Profumo The Musical - My Dream Job

Profumo The Musical - in rehearsal at Mill Hill Music Complex

What is your dream job? If you had asked me a week ago, I would have given you a very different answer to the answer I will give you today. As regular readers of the blog will know, I have played in a band for a very long time. They will also know that I did a lot of acting and modelling when I was young. That stopped in 1971, due to my mothers cancer. As a teenager I lost interest in it and moved into music, apart from the  very occasional dabble in film & theatre, usually helping people out. I deliberately chose not to appear in the two films we produced last year about Barnet, for fear of wishing to be seen to be hogging the limelight.

Last Thursday, a very odd thing happened. My job is running a studio complex and one of our customers had made a lengthy booking for auditions and rehearsals for a play. We have lots of projects all the time, so there is nothing unusual about that. On Thursday evening, I was chatting to the producers and asked them how the auditions were going. They said that they had a great cast, but they had not found anyone suitable to play the Kray twins. I was rather surprised. For me, that would be a very juicy role. I asked what the production was. They said "Profumo The Musical". I was intrigued. They then asked if I had any acting experience. I replied that I had, but not for a while. So they auditioned me for the role. They then asked if I knew another suitable "twin". I suggested my good friend big Mo. Mo has worked as an extra in a whole range of movies. We then both auditioned and to my complete amazement, were cast in the role.

Rehearsals were starting on Monday, so there was little time to even think about it. Whilst I am confident in my acting abilities, I was less so with the singing aspect of the role and as for the dance, well that scared me to death. So it was with a little trepidation that I turned up on Monday morning, at my own studios to start work on the show. We were straight into the opening number "You've never had it so good". For me this was scary. Vicky, our  choreographer soon set out the expected dance routines. These were way beyond anything in my field of experience. The rest of the cast, all West End regulars took like fish to water. Myself and big Mo panic'd. Luckily, our role exempted us from these routines. After all the Kray twins were not noted for their song and dance routines. We do however have our own big number - "we'll do you!".  Aswe worked out the scene, it was clear that there was a big challenge to make it work.

Anyway, at the end of day four, after some heavy rehearsals and some sleepless nights, we have it off pat. We have another two weeks to iron it out. I think myself and big Mo make rather good Kray twins. We even get to bully the leader of the opposition in his own home (if only "Listen Ed, we've got an offer you can't refuse!"). What I didn't expect was the sheer joy I have got from working with a talented cast with a brilliant director. I had never really thought about appearing in a musical, let alone dreamed I'd be appearing in a proper production at a London Theatre.

I have learned one lesson this week. It is great to be out of your comfort zone. I have always been a creative person and to be part of such a fantastic project is a dream. It is strange that having played in a band for 34 years, I have suddenly realised how much more there is to a big production number in a musical, as opposed to writing and performing your own songs. Back in 1979, when I first former the False Dots with Pete Conway, we toyed with the idea of writing a punk musical. When I went to Sweden in 1981, the idea was to lock myself away and do this. I wrote 12 songs and a script. I never showed any of it to anyone and I lost it years ago. Maybe this experience will inspire me to try and do it again. The play was semi autobiographical, about the band. I explained it to an ex girlfriend who said "Who'd be interested in you?" That sort of took the wind out of my sails. As it was, I realise now that she was wrong. It wasn't me that was the point of interest, it was the story.

So anyway, that is what I am doing, alongside blogging, planning a new film and trying to run a business. Please come down and check it out. I have found some of the scenes truly awesome. The music is excellent and the cast and crew are superb.  It is also funny and gives a good insight into the age. Here's a link to the theatre for tickets. I'd love to see you there

http://www.waterlooeast.co.uk/profumo%20the%20musical.html

Show Times: 

Wed to Fri at 7.30pm

Sat at 4pm & 7:30pm

Running time approx  120  mins with an interval

All Tickets: £10

Early Bird Offer*: £5 tickets for

Turs 29th & Fri 30th for the first 20 booked online