Page 14 - Phonebox Magazine September 2015

The Buzz speaks to... Hairspray star Tony Maudsley
“I’m returning to the stage after 12 years, and I’m doing it in three-inch heels!”
With actors including John Travolta and Michael Ball having played the role before him, Tony Maudsley is a little
nervous to step into Edna Turnblad’s sparkly heels in Hairspray.
The musical, all about a big girl with big hair and her fight to dance on national TV, returns in a brand new production arriving at the Northampton Royal & Derngate from September 28th until October 3rd.
“I’ve only seen the show once in 2001, but I’m very aware of the 2007 film with John Travolta. His performance is
very different to what is required on
stage, and Michael Ball played it in the West End,” Tony explains. “I don’t want to do a copy cat of what he’s done – I want to be Edna 2015!”
And he’s no stranger to Northampton: “I have lots
of friends who I shared
flats with in London who
all moved en mass to
Northampton!”
With the soundtrack on repeat
in his car, Tony has spent the past
few months getting into character to play
Tracey’s larger than life mother, Edna (famously always played by a man).
“I’ve been going to the gym three times a week to prepare for it, because I have to be fit enough to go on stage every night and do it. I’m really looking forward to it, and looking forward to stop going to
the gym!” he laughs.
It’s Tony’s first time on stage in 12 years, having spent
thepastfewyearsbecomingknownforhisTVroles, including Kenneth in Benidorm.
He says: “It’s been 18 years since I’ve done a musical. It’s very different from TV because you have to learn the whole script and you only get
one go on stage.
“It’s about getting yourself ready for a two
hour show, it’s like getting on a roller- coaster. You can’t get off it and that’s exciting, it’s why actors always
go back to theatre.”
Set in 1960s Baltimore, the musical has darker undertones as classmates are separated
by their race on and off the screen.
“It’s an all singing all dancing show written more
than 30 years ago, but it addresses issues that are still current today, issues like racism.”
He adds: “My life is based in London. I like the idea of getting and meeting the rest of the country. I’ll be stepping back on stage in three-inch heels – I just hope I don’t break
my ankle!”
Tickets: £22 on (01604) 624811 or go to royalandderngate.co.uk.
Entertainment Listings
Shrek The Musical, MK Theatre, until 6th
The Big Chris Barber Band, The Stables, 3rd
Brave New World, Royal & Derngate, 4th-26th
MisFitz, The Stables, 4th
Alice Zawadski, The Quarry Theatre Bedford, 4th
Mister Maker, Royal & Derngate, 5-6th
Shakatak, The Stables, 5th
Voice of the Heart, The Stables, 6th
Doc Brown, The Stables, 8th
Dara O’Briain, MK Theatre, 9th
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells for Two, The Stables, 9th The Hollies, MK Theatre, 10th
Bedlam Breakout 20, The Roadmender N’Pton, 11-13th Sean Hughes, The Stables, 11th
The Hair Rock Experience, Bedford Corn Exchange, 11th
John Dexter Jones & JUMP, The Stables, 12th Jackson Live, MK Theatre, 13th
John Lee’s Barclay James Harvest, The Stables, 13th The Billy Fury Years, Royal & Derngate, 13th
Doc Brown, Royal & Derngate, 13th
Fawlty Towers, Chrysalis Theatre, 14th
The Importance of Being Earnest, MK Theatre, 15-19th Worbey and Farrell’s House Party, The Stables, 15th Juliet Kelly, The Stables, 15th
24 Hours from Tulsa, Royal & Derngate, 15th
Martin Taylor, The Stables, 16th
The Nimmo Brothers, The Stables, 17th
Roy Orbison & Friends, Royal & Derngate, 17th
The Real Thing, The Stables, 18th
Nim Grey, The Stables, 18th
Strictly Africa, Royal & Derngate, 18th
Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers, The Stables, 19th Jane Taylor, The Stables, 19th
An Evening with Aggers, Royal & Derngate, 19th 100 Years of Jazz in 99 Minutes, The Stables, 20th Simply Dylan, The Stables, 21st
Bernie Marsden, The Stables, 23rd
Marty Wilde, The Stables, 24th
The ELO Experience, Royal & Derngate, 24th Tenors Unlimited, The Stables, 25th
Douglass Scott lecture, Chrysalis Theatre, 26th The Sounds Of, Royal & Derngate, 26th
Jethro, Bedford Corn Exchange, 27th
Squeeze, MK Theatre, 29th
Namvula, The Stables, 30th
14 Phonebox Magazine