BWW Interviews: CHICAGO London's New Billy Flynn, David Bedella

Hi David, welcome to BWW:UK. How's Chicago?

It's fabulous. We jumped in with both feet (laughs). It was really fast.

Yes - you had a really short rehearsal period, didn't you?

Yes! The first week I had four days. It was quite frightening. The worst thing is that you don't go through the process with other actors. You're not all fumbling around together. They all know what they're doing, and I have to fit in there as best as I can. 

You also mentioned on your Facebook that there's a high energy level among the cast and you were feeling a little bit old...

(laughs) Well, sometimes! I have to remind myself that I am the age that I am. I've been dancing and acting for so many years. 

I get tired just watching the cast of Chicago to be honest.

And aren't they gorgeous? It's the most beautiful cast I've ever worked with.

Well, you were working with a gorgeous cast in The Rocky Horror Show, which you were doing for a while.

It's true, there is no shortage of beautiful people around me! It's a lovely perk to my work. I did a year and a half [in Rocky Horror] the first time, and then took about two years off, and then went back for another year and a half. So it was a good three years on and off.

Did you feel like you had unfinished business with the character, or were you having too much fun?

It was a great opportunity. I wasn't sure I would ever do it again after the first time - it was a lot of work, and it was exhausting. After the first tour I had to do nothing for a month solid. But when it was offered again, and in such a flattering way - I found out that ATG had a barrage of phone calls and emails to bring David Bedella back - it was a really nice way to go back, knowing I was appreciated by the audiences, and was actually asked for. And I thought that's a great reason to do it again.

I'm a huge fan of the show in general and loved the last tour - did you know the film before you went into it?

Slightly, but a long time ago!

And now playing Billy Flynn after Frank N Furter and Satan - you're making a bit of a niche for yourself playing these amoral characters, which is odd because you're a religious man, aren't you?

Yes, I would call myself religious. I don't necessarily think of these characters as amoral. The reason I'm drawn to them is because they are larger than life. They are very big with their emotions and what they do on stage. I also think if you're going to be a bit of a baddie, you've got to be very charming and likeable for the audience, and that's always a real challenge - how do I show the darker side and still have the audience love him? It's one of the things that draws me to them.

What should I expect from your Billy Flynn, then?

(laughs) Oh, he's a bit of a rascal. Underneath it all, you can find a heart of gold in there. He'd charming, and funny, and strong - he's a man's man, so I'm strutting around in a tuxedo, and it's a lovely shift. Frank was glamorous - but this is glamorous in a whole different way!

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