JOHN BARROWMAN: “WHY BE A CELEBRITY ASSHOLE?”

12-12-2007

One of the brightest new telly stars of recent times – John Barrowman of Dr Who and Torchwood fame – will be camping it up over Christmas at The Hippodrome when he stars in the annual panto Aladdin. Terry Wills joins the press scrum, and hears him embrace his celeb status.

Quite apart from his hit telly series, John Barrowman boasts a highly impressive CV starring in many of the worlds’ most popular Musicals.

So it was with a certain amount of fascination that the ladies and gentlemen of the press, plus Television and Radio stations arrived at the what is arguably the UK’s most famous regional theatre in the country, the Birmingham Hippodrome, to hear his thoughts on his latest title role of Aladdin in what is traditionally known as the country’s biggest and best panto.

Even so ‘time travelling’ Captain Jack minus the Tardis met unforeseen problems en route to his first visit to the Midlands “Sorry I’m late I got lost on the Midlands roadway system and finished up at Solihull”!

Questions came thick and fast, almost inevitably focusing on his current smash hit role in Torchwood and inevitably Doctor Who.

How are the Daleks behaving?!

“I only know how they behave in Torchwood and Doctor Who ,and that’s pretty badly but according to the scripts they’re pretty evil as part of Abanazar’s team.

They are official Daleks approved by the BBC complete with the official voice recording the famous words ‘Exterminate, Exterminate!

He admitted to having his own Dalek at home sitting in the hallway to greet any visitors. It was specially made and he enjoyed watching it being made.

If you had three wishes what would they be?

“I don’t need three wishes. I’m living my dream at the moment. But I WOULD wish for other people I know. That may sound corny but it’s not. I have everything I could wish for. A great relationship- a great home and family life - a nice car. No if I had three wishes I’d pass them on to those less fortunate.

Memories and thoughts on pantos?

“I’m British myself and want to share in that tradition as an introduction to bring kids into the theatre That’s why people like myself and others are getting involved in an attempt for others to join audiences in the future. Musical Theatre is one of the biggest mediums for tourism especially in London that’s and Connie and Lee’s success in The Sound of Music and Joseph proves there’s an audience for them”

As to the question of whether selecting amateurs for leading roles from TV reality shows, thus depriving trained professional artists of parts he was in no doubt.

“I have no problem. They were outstanding talents and they wouldn’t have been given the roles if the panel thought they couldn’t handle them To those who complain remember we were all started as amateurs . Get real. Work your butt off and don’t be jealous. People such as Connie and Lee have bought in new theatregoers. Created jobs for up to 300 people. They were ambitious and deserved their success”

How do you treat the discipline needed in roles such as Phantom, Le Mis, and Chicago compared with pantomime? Can you let your hair down if things go wrong?

In those shows the drama is built and in and you just have to carry on Panto it’s just the same if not harder. If things go wrong you have to work round it. At Cardiff I joked ‘Can we rewind it a little, and the audience loved it”

Why do pantomime in Birmingham?.

“It’s something different - I was invited. THIS is the biggest panto in the country and it’s renowned for it’s success. We had the biggest box office takings in the theatre’s history at Cardiff so why not do it in Birmingham?

Paul Elliot the Producer chipped in. “You look for someone who can really carry it off. John is a real performer and the reason for asking him to come to Birmingham.

Would he be staying in the city all of the time?

” I moved in yesterday to try and find my feet like I did this morning because I don’t know the area at all. I’m here to the end of January and will spend Christmas and New Year here, so you’ll see me around”

“In the Bullring?

“I don’t even know where the Bullring is. I’ve seen the signs and thought; Bull Fighting in Birmingham!

“Did you think the role of Captain Jack in Torchwood would be as successful as it has been?

“It’s been one of those life changing moments. We all have such moments in our lives.

It’s allowed me to do things I thought I could never be allowed to do. I can’t walk down a street without being recognised even in my car! Last night when I was driving into town I pulled up at a stop light to ask a driver if I was going in the right directions and his little girl screamed ‘It’s Captain Jack!’ So it’s HAS completely changed everything.

“But I’m all for it. I’m one of those rare few, celebrities (I use that word because that’s what ‘s been given to me). I came into this business to work. In the back of my mind, and in the back of everyone’s mind who comes into this industry, you think I could be a star, I could be a celebrity . So when it happens you can do one of two things. Embrace it and love it or become a hermit .I can never understand those people because you know it could possibly happen. So why become an asshole.? That’s what I don’t understand”

Is Captain Jack anything like John Barrowman?

“Yes. There’s a lot of John Barrowman in Captain Jack and vice versa. And that’s why television is different from theatre. In theatre you play characters by creating the role. With Television you’re looking down a lens. You have to play to one person and not to millions so what you do is to add your own personality. Television is about personality rather than characters so I bring a lot of my own personality to it.

Is Torchwood too raunchy for children?

“It’s not raunchy, it’s adult with adult scenes. It’s a choice for parents whether they let their children watch it or not. If they see them watching it don’t write to us complaining simply press the off button. It’s not our fault. This series we are doing a 9-o-clock version for adults and a repeat pre watershed time with the violence and the gore edited out.

“The sex will stay in because sex is not a dirty word. Everybody does it, we all do it, we do it we just do it in different ways and kids need to understand that. I think it’s a lot better seeing people making love, rather blowing peoples brains out. It’s a lot easier to explain why people are kissing rather than blowing peoples brains out.

“Jack started in Doctor Who when he was a different Captain Jack. When he goes to Torchwood he’s a much darker character, a little more flirtatious than in Doctor Who. There kids saw him kissing the Doctor, kissing boys, kissing girls and quite frankly the kids don’t give a shit, they really don’t care, it’s the adults that bother about it.”

As to the possibility of being pigeonholed for certain parts he was most definite.

“I’m an entertainer. .I do not shine from that word. I’m bringing back what may be known as old school entertainment where you can sing dance and act. That’s what we do in Musical Theatre. I enjoy every single minute of it. Television, Theatre, Film, Radio, I’ve done them all. I enjoy entertaining people”

John Barrowman comes over as a great ambassador for anyone who enjoys the delights of theatre entertainment .Seemingly determined to leave Aladdin’s paying customers, be they adults or children, with fond memories.

After all where else apart from the Birmingham Hippodrome will you be able to see a combination of traditional panto laced with the exterminating Dalek’s and Torchwood’s Captain Jack Harkness?