In The Spotlight - James Nelson
How long have you been performing in showsI first started performing when in was in year 8 at Woodbrook vale- I think that would have made me 12
What got you interested in music / theatre
I only really joined the school production to get to go on the production trip to london- which meant you got a couple of days off school! However as i started the production i realised i quite enjoyed it, and have carried on since
What was your first show
My first show was at Woodbrook vale and was called "the rocky monster picture show" which was a kids version of the rocky horror show crossed with other horror film like young frankinstein. It was good fun! My first show at the town hall was Joseph with christchurch and i was one of the brothers. i loved that so much that i also then joined greasepaint for My Fair Lady and was one of the cockney quartet.
What has been your favourite show and/or character and why
I have enjoyed and been lucky to play some really nice parts. For pure enjoyment the pharoh in greasepaints joseph was great fun- fantastic full houses and amazing reactions to my solo " song of the king " for that run. I also enjoyed playing LT. Cable in South Pacfic immensley up in Newcastle and Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Newcastle Theatre Royal ( a beautiful theatre which made me decide that theatre was what i wanted to do with my career)
However all those parts are eclipsed by Billy Bigelow in Carousel. Just a joy to play a charecter with so many diffrent emotions. I find most leading men charecters to be very flimsy and light but Billy has everything. To be able to sing the soliquay was always a dream for me and with it being the last show i did for greaepaint made it even more special. Those tears on the saturday night were all real. I also am the worlds most over critical person , but i really am proud of how i played that role
What has been your most embarassing or funniest moment in a show
Possibly forgetting to bring a gun on as seymour in little shop to threaten the dentist charecter. I realised just as i was going on stage that i had forgot it , and instead grabbed the nearest thing.which was a large metel bolt. I then had to pretend it was a gun. Felt a bit daft, espcially as one of the lines was " what you going to do with that gun seymour? shoot me" .oh dear
also i grabbed the wrong pair of trousers during a very quick change whilst on the QE2 Cruise ship - and managed to pick up my abba catsuit trousers. Which do not go well with a white tuxedo top. i loooked very silly
Describe the best and worst costumes you have had to wear
Abba cat suit- horrible beyond words- i think there is a photo somewhere on facebook with me in it.
Playing a woman in la cage aux folllies was not my finest hour.
On the good side - i quite like a nice suit, my beast costume from beauty and the beast , and my leather gaston/eugene jacket from Loughborough towns halls panto beauty and the beast - that was nice
What has been your proudest moment
Two moments stand out - The whole week of Billy Bigelow, and then recently getting to play sir Bedevere in the national tour of spamalot. I had always dreamed that i could one day play a principal part in a national tour/west end. And i got to live out that dream. Whats more it went incredibly well. Hopefully the first of many
If you could choose any show to perform in, what would it be and why
Les Mis would be the dream for any musical theatre performer , id also like a go at playing Sweeney Todd one day
Do you have any plans to pursue theatre as a career
Unfortunatly i am mad enough to be doing this. Its not an easy choice as work can come and go - im in spamalot until July and after that we will see what comes next. Hopefully i have now got my foot in the door but ill take it a day and an audition at the time!