yeah. Well, obviously with the ability to go on the Orient Express. Oh, for 

Simon Cotton: sure. I mean, I've heard that the we were told that to go on the Orient Express now, as it still exists, of course, will set you back. £17k pounds. So yeah, none of us are doing that anytime soon. Perhaps maybe if our producers are feeling generous at the end of this.

But yeah, no, it is a bit, again, I think that's part of why we do what we do. I mean, it's so much fun, particularly like. at the start of a production when you're all getting together. We have an incredible designer, Mike Britton, and he's, he's kind of designed not only a beautiful set, a clever set, but our individual costumes are fantastic.

My costume, without giving too much away, is, yeah, I probably won't ever wear anything as cool in my career again. And it's just fun. It's just fun being backstage with all these, you know, all your friends, castmates wearing these incredible things and you just feel part of it. I personally, I have to say, there were quite a few hats in our play and I don't understand why people don't wear hats anymore.

You know, the Federer's, Trilby's, I don't understand where they've gone. Everyone looks so good in them and yeah, they disappeared. Hey, I'll try and bring them back. 

Xan Phillips: I think you should, Simon, I think you should. Now, you're talking about having fun backstage, but on stage is where the action is. Do you have many sort of mental tussles with the star Hercule Poirot?

Simon Cotton: As a character? 

Xan Phillips: Yes. 

Simon Cotton: Yes, yes, we do. We have we have a very juicy scene. And it's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun to play. I have another character. Played by Christine Kavanagh, who also kind of gets under my skin. I'm generally quite an angry character, so pretty much everyone on stage angers me.

But yeah, Mr. Poirot, who is played just, I mean, unbelievably by Michael Maloney. Yeah, we have one scene together that is, well, a couple of scenes together, but one in particular that is great fun to play. I think, I hope, for both of us. But then we're friends at the end of it. So what the audience won't see is that a scene that comes a few minutes after we've just been going head to head on stage, he'll come into my little compartment and we'll catch up on the day and then he'll run off and do his next line.

And that's, that's the joy of theatre that the audience don't see what's happening quite literally just behind these closed doors. 

Xan Phillips: But it must be great fun to be able to get that out of your system night after night, because I know it's lovely being friendly and lover and all that kind of stuff, but when you get the anger going, a certain amount of energy is released, isn't it?

Simon Cotton: Oh, sure, for sure, yeah. I'm drawn to, I don't know why, I quite often play villains, nasty characters, and I'm really kind of I'm quite mellow in normal life. I'd like to think I'm quite a nice guy. But I always play these horrible, horrible characters and I have done since I was, you know, 15 and first started acting.

So it's a, it's an odd thing, but I'm drawn to it. I love it. I just love, I think for me, it's not just kind of getting it out, but I think what fascinates me about stage acting in particular is this. transference of power on stage. And he, you know, it exists within comedy, exists within tragedy, exists in all type of theater.

And it's, that's what as an audience member excites me when I go to theatre and on stage I just love that idea of, of who has the power in that moment. And my character is a real kind of, I get to, I get to play with that quite a lot. 

Xan Phillips: That sounds like great fun. So is, is, is the next item that you're going to write?

I know you didn't write this, you're, you're an actor, but you are also a playwright. That's how we begun this conversation. But after doing this, do you feel like your next play could be a whodunit? Ooh, I mean, 

Simon Cotton: you have to be so clever to write them. I guess you have to start, start from the end. But nowadays, if you look at anything, anything on TV that is particularly on TV, that's everything that's popular exists within this realm of, even if it's not necessarily that classic crime, whodunit, it's that cliffhanger at the end of every episode, like what's happening here?

Why, why is this person doing that? What does this mean? And I think it's probably always existed, but at the moment there's just such a thirst for it. So yeah, I'm always thinking about, as a writer, I'm always thinking about, kind of, cliffhangers, twists. I just think that's what the appetite is for at the moment.

And yeah, it is funny that I'm in a, in a play with One of the, I think one of the all time twists actually. So yeah, it's great stuff. 

Xan Phillips: Well, it's been a pleasure speaking to you, Simon, and thank you very much for giving us an insight, not only into the acting world but also to the world of writing as well, because it's that's something that we.

generally forget about. The director and the writer are usually forgotten once the curtain call comes. 

