Interview

Neil Patrick Harris

Becky Wicks caught up with the lovely Neil Patrick Harris, star of Tick, Tick...Boom at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Nattering away on his way back from the gym he talked about London nightlife, tipping in restaurants and not Doogie Howser.

So Neil, you just got a new pad in NYC. How does London's nightlife compare to the big apple?

I'm shocked at how early everything closes here. But people start earlier. I miss the late nightlife in NYC but then again I sing and burn so much energy in the show that it's probably good - I get to go home and sleep. I like the tube more than the NY subway though, you've got cushioned seats, and I love the woman who says "Mind the gap".

Yeah, she's um, great. Tick, Tick... Boom was an autobiographical account of Jonathan Larson's life. Do you have anything in common with the main character? What do you like most about the role?

It's really something for people who are approaching 30 to take a look at what that means to them. I think turning 30 is a chance to re-identify with yourself. Larson spent a lot of time living on the LES and working in a restaurant while he wrote, and he thought a lot about whether or not he would have to do that forever. I'm not really like him, thankfully I've been quite lucky in my career, but it's always good to re-evaluate things and think about what else you want to do.

Rent had a major impact when it first opened and Tick, Tick... Boom has also been pretty successful in America. What do you think it is about Larson's musicals that make them so appealing?

He has a knack for meaningful lyrics. The more you listen, the deeper they become. I loved Rent when I first heard it, but it grew on me and so did Tick, Tick... Boom. Some songs are more interesting than others and sometimes the ones that never stood out at first end up being the best to perform. A lot of his work was written in the same genre, but Larson wrote great ballads and great rock songs too.

There's a cool scene in the show about working a horrible restaurant job. Knowing what you know about the brunch shift and serving nasty customers, are you a decent tipper when you eat out?

Yes. I'm a good tipper, depending on the service. I tip based on whether they did the little things like re-fill my glass. If they're bad I won't tip, just to prove a point. My parents own a restaurant in the States (Albuquerque) so I know how it works. Tax here is confusing - they add 12.5% in restaurants and you don't know what for. It doesn't seem to go to the waitress.

We don't know where British tax goes either. Do you prefer playing Mark in Rent or Jonathan? Big stage and big cast or small scale productions?

There are good things about being in both. Mark was more a colour on the pallet whereas Jonathan is the ringmaster of the whole show. I have more artistic control in a smaller show. But it doesn't really matter. Sometimes you can have the smallest role in the smallest production and still make a big impact.

Have you ever considered writing a musical about your life?

I haven't ever thought about it! If I wrote a musical it wouldn't be about me. Although I do do some magic, so it would probably be about a magician who appeared and re-appeared all over the place.

Us Brits changed the name of the movie you were in to Harold and Kumar get the munchies, because we've never heard of White Castle. Tell us about White Castle - should we be jealous we don't have one?

I only worked on that movie for two days and it was a small part but it's the one that most people remember me for. White Castle is a sort of smaller fast food chain in the middle of the country where you can buy bite-sized burgers called Sliders in packs of 4. It's a late night experience best saved for being under the influence of something. I'm not quite sure if they slide in better or out the other end.

Sounds minging, Neil. Tell us about Starship Troopers.

It was great fun to work on something with blue screens and big budget special effects. Denise Richards was nice to look at too, of course.

Do you have any exciting projects on the horizon?

Yes, I'm going back to LA in August to film a TV pilot for a show called "How I Met Your Mother", along the same lines as "Two And A Half Men" with Charlie Sheen. It's quite exciting. Hopefully it will reach the UK too.

It's Father's Day on Sunday, what are you getting your dad?

My parents are actually coming over this weekend to see the show, so I got him tickets to see Billy Elliot, which I loved. I heard they've got a school where they spit out lots of Billy Elliot's - but no, I've got no plans to be a ballet dancer at the moment.

It's your birthday tomorrow, which makes you a Gemini. Are you a typical Gemini do you think - egocentric, imaginative and restless?

As for being imaginative, definitely, and I'm restless too. Luckily I have the kind of job where if I get bored with something I can move on, take up another role and re-invent myself. Life is like lots of little chapters really. I'm more self-deprecating than egocentric I think.

Ok Neil, so flatter our ego. How much do you love lastminute.com?

I actually used you guys to book a trip to Paris and it was great!

And off he jogs, back to the theatre for another performance of Tick, Tick... Boom.

Buy Tick Tick Boom tickets here.

By Becky Wicks
Thursday June 16