Interview

Tim Rodgers

By Phil Wilmott

Tim Rogers was virtually unknown to London audiences but recently he's been winning lots of attention and admiration for his uncompromising, searing portrayal as "The Man", the lead character in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind; an escaped convict who's mistaken for Jesus by naive teens in the 1950's American bible belt. We'd already had to cancel one interview appointment when he lost his voice. I'm happy to report that when I saw the show he was back on great form. Off stage he was charmingly self-a-facing and slightly embarrassed about talking to me from a throne-like leather armchair in his dressing room.

Q: So how's the voice?

A: Oh it's fine now, it was a nasty bronchial thing that knocked me out for a few days but I guess it was lucky it happened now in the preview period rather then for opening night.

Q: You've got a long history with this show haven't you?

A: Yes, I played this role for a year the first time that our producer Bill Kenwright toured it and then I came back in for a month the last time that he thought the production was going to go into the West End. For various reasons it didn't happen so I was delighted to be cast in this new version for London. It's been great to work a little with Andrew Lloyd Webber himself.

Q: How has he been involved?

A: In all sorts of ways. He's made lots of little cuts to really help push the action along and generally kept an eye on things.

Q: Do you know how he feels about the orchestrations? I imagine he's used to having a bigger band.

A: He loves it. The musical supervisor David Steadman does an incredible job bringing a real sweep to the score. I think he's Andrew Lloyd Webber's new star.

Q: Have there been many other changes since the last time the show was in London?

A: Well my character is slightly more sympathetic in this version so it's more believable that the young girl, Swallow, likes him. There's a brand new song for this production for when he first sings to all the kids.

Q: I enjoyed that song and Don Black's additional lyrics. What did the character use to sing there?

A: Well, that particular scene has gone through a number changes. Originally he used to sing a very bleak song about a woman who strung the teeth of her murder victims into a necklace. Then there was a song I used to sing called "The Gang" and in this version there's a song called "The Tribe" in which this man, who's pressured into telling a bible story, of which he knows very little, invents this fantasy group of apostles mixing what bible he remembers with heroes from his culture - like James Dean.

Q: It works very well. It gives him vulnerability and a naivety without lessening his strength. And it's very catchy, it picks up on the gospel style of music we've already heard in the bar room number "Cold".

A: Exactly. Being able to use all those different styles of music is one of the benefits of Andrew Lloyd Webber's decision to relocate the action from south Yorkshire, where it's set in the original book and film, to America's bible belt where you can sing rock and roll and gospel without it seeming out of place.

Q: It's interesting that you should bring that up. Do people have a pop at the show for taking the story out of its original setting?

A: I think before they see the show they wonder why the writers did that but it becomes very clear when you see it.

Q: Did you try out this latest version anywhere prior to the West End?

A: Not really. We did build the production in Plymouth and play it for a while down there to iron out any problems. There's a lot of scenery to co-ordinate.

Q: The set's nothing like as spectacular as the last time the show was in town though.

A: No, and I think that's a good thing. It used to dominate everything.

Q: All I remember about that first production was this huge piece of motorway that used to ride up and down on hydraulics.

A: that's right. I think we've proved you don't need all that. Our producer/director Bill Kenwright's really focused in on the emotions of the story.

Q: He's best known as a producer. What's he like to work with as a director?

A: I think he's great. He's very clear about the effect he wants and then he leaves you with the freedom to get to that point in whatever way you choose.

Q: 'Not too much discussion of character motivation, I imagine.

A: No, just a good strong vision that he doesn't compromise with unnecessary theorising.

Q: How much rehearsal did you get?

A: On the original production - three weeks. This time over four.

Q: That's pretty good.

A: It's all you need.

Q: We get little information on your character in the show; he always remains an enigmatic outsider. Who do you think he is?

A: He's definitely not Jesus. He's just an ordinary man.

Q: Oh, certainly. Wow, do some people actually think he's Jesus, like the kids in the play?

A: Someone asked me if I thought he was Jesus this afternoon.

Q: That's scary. It's so clear he's not.

A: Yep.

Q: Actually I meant what do you think he did? What crime put him in prison? He says it's too terrible to talk about.

A: I just have this idea that maybe he killed his father. Maybe the dad was attacking the mother.

Q: I wonder if it's ever darker. Do you think he may have killed a child? There's an incredible tension when this brute of a man is alone with all theses vulnerable kids. Especially for our society that's obsessed with the threat strangers pose to kids. Is his crime ever identified in the book or film version?

A: I don't think it is. I guess we'll never know.

Q: It certainly makes for great drama. It's quite close to the "Phantom of the Opera" plot too isn't it?

A: Yes, in both shows an innocent girl falls under the influence of an outsider who everyone else is trying to hunt down and destroy.

Q: Your training was in opera, back in Australia. Was there snobbery against musical theatre in the opera world?

A: No not really, I gather there is a little over here but in Australia there are less work opportunity and everyone's used to the idea of having to switch back and forth between opera and musicals to make a living.

Q: Opera training can be quite a rarefied world. How did you end up taking that route?

A: Well, I went to an all boys school and originally I signed up to appear in the school musicals because we collaborated with the local girls school and it was a good way to meet them. But, I guess I discovered I had a aptitude for it, got interested in the craft and opera singing is the most vigorous work out you can give your voice so I wanted to test my limits. I think I'm more vocally suited to musicals though.

Q: Have you wrecked your voice for opera now or do you think you could switch back.

A: It'd take a lot of work but I think I could get into shape again. I enjoy the acting discipline you need in musicals. I remember seeing "Phantom of the Opera" in Australia and being completely blown away by the combination of acting and singing and thinking that's what I want to do. You don't always have that much opportunity to act in opera where the music is paramount.

Q: So how did you end up in London?

A: Well I was singing in a "Best of Broadway" style concert in Dubai and as I was half way between the UK and Australia I phoned up this London agent I knew and said "Hey, as I'm next door are there any auditions I could drop by and do?". They were looking for someone to play Tony in "West Side Story". When I heard that I thought "Right, I'm their man" and luckily enough when I auditioned I got the part. I think of England as my home now. My mum's English and I've just bought a flat in Brixton with my fiancée.

Q: Is she in theatre?

A: Yes, we met when I was touring in "West Side Story". She was playing Anita. We got together a year later.

Q: Not at the time?

A: Well, we fancied each other but shall we say there were complications. I really admire her, she's been playing Roxie in "Chicago" but recently she's taken a year out to go and retrain at Bristol Old Vic theatre school so she can get into TV and film acting.

Q: That's such a good move. Frustrated musical theatre actors often ask me, as a director, how they can make the jump into TV or non-musical acting. And the sad truth is casting directors just aren't interested if you only have musicals on your CV. Is it a move you want to make?

A: I really love the kind of work I do. The other night I hinted to Andrew Lloyd Webber I'd like a shot at playing The Phantom.