Simon Cotton: They are, I know, I know. So, we try and keep them alive. 

Xan Phillips: Well, you can always write something and be in it yourself, I suppose, so. Yes, that's an option. That's an option. But the murder on the Orange Express pulls into the Mayflower Theatre on the 18th of February all the way through to the 22nd. And Simon Cotton thank you very much for joining us and we wish you the best of luck with the rest of the tour. 

Simon Cotton: My pleasure. Thank you very much and look forward to seeing you in Southampton.

He talks about how the musical stays true to the original film, with the same scriptwriter involved, and how the music enhances the narrative. Josh discusses his portrayal of Sam, incorporating both stoicism and a modern sensitivity to emotions.

Josh shares how the play's emotional impact often moves the audience to tears. He also touches on how the role has stretched his capabilities as an actor, providing a rewarding challenge.

Ghost the Musical runs at the Mayflower Theatre from February 11th to the 15th. Book your seats here Mayflower Theatre

Transcript

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): On Southampton's Voice FM, this is Arts and Entertainment. My name is Sam, and I'm delighted to say that one of the stars of Ghost the Musical is now live in front of me. And Josh St. Clair. Welcome to the show. How are you?

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Yeah, I'm very well. Thank you. How are you?

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): I'm not too bad at all. Thank you very much. And this is for I think for a lot of people from who remember the eighties, this is, must be an iconic role for a man to play. But for yourself and you know, you, you don't look like someone who does remember the eighties. Well, did it mean that much to you when you got it?

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Is it really awful if I say no, 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): no, not at all. I think, I think that's open and honest and we like that. 

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Yeah. Well, I was never. So, so full disclosure, I wasn't born when the film came out but I do remember my mum having VHS, and I remember the cover of the video, so we definitely had it, but I never watched it but obviously was familiar with some of the iconic moments in the show.

I feel there's so many Whoopi Goldberg memes around social media with quotes that she says in that film. And then of course, you've got the pottery moment as well. So I was familiar with aspects of it. But when I got it, I'd actually still hadn't seen the film and it was in the run up to rehearsals that I said, Oh, I think I should probably watch this and see, see what I see what I'm about to do.

That's actually. It sounds like I'm surprised. I mean, it's obviously got such a, a like iconic reputation as a movie and I really enjoyed it. I also think potentially I'd never seen it 'cause it maybe gets mislabeled as almost like a bit of a rom-com and it's absolutely not. It's I would class it as a dark, supernatural thriller almost.

And you then you have these romantic and comedy elements in it as well. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Does that transfer, I mean, without giving too much away, does that sort of darkness transfer across into the musical? 

Josh St Clair (Ghost): I think so. I think our production of Ghost is very loyal to the film. It's actually the same scriptwriter. So the, uh, Joel Rubin who wrote the screenplay, he also wrote the script for the show.

So a lot of those lines, a lot of those iconic moments that people are waiting and expecting to see or hear. all happen on the stage. And yeah, I think we're very, very faithful and the music that's been written to go alongside the dialogue, you know, only helps kind of drive the narrative forward, drive the feelings of the characters forward allow the audience to relate, relate to so, you know, if I'm talking about Sam specifically, you know, relating to his, his despair, his anguish of what has happened and then. eventually his absolute determination to go forward and save the person he loves. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): No, it's, it's, it's, it's definitely is something it's, it's a I mean, having haven't seen the film many years ago. It was definitely one of those ones where, as a, as a man, you're sort of you're, you're trying not to cry, so to speak, you know, just show your, show your stoicism, I think, or I don't know if that's stoicism or the right word, but the, the, are there moments where you, you can definitely feel that the audience is being touched?

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Oh, yeah. Well, we hear the moments they're being touched. Honestly, I. I've never heard so many people sob on a nightly basis. And it's interesting what you say, like, about stoicism, because that, there is an element of that in Sam, right? Like, he struggles to say I love you to Molly, you know, for reasons that I've made up in my head and for reasons that I've, you know, done my character research on, but I definitely think that carries over into the element of the men who get dragged by their girlfriends or their wives, partners, to come and see the show.

