SONDHEIM AT 80: UK Theatre Stars: If I Could Play Any Sondheim Character...

UK editor-in-chief Carrie Dunn talks to West End stars about their favourite Sondheim shows - and the roles they'd love to play

Claire Greenway
Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act

Oh, this is far too hard. I'm a Sondheim junkie! My favourite show swings between Into the Woods, Company and Merrily. Company was my first introduction; the BBC showed the Donmar Warehouse version with Adrian Lester and my mum taped it for me, she knew I'd love it.

Parts I'd like to play? Now - Little Red Riding Hood, or any of the women in Company. In the future - The Baker's Wife, Fosca in Passion, Mary in Merrily, Sally in Follies.

Daniel Boys
Formerly Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q

This is easy! Favourite show - Sweeney Todd. And I'd love to play Bobby in Company.

Simon Greiff
Actor/director

I have always been a big fan & admirer of the work of Stephen Sondheim. In my final year at Drama School I played Tobias in Sweeney Todd - my most favourite Sondheim show - and it's a role I always hoped I'd get to play as a professional. At the very start of my career I was lucky enough to work on the world premiere of Saturday Night - it was actually Sondheim's very first musical which had never made it to stage at that point - where I was also fortunate enough to meet and work with the man himself. Now I'm a little older, Jack from Into The Woods and Henrik from A Little Night Music are probably long gone, but there's always Charlie in Merrily We Roll Along, The Baker in Into The Woods and Bobby in Company.

Annalene Beechey
Actress and singer

I've performed in three of my all time favourite Sondheims - Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music and Into The Woods - but I'm a huge fan of his work and would love to be involved in any of his shows. I would certainly love to play Clara in Passion and Amy in Company, but some of his best female roles I have yet to grow into. I have recently recorded two of my favourite Sondheim songs on my debut album and hope to record more in the future.

Paul Spicer
Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q

I'd LOVE to play Jack in Into The Woods!

Samantha Barks
I'd Do Anything, formerly Sally Bowles in Cabaret

He has so many great shows! I think my favourite would be Sweeney Todd. If I could play any part in a Sondheim show it would probably be Louise in Gypsy because I think it would be great fun!

Matt Harrop
Les Miserables, The Rocky Horror Show

My favourite is Into The Woods; I love how the second act goes off at a tangent and becomes dark.

My favourite part that I would like to play...well, it has to be Sweeney Todd. I did it at drama college, but only for three shows as it was a part-sharing show. He is so dark, but ultimately he realises his folly - so sad...."Life is for the alive, my dear."

Lucy Trodd
Showstopper! The Musical

If you count West Side Story that'd be my favourite all- time show: genius. If not, a very close second is Into The Woods. I'd love to play the Witch but I think I'd be more of a Baker's Wife. I'd love to play Mrs Lovett. Actually, this is the ultimate best story. Oh, I've changed my mind, I want to play Red Riding Hood in Into The Woods!

Tiffany Graves
Helene in the soon-to-open West End transfer of Sweet Charity

My favourite Sondheim show has to be A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum [which Tiffany performed in at the National] as I have such happy memories from it and would like to be one of the old dears in Follies in my dotage as it was one of my first jobs and it would be nice to go full circle.

 

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