Perdita
02-12-2008, 09:39
Magician, Tom Jones impersonator, professional darts player, co-hosting a TV show with Mariah Carey... is there any challenge Justin Lee Collins can't handle? The comedian and presenter's latest task is to perform in a West End production of Chicago for Sky1's new series Justin Collins Is..., requiring him to sing, dance and act as Amos Hart in the musical production's 11th birthday celebrations. We gave the cheery West Country comic a call to find out how it all came about.
How did you end up landing a part in Chicago?
"I've done a lot of TV work in the last couple of years where I take on new and different challenges. I did one film about darts, which I've been a huge fan of all my life, where I tried to make it on the professional circuit. We did that one with Sky1 and it went down really well, so they approached me about [doing] more challenges. I've always been a fan of singing and when I was a kid I wanted to be an actor on stage, so I thought, 'Let's see if I can get myself in a West End show!'"
Are you not scared about getting up on stage with such little practice?
"I'm very nervous. It's not so much the getting up on stage because I've done that in my life in various incarnations, whether it be as a stand-up or a Tom Jones impersonator. This, of course, is something very different. I've never done musical theatre before in my life and to be honest, it's the acting side of things that makes me more nervous than the song. My character Amos Hart only gets one song, 'Mr Cellophane', but I have to act in half a dozen major scenes. I'm also being taught choreography and I'm not dancer! The combination of all three - singing, dancing and acting - has me worried."
This is part of a new series of shows for Sky1. What else are you doing?
"Well, we're making three shows. There's ballroom dancing, my West End journey and Mexican wrestling! We're working on Mexican wrestling at the moment. It's called Lucha Libre. It's free-fighting and a bit like that Jack Black film Nacho Libre. It's like WWE, but a bit more vicious. I've been in Mexico City working with a Luchadore by the name of Cassandro, who has been trying to get me fit for the challenge."
You are also doing a new show for Sky called Oops TV. What's that going to be?
"It's a new clip show that I've just started working on. I did three shows yesterday. It's very much in the style of You've Been Framed, which Harry Hill does now. It's a clip show with a twist because there's a heavy dose of irony involved. We all know what clip shows are and I think the brilliant thing Harry Hill has done is that he's given the format a whole new lease of life. The clip show is interesting again and without Harry Hill's work I probably wouldn't have done it. He's elevated the format and hopefully Oops TV will do something similar."
What are the plans for the festive Sunday Night Project?
"Well there is Simon Pegg as the celebrity host. We'll begin work on that in about two weeks. I love Pegg and he's a big fan of the show apparently so I'm really looking forward to doing it. He's also in the new Star Trek film and I've just done a new show called Bring Back Star Trek, which will hopefully coincide with the release of the new film. I've literally just finished work on two Bring Back shows - Star Trek and Fame. The Fame one, which reunites the TV show and film cast, will be on over Christmas."
Is there anyone left that you and Alan want to get on Sunday Night Project as the guest host?
"Both me and Al would really love George Michael to do it. He's been asked more than once, but he won't do it. I think it's because we had a sketch, which I remember well, which featured a George Michael lookalike. I don't know if this is true, but we've heard that he didn't take too kindly to it. But we would desperately love him to do it. We'd also love Kylie to join us. I'm a massive fan of hers. I think they are realistic targets and they'd be great for the show."
You should try to get Britney Spears following her X Factor 'performance'.
"Oh man, she would be amazing! That's another, let's add her to the list. Her performance on Saturday was still a bit wrong, wasn't it? I love the track 'Womanizer', but she's clearly not firing on all cylinders. Didn't you think the performance seemed to be done at half-pace? It was like the run-through. I think some very good directing and choppy camera work helped it. But then again, I'm not a dancer, so who am I to judge?"
Justin Lee Collins appears in Chicago at 8pm December 4 and 5pm and 8.30pm on December 5 at the Cambridge Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at chicagothemusical.com.
How did you end up landing a part in Chicago?
"I've done a lot of TV work in the last couple of years where I take on new and different challenges. I did one film about darts, which I've been a huge fan of all my life, where I tried to make it on the professional circuit. We did that one with Sky1 and it went down really well, so they approached me about [doing] more challenges. I've always been a fan of singing and when I was a kid I wanted to be an actor on stage, so I thought, 'Let's see if I can get myself in a West End show!'"
Are you not scared about getting up on stage with such little practice?
"I'm very nervous. It's not so much the getting up on stage because I've done that in my life in various incarnations, whether it be as a stand-up or a Tom Jones impersonator. This, of course, is something very different. I've never done musical theatre before in my life and to be honest, it's the acting side of things that makes me more nervous than the song. My character Amos Hart only gets one song, 'Mr Cellophane', but I have to act in half a dozen major scenes. I'm also being taught choreography and I'm not dancer! The combination of all three - singing, dancing and acting - has me worried."
This is part of a new series of shows for Sky1. What else are you doing?
"Well, we're making three shows. There's ballroom dancing, my West End journey and Mexican wrestling! We're working on Mexican wrestling at the moment. It's called Lucha Libre. It's free-fighting and a bit like that Jack Black film Nacho Libre. It's like WWE, but a bit more vicious. I've been in Mexico City working with a Luchadore by the name of Cassandro, who has been trying to get me fit for the challenge."
You are also doing a new show for Sky called Oops TV. What's that going to be?
"It's a new clip show that I've just started working on. I did three shows yesterday. It's very much in the style of You've Been Framed, which Harry Hill does now. It's a clip show with a twist because there's a heavy dose of irony involved. We all know what clip shows are and I think the brilliant thing Harry Hill has done is that he's given the format a whole new lease of life. The clip show is interesting again and without Harry Hill's work I probably wouldn't have done it. He's elevated the format and hopefully Oops TV will do something similar."
What are the plans for the festive Sunday Night Project?
"Well there is Simon Pegg as the celebrity host. We'll begin work on that in about two weeks. I love Pegg and he's a big fan of the show apparently so I'm really looking forward to doing it. He's also in the new Star Trek film and I've just done a new show called Bring Back Star Trek, which will hopefully coincide with the release of the new film. I've literally just finished work on two Bring Back shows - Star Trek and Fame. The Fame one, which reunites the TV show and film cast, will be on over Christmas."
Is there anyone left that you and Alan want to get on Sunday Night Project as the guest host?
"Both me and Al would really love George Michael to do it. He's been asked more than once, but he won't do it. I think it's because we had a sketch, which I remember well, which featured a George Michael lookalike. I don't know if this is true, but we've heard that he didn't take too kindly to it. But we would desperately love him to do it. We'd also love Kylie to join us. I'm a massive fan of hers. I think they are realistic targets and they'd be great for the show."
You should try to get Britney Spears following her X Factor 'performance'.
"Oh man, she would be amazing! That's another, let's add her to the list. Her performance on Saturday was still a bit wrong, wasn't it? I love the track 'Womanizer', but she's clearly not firing on all cylinders. Didn't you think the performance seemed to be done at half-pace? It was like the run-through. I think some very good directing and choppy camera work helped it. But then again, I'm not a dancer, so who am I to judge?"
Justin Lee Collins appears in Chicago at 8pm December 4 and 5pm and 8.30pm on December 5 at the Cambridge Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at chicagothemusical.com.