And then, yeah, they do end up being really moved by it. I've had, I've had plenty of, of, of men you know, tell me at stage door or, you know, send messages on Instagram to saying that they found the show really, really moving. But yeah, you definitely hear, you hear the sniffles and the rustling of tissue packets and stuff like that.

And there's me, me and Rebecca, who I play opposite. Usually at that point, we just kind of give each other like a bit of a look of like, yeah, job done. We, we, we got, we got it. We got it. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Yeah. We made them cry. So therefore, once again, no disrespect to your age. Do you feel Because of what you just described, in a way that you're playing ancient man and actually modern man is more attuned to to his emotions.

Josh St Clair (Ghost): I'd say that. I'd say the stoicism in Sam is just one element of him. And I definitely feel like I have tried to bring a lot of myself to the character as well. Like, I certainly wouldn't say that I'm doing a Patrick Swayze impression. It's very much my version of, of the character and I am the person I am quite like soft.

I'm quite a gentle person. And so I definitely wanted to bring those elements of myself to the character to make the piece feel a bit more relevant and a bit more modern. You know, I think, I think you can be both. I think you can have this real gentle softness and kind of try and mask it with this kind of tougher exterior.

So what I'd like to say is it keeps all of those elements of what Swayze brought to the character in that kind of, you know, kind of say what was the word you used? Not old man. I said ancient man actually, which is probably. But, you know, like, I guess what I'm saying is acknowledging that times have changed and the way that, you know, behavior, male behavior in particularly.

And, and looking at, you know, masculinity slightly differently, I like to believe that my interpretation of Sam is a bit more modern, but still keeps elements of the original portrayal. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Yeah. Cause I think in the eighties, men were sort of finding themselves or beginning to find themselves. And I mean, I'm not being, I don't think I'm being unfair, but even they compares the forties man, let's say they were they were different.

But when you take another 40 years on, and then until we are in the twenties I think there's, there's been quite a sea change in how men sort of either suppressing the, not suppressing their emotions, but they're more naturally more in tune with their emotions than they have been for quite some time.

But at the same time, some, some are still struggling in, in maybe in other ways. 

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Yeah, it's an interesting, no, it's definitely an interesting observation. I think a lot of that does carry over into the show. And I like to think that, you know, maybe a male who, who does suppress a lot, or maybe does struggle to open up about emotions could watch our show and, and maybe be educated is the wrong word, but maybe be given the sense of, Oh.

It's really okay to like tell someone how I'm feeling. It's really okay to like open up about how I'm feeling. It's not good to bottle stuff in, you know. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): So is this, is this the kind of role when you started out as a, an actor, were you expecting or hoping to play? Is this, is this sorted into exactly what you wanted to do?

Or are, or are we stretching ourselves in a certain direction? 

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Oh, it's definitely, it's definitely stretched me. I think I did, I wasn't familiar with the musical either because it was usually on the West End in, I want to say 2011. And I didn't see it then, so, but everyone used to talk about the score and how good the music was, like, especially people in the musical theatre industry saying, Oh, Ghost, the score is so good, there's so many good songs in it.

So, like, maybe somewhere in the back of my head, if it was, I thought, like, parts I want to play, but saying that, I think I'm just saying that because it's something to say, it genuinely wasn't on my radar at all. But what it absolutely has done has Yeah, stretched me beyond anything that I potentially was aware that I was capable of doing.

The part is pretty relentless in a two hour, you know, if we take the interval away, it's a two hour piece and I'm off stage for about 14 minutes. So it's constant. And, you know, you go on this roller coaster of emotions from like, You know, the joy of moving into your first apartment with the person you love to then the absolute, like, confusion and shock of becoming a ghost, then the despair that no one can hear or, like, feel you, then, you know, the elation, the excitement of that chance of, you know, your chance encounter with, with Oda Mei, who is the psychic who, who can hear me.

You know, and that's just, you know, just, and that's what it, that's been the first half an hour of the show. So, you know, you're, you're putting, I'm putting my body through a lot on a nightly basis. And on top of that, it's big singing, it's big kind of Rocky pop singing in like a musical theater style.

