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The
two stars of Godspell have a reputation for being lads.
Jonathan
Wilkes and Daniel MacPherson didn't know each other until they started
rehearsing for the nationwide tour of the musical. Now they're best
of mates.
Being
'naughty'
They
admit to being "naughty", such as mooning to staff at
BBC Radio Northampton before doing a live radio interview.
Wilkes
said they share a sense of humour and they want to make theatre
fun: "We're trying to make theatre cool again. We're trying
to bring the youth back into theatre; get rid of all the old stuffiness."
Sydney-born
MacPherson is best known as Joel from Neighbours. He moved into
musicals after doing pantomime in the UK.
He
said Godspell is a show he loves: "Fifteen hundred people laughing
or shedding a tear and giving a standing ovation at the end - is
so 'real'. It's not something you find happening very often."
Disillusioned
with pop
Jonathan
Wilkes was born in Stoke-on Trent and, since his school days, has
been a close friend of Robbie Williams. He had his own show on BBC
Choice and shortly afterwards went on to sign a five-album record
deal with Virgin and had a top 20 hit with 'Just Another Day'.
"Since
doing theatre, I'm loving this business again," said Wilkes.
"I got so disillusioned with the pop business. I've been a
live performer all my life."
Problems
with the entertainment industry were brought home to Wilkes when
he was booked to sing on the TV lottery show. "They said: 'You've
got to mime'. There's something wrong there. I'm a singer; I love
to perform."
Wilkes
is passionate about live performance. Six years ago he won the 'Cameron
Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year' award in Blackpool. He
went on to star in his own show at Blackpool Pleasure Beach which
ran for three years.
He
said that during that period he learnt a lot from old-timers such
as Roy 'Chubby' Brown, Frank Carson and the Grumbleweeds: "These
are the true entertainers. These people go on stage every night
and have to sing or say the same gags every night and they make
it sound as if they're telling it for the first time. They're true
pro's. You can't get better than that."
Pop
Idol
Wilkes
is not keen on the Pop Idol acts: "They're manufactured like
robots. There's no soul."
What
does have soul is Godspell. MacPherson said: "The production
team has taken a show that was contemporary in 1972 and have made
it contemporary for 2002." There is even a pastiche of the
Richard & Judy Show.
MacPherson
and Wilkes even swap roles as Jesus and Judas. "One night Jesus
is from Stoke, the next night he's from Sydney" joked Wilkes.
Godspell
is at the Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday, 27th April.
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