Interview: Kit Orton & Geinor Styles on TOM - A STORY OF TOM JONES THE MUSICAL

BWW:UK recently caught up with the star of Theatr na nÓg's upcoming production of Tom - A Story of Tom Jones The Musical Kit Orton and Director Geinor Styles at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham, ahead of their UK tour.

Kit, have you always been a fan of Tom Jones?

K: I am a fan of vocalists and singers that sound interesting and he definitely sounds interesting! He's not like anyone else around and even now he's still one of a kind - that's fascinating to me. There's never been a moment when I've heard him and thought "who is this guy?" Every time I hear him sing, I have to listen to the whole song from start to finish because all the little eccentricities going on in his voice are so amazing for a singer to listen to. You just think "how does he do that?" I spent my teens copying vocalists; obviously Tom and Freddie Mercury, Lionel Ritchie, Stevie Wonder. I tried to work out what they were doing with their voices.

Tom has an extremely distinctive voice. How much have you had to adapt your singing voice to suit the role?

K: I've had to move stuff to the back of my throat. There's a way he pronounces things as well such as closing off vowel sounds. He also does little yodels which makes it really distinctive. I don't profess to singing exactly like Tom Jones, I don't think anyone can or ever will. It's not an impersonation, it's not an impression, it's just picking up on those little unconventionalities that he has. I trained in opera and that helps as he has an incredibly operatic pop voice.

Do you feel pressure going into a show where there is already that heightened sense of expectation from the audience?

K: Yes, absolutely. Every time I walk on stage, I feel like there's an audience all sat with their arms folded thinking, "Go on then, show us Tom!" A close friend of mine said he'd also gone for the audition, which I didn't know at the time, but sadly didn't get it. Then he came to the show wondering who they'd hired. Some people just want to come and have a good time and aren't bothered about who's playing Tom but you get others who are almost willing you to fail! Because he is so iconic, there is a massive amount of pressure but I've had to push that to the back of my mind and know that I'm confident in what I can do and my abilities. From the number of people they saw for the role, I wouldn't have been cast in something I couldn't handle. So now I just go out, throw my hips around and just sing! I sing the best I can, putting in those hints eight shows a week. You just have to hope the audience accepts you. I'm the only person that sings in the show so it's a solo every time. There's seventeen songs so it's full on but it's the most fun I've ever had. When you have got a live band behind you, there's no feeling like it.

There is a fine line between doing an impression of someone and acting as that person for a performance. How are you preparing for the role prior to going into rehearsals?

K: A lot of it is about fitness because of the physical side of what Tom looked like. I don't look like Tom Jones, there's no getting around that. But when you dress like someone and have their physicality, I think people forget that very quickly...especially with the wig! By the end of the tour, the wig will probably be able to have its own curtain call! Vocal stamina-wise, I will do about a month's work leading up to it. Singing every day and doing a vocal warm-up which has been designed specifically for me. 'With These Hands' is the hardest song to sing as once it gets up there in range, it just stays there and Tom just powers it out. During the show, I have a bit of a warm up to it but singing it dead off the bat is really hard. 'It's Not Unusual' has nothing on that! Once I get to that song in the show, I feel fine and in good territory. All of the songs are quite high but 'With These Hands', in particular, is a killer.

Is there a particular song that you can't wait to perform?

K: 'What'd I Say' because within it, it's got a dance routine that's hilariously Tom! It's weird, all over the place yet so full of life. There's a part of it where the band dies down completely and I do this build up where I'm just thrusting at the audience bar after bar after bar! The giggles and screams that come from the audience are hilarious. My personal favourite song however is probably 'With These Hands' as I like a challenge. I also love 'Thunderball'; I know Tom fainted at the end of the recording because of the effort required.

Geinor, what do you think it is about Tom Jones' life and the man himself that lends itself to being created on stage as a musical?

G: I think it's the fact that he honed his craft and worked really hard. He knew he had a great voice but that's not enough. The fact he went around all those pubs and clubs night after night, learning how to present himself and how to perform the songs - I think it's that. But also, coming from South Wales, if you have ambition and aspiration you have to really work hard. These things are very key to me with Tom.

Although the show is dubbed as a musical, is the show more of a biographical play set to music?

G: The music is so key to Tom's life. He said if he couldn't sing, he wouldn't know what to do. It's brilliant how this play works actually. Writer Mike James has crafted it really well so we start off acappella with a male voice choir and the roots of where he's from; then it builds to Tom on his own, Tom with a piano and Tom with a band. It takes us on a musical journey so I think it is a musical in the best possible way.

What made you choose to go down the route of using actor/musicians?

G: We needed brilliant actors who were also amazing musicians and that's what we've got. The band play a lot together and you can sense the intuition they have between them. Their charm and love of playing comes across greatly and it was important that it was not a pit band show.

As the Director, what do you forsee the ultimate challenges being for this production?

G: The biggest challenge is that people don't know the Theatr na nÓg. This is uncharted territory for us so it's getting those audiences on the first night to go and tell all of their friends what a brilliant night they had. Also, it's always a big thing that you need a name in a show and I'm not being rude but Tom is the name!

What can audiences expect from the show?

G: They can expect great comedy and Welsh charm. Also it's really fast paced and has a great rhythm to it with the energy from the band drives it along. It feels like you're at a gig but with a strong story behind it.

What is your personal favourite Tom Jones song?

G: It's between 'Thunderball' because he sings it so amazingly or 'Mama Told Me Not To Come' with the Stereophonics.

Tom - A Story of Tom Jones The Musical begins touring in March 2016. Please visit www.tomthemusical.co.uk.