So it's, yeah, I think in a lot of ways it is what I dreamed of because I went to drama school wanting to be, you know, wanting to play parts, wanting to be a like showcase my work and what I can do. But in other ways, it's been like a real pleasant surprise because I just didn't have this part on my list, so to speak. But it's definitely been a challenge, but I'd rather it's a challenge. I definitely don't shy away from it. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, it sounds like you're you are in a role that is what most actors want. Not only are you. Challenging yourself, you're singing great songs, but you're making people cry, which it's, it's part of that. I think what a lot of film actors probably miss they probably have the same effects on people, but you actually get to see and hear it in the flesh, which I. And I can't imagine doing a radio show and having that effect on people.

So it's it's, it's, it's quite, it's quite a skill that you have. So congratulations on that. 

Josh St Clair (Ghost): Oh, thank you. But you know, I also think that is the magic of theater and live theater and why theater is so important as an art form. It's this idea that it is happening live in front of you. And I think.

That level of, that level of empathy can really only be felt between like an actor and an audience in specific art form of theatre. So I think it is a very, very special thing to do and I don't take it for granted. And I know, you know, there are days where you might be feeling tired or you might be feeling a bit under energised.

You've got to tell yourself, someone's about to watch this for the first time, you know, and someone, someone might really be affected by what you're about to do. Like you could change someone's day. You could change it, not even change someone's day. You could, you know, it's a big statement, but essentially change the trajectory of someone's life potentially by what you're about to do.

And yeah, I don't take that lightly. 

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, you're doing all of that and more in Ghost the Musical. Josh St. Clair, who is playing Sam. You can see him on stage at the 11th of February through to the 15th at the Mayfair theater. And it's been a pleasure speaking with you, Josh. Thank you very much for your time.

Josh St Clair (Ghost): And thank you so much.

Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Break a leg with the rest of the tour. 

Josh St Clair (Ghost): I appreciate that. Thank you.

Kit discusses the opulent production designed by David Bentley and John McFarlane, the challenging roles for male dancers, and the meticulous design and durable quality of costumes and sets.

He also talks about the impact of his background in sports and exercise psychology on his current role, focusing on dancer well-being and performance management. The interview concludes with Kit's enthusiastic endorsement of the show as a perfect post-holiday escape.

Book your tickets here Mayflower Theatre

Transcript

[00:00:00] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Hello, my name is Xan Phillips and welcome to Arts and Culture on Voice FM. And today we celebrate the mixing of folktales and ballet, as the Birmingham Royal Ballet is performing Cinderella at the Mayflower Theatre from Thursday the 6th of February. It's a timeless story of love, courage and kindness, godmothers and pumpkins, and enough artistic freedom to include mice, lizards and even a dancing frog.

Here to tell us more about the performance and Birmingham Royal Ballet is Kit Holder, artistic coordinator and former first soloist for the company. Kit, good afternoon to you, how are you? Hi there, very well thank you. And Let's, let's really just leap in first with not necessarily a tricky question, but when you look at the main characters you suddenly realize that the leads in the story are female.

So is this a show where the male dancers almost take a back seat? 

[00:00:56] Kit Holder (BRB): Absolutely not. I have done this show, I think I've danced every performance that this show has. has ever had. And I remember it being a very busy show and very tiring show for the men. It's a very, very busy show. There's a lot of action.

There's a lot of happening. There's a lot of costume changes. There's a lot to look at. I mean, 

[00:01:20] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): so does that mean you have actually started from the ground up, so to speak? 

[00:01:25] Kit Holder (BRB): Pretty much. Yeah. So we made this ballet, I think in 2010. So David Bentley, who was our director at that time, really incredible choreographer, created this new production, and it was quite rare already at that time to have new full length ballets made at this scale, this level of opulence.

But David worked with John McFarlane, who's a legendary theatre designer, also designed our production of The Nutcracker, which is the best nutcracker in the world. Equally opulent, very, very spectacular, really truly beautiful designs, very, very, very clever designs as well in terms of the way the set is constructed and operates on the stage.

The set is a star of the show in its own right, very much so in Cinderella. But me, I was in the corps de ballet in this original production. And over the years moved up sort of one notch perhaps over the course of 15 or 20 years or so. 

[00:02:37] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): And, and you mentioned that this is a opulent, opulent show. Can you, can you give an idea to someone who's never been to the ballet, maybe has been to the theater, the what exactly they, the, the, the bang for buck in this is?

[00:02:53] Kit Holder (BRB): To make a show look fantastic, truly look fantastic, it has to be fantastic. The fabrics that are involved in the costumes are, are as incredible as you see. If you were to see them up close, they wouldn't look, you know, slightly ropey or they are. We build shows like this to last. So John McFarlane, as I mentioned, designed our Nutcracker, which we premiered in 1990.

And it still looks. as incredible as it did then. It has had a couple of refurbs and, you know, costumes have been mended along the way. We very much hope that Cinderella will have the same length. John takes a, a very involved role in the creation of his sets and costumes. It's absolutely not unknown for him to be at the production warehouse painting.

Backcloths himself, and he's very hands on with it and which is great because he really knows what he's doing. If you were to look up close, you would, you would really see that they truly are spectacular. They are the real deal, these things. 

[00:04:10] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, look it's interesting that you're mentioning the the costumes because it is a classic rags to riches story.

And as, as we all know with ballet, the movements are so fine and graceful. And this might be like a dumb question, but is it difficult to dance and get over the idea of someone being impoverished as Cinderella is for the beginning of the story? 

[00:04:38] Kit Holder (BRB): Well, we're very, very lucky with this production because the, the creatives, both Sir David and John McFarlane really.

understand dance. So John has provided costumes. that work for dance. Not only do they look fantastic, they can be danced in. They don't cause any any restrictions or barriers to, to the dancers. And David is a phenomenal choreographer. He has an incredible gift for, a gift and a skill, I must say a skill, for telling stories through movement.

So although we have some incredible dancers and artists at Birmingham Royal Ballet, the choreography should do most of the work in terms of the storytelling. Certainly in this case, it absolutely does. David's a master. 

[00:05:32] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): And. Some of the characters are going to be, some of the dancers are going to be characters wearing masks.

Maybe another dumb question, but when you're dancing with a mask on, is, is it a difficult, but also at the same time, is it more fun? Because in some respects you get a, a different face on, so therefore your, your movement actually has a a different responsibility or interpretation for the audience.

[00:06:00] Kit Holder (BRB): Yes, I think all of those things are true. We, there are a number of masks in this show. Me of them are full head masks. We have, for example, a frog who has a head it's a little like, it feels a little bit like one of the old diving masks. It's that kind of size. It's probably not as heavy. You do have a limited view.

And it does adjust the balance, but as you say, it can it can enhance the character a little bit and I must say this just reminded me that when we first started performing this show, the frog character appears towards the end of the first act. briefly reappears in the second act, doesn't appear in the third act.

We had complaints from audience members that the frog did not appear for the curtain calls, because for many people it was their favorite part of the show. 

[00:06:58] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Does the frog appear now or is that something we'll have to wait to see? 

[00:07:02] Kit Holder (BRB): I believe now that the frog Does indeed appear in the curtain calls so that people can show their appreciation.

[00:07:11] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): But it's a bit frustrating for the lead dancers, but they got the guy in the frog is getting more cheers than they are. 

[00:07:20] Kit Holder (BRB): Oh, I'm sure I'm sure they get there. I'm sure they get their appreciation. 

[00:07:25] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): But you yourself though as, as, as we mentioned in the introduction, you were the former first soloist.

You've now moved to artistic coordinator and in sport, actually, we just seen Andy Murray go from player to coaching Novak Djokovic. So do you see similarities in what he's doing? And, and has that move been easier than you expected in the first place? 

[00:07:54] Kit Holder (BRB): Wow, I would love to compare myself to Andy Murray.

That would be quite something. And although I did quote him, actually, we retired more or less the same time. And he famously put out something on social media that said he didn't like tennis much anyway. And I tried, I tried something very similar when I retired from performing. Didn't, didn't like performing much.

No, I think that Some people have a gift for passing on everything they've learned in their own careers and sharing their experience in a way that has value to other people. And, and others just don't, you know, just because you have been a top performer in whatever discipline that is, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have the ability and the skill to pass that on and to coach other people.

I'm certainly learning a lot. in this new role now. But I do rely a lot on my own experience, but that's my experience. It's not necessarily the experience of the dancers that I work with. So. I hope that they, they get value from my experience somehow. 

[00:08:58] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, it's because I was reading your biog on the Birmingham Royal Ballet's website, and I was really interested in the fact that you got a master's degree in sport and exercise psychology.

And is that something that You needed yourself as a dancer. Is that something that you help other dancers with? Because there's a lot of pressure as a ballet performer, because not only to get your body in top peak condition, but of course, you've, you've got to worry about your weight and your, and your shape.

So is that where something where that master's degree comes in handy? 

[00:09:36] Kit Holder (BRB): Yes, it undoubtedly influences the way that I work with dancers. I think really in every aspect of the work I do with dancers, it helps. Whether that's around putting things in place, throughout the season to help dancers manage, for example, pre performance anxiety or motivation or various associated stresses.

You know, for example, the Cinderella tour, which opens in Southampton, runs until I believe the beginning of April. We do a lot of performances of it. It's tiring. It's exhausting. So dancers have to have a psychological skill set in place to ensure that between us all, we're delivering the standard of performance that Birmingham Royal Ballet audiences should expect.

Every single time that can be a challenge. I'm really proud and confident to say that we do do that. And I think as time goes on, we're learning more and more about all aspects of health and well being for dancers and how to safeguard our people here, dancers and all the rest of the departments of our organization all with the aim of delivering the performances to the best possible standard.

[00:11:09] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, that's, that must be quite Not only satisfying, where you see it work so well on stage, but also a challenge behind stage. Because of course, you have to build yourself up to the part, you do the show, you're full of adrenaline when you come off. And then it's, I suppose, is that, is that the trickier part?

Is that after the show, managing that adrenaline late at night? Then making sure that the next day everyone is you know, any nooks, any, any, any aches or pains that looked after but also at the same time, just trying to get people back into the real world and then back into into make believe later that night.

[00:11:50] Kit Holder (BRB): Yeah, it is one of the challenges of, of our performance schedule, and I think touring can exacerbate that. Southampton, we're quite lucky, you know, after the performance, there's plenty of good places to get good quality food. The hotels are nice, you know, where Southampton isn't a challenge for us. But it can be, as you say, you know, you need to calm down after a show and recover, relax, make sure you're fueling the body up ready for the show.

next day's two performances. And it's something again, that in the company, we're trying to put everything in place to support dancers and make sure they've got all that knowledge and as much help as we can give them. 

[00:12:33] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): So we're coming to the end and I've, I, I want to give you the opportunity to write because you know, when, when you, when you have a poster and this no doubt will say Cinderella by the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

And then underneath there's a quote, what would Kit Holder's quote be for this show? 

[00:12:59] Kit Holder (BRB): Well, you know, the thing is, this, this, we're, we're in this post Christmas period now where everyone's a bit sort of post festive. And isn't Blue Monday is around this time of year and it's supposed to be one of the darkest, most downbeat points in the year.

And I, I think it's a perfect time, I genuinely believe this. It's a perfect time to come and watch a show like this. It's escapism. It's beautiful. And it's the best two and a half hours that you will have. this year, and it's the best two and a half hours to spend that money on this year. I personally guarantee that and if anybody wants to take me up on it, they can write to me at Birmingham Royal Ballet, tell me why they didn't agree.

[00:13:44] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Fantastic. You're really, really putting your neck on the line there, aren't you? I believe 

[00:13:51] Kit Holder (BRB): it. I do. I believe it. 

[00:13:52] Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Brilliant. Well, Kit Holder, it's been a pleasure speaking with you. He's artistic coordinator at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, a former first soloist, and Cinderella opens its tour at Mayflower Theatre on Thursday, the 6th of February.

Kit, thank you very much for your time and we wish you best of luck with the tour. 

[00:14:13] Kit Holder (BRB): Thank you so much.

Prof. Neil Gregor is the author of numerous works on Nazi Germany including his forthcoming monograph The Symphony Concert in Nazi Germany (University of Chicago Press, 2025).

Anoushka Alexander-Rose’s research centres on the motif of Jewishness in the life and work of the Russian/American author, Vladimir Nabockof.

In this episode they discuss

Overview of the Parkes Institute overview (its history, who was James Parkes etc.) and the Institute’s Outreach provision (school visits, lectures, film screenings, events, exhibitions)

Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Day  -  commemorative event on Monday 27th January 2025 run by the university of Southampton on behalf of the city, what HMD is, how the Parkes Institute runs it and the guest of honour Janine Webber.

Plus Prof. Neil Gregor discusses music from Nazi Germany, and also Leon Kaczmarek compositions from Dachau, whilst Anoushka talks about future Institute events including the Wandering Jew exhibition, and a screening of ‘A Real Pain’
 

Discover more at the Parkes Institute

Presenter: Xan Phillips

The show was a diverse collection of powerhouse Southampton musicians and was part of the Mayflower 400 programme. 

The day before the performance, Tunde visited the Voice FM studios and was interviewed by Xan Phillips during News at Drive.

During the engaging conversation you’ll hear about he crafted the songs around the stories of Southampton’s migrant communities, collected through the City Archive and a new National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported oral history project. 

He weaves this testimony into a variety of styles of music into something Tunde Jegede, composer of ‘Voyages of the Heart’ describes the piece as: 

“…about heritage, journeys, migration and the transitory sense of home and identities… [asking] pivotal questions of our perception of culture, memory, race and how we see the world.”

Supported by funding from Arts Council England, Southampton City Council and the University of Southampton, the piece involves 25 migrant community musicians from a range of backgrounds and disciplines including: Gospel singers; an operatic choir, a Gaelic singer, and an Indian classical music vocalist.

Instruments include: a string quartet, Irish folk violin and flute, guitar, Sitar, Oud, Tabla, drums and bass. 

The piece beautifully blends these varied styles together to create a multi-layered musical journey which is reflective of Southampton’s multicultural population.

You can buy/steam the album on Amazon 

Known for his off-beat humour and sensational performances on the piano, Kev has been recognised as one of the world’s finest comedy pianists.

This interview with Xan Phillips covers all aspects of his career, from his early days as a classical pianist to the first time he made people laugh.

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk (Saturday 14 December 2024 – Sunday 5 January 2025) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811. 

It’s all about Vivien, a good time girl, down on her luck, and looking for love; who meets Edward the rich sophisticate whose life is empty.

It is coming to the Mayflower Theatre from  22nd July and here to tell us more about the show is Ore Oduba, who some may recall from Newsround, but most will know him as the Winner of the 14th series of Strictly Come Dancing, who plays the hotel manger Mr Thompson and Happy Man (pictured)

photo credit: Marc Brenner

Interviewed by Xan Phillips

Buy you tickets at Mayflower Theatre

In this show we meet Tamia Strickland one of the dancers in New York’s Ailey II, a showcase for the best  new talent the US has to offer.

Founded by the legendary 60’s dancer Alvin Ailey, the company embodies his pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training, and community programs for all people. 

Since its 1974 inception, Ailey 2 has flourished into one of the most popular modern dance companies, combining a rigorous touring schedule with extensive community outreach programs. 

Today, with new Artistic Director Francesca Harper at the helm, she brings fresh perspectives to Mr. Ailey’s legacy, while nurturing new creative voices and propelling the company forward.

Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the finest early-career dance talent in the United States with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding and emerging choreographers. 

Dance Magazine calls Ailey II 'second to none', and The New York Times declares, 'There's nothing like an evening spent with Ailey II, the younger version of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.'

photo credit: Ailey II's Tamia Strickland. Photo by Nir Arieli

Discover more at https://www.alvinailey.org/ailey-ii-repertory

In this edition we’ll be meeting actress and singer Carly Mercedes Dyer who has performed in Six the Musical, and will star as Faye Treadwell, in the touring production of The Drifters Girl which opens at Mayflower Theatre in Southampton (12th - 16th Sept 2023) ahead of a major UK & Ireland tour.

Nominated for Best New Musical at the 2022 Olivier Awards, this smash-hit show is a real audience pleaser with a phenomenal soundtrack packed full of iconic Drifters hits including Saturday Night At The Movies, Save The Last Dance For Me, and Stand By Me!

The story focuses on Faye Treadwell is the legendary manager of The Drifters who refused to give up on the group she loved and delivers the truth about the woman who made the Drifters the legends they are.

For tickets visit: https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/the-drifters-girl-2023/