Chit-Chat and Tea with Jaymi Hensley

Jaymi Hensley is currently starring at Joseph in the UK tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The tour has numerous stops around the UK from now until February 2020 so you have plenty of time to catch him in action!

For our readers near the Bath, Bristol and Oxford area, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be playing at New Theatre, Oxford from Tuesday 16^th July to Saturday 20^th July 2019.

Below, Jaymi chats about the role of Joseph.

What is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat about?

It’s based on a biblical story about Joseph the dreamer. He has 11 brothers, but he’s his father’s favourite and his Dad gives him a coloured dreamcoat as a gift. His brothers get very jealous and hatch a plan to kill him, but instead he gets taken to Egypt as a slave and is sent to prison. Fate is on Joseph’s side however and despite trying times, he eventually becomes the prince of Egypt.

Joseph has got something special. It has all these markers that made me think of my life. I had people, not brothers, but contemporaries at school, who told me I couldn’t be what I wanted to be. I’m a dreamer; I wanted to be a star. I also had something that made me different; being a gay man and finding out at a young age.

I always had my head in the clouds, but I was always sure of who I was and I never let what anyone said deter me. That’s how I approached Joseph, with the message that as long as you stand by who you are, eventually the rest of the world will see how wonderful you are too.

Is that what drew you to the role?

It just felt right. Theatre was always my first love. I always envisioned myself on stage every day. But life took a different turn.

I believe in the universe giving you signs and the tools you need to make things happen. I did panto with Jimmy Osmond, who’s done Joseph, and then I met Joe McElderry, who’d also played Joseph. All these signs were there. It was so bizarre. It just felt like I need to do this. And I’ve never felt like I’m more in the right place at the right time than I do right now.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is 50 years old this year. How do you think this show has stood the test of time?

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are the best. They wrote this musical at university! The songs are timeless. I think that is the one word to use. You have songs here that, in 2019, don’t have to be modernised. We’re not changing anything at all. That’s testament to how well written they are. I know how dated the music I released in the last seven years is already, just listening to the charts!

How did it feel to put on theatre’s most famous coat for the first time on stage?

At my opening night in Windsor, that moment was when I got an out-of-body, hairs on the back of your neck moment. I had goosebumps everywhere and was rushing with emotion. This is just such an amazing show to be a part of. I’m honoured that they’re letting me take the torch.

What’s most exciting about touring the show?

What I love about a touring show is people are so grateful that you’re coming to see them, that you’re doing the leg work. People really appreciate that.

I’m really looking forward to going to places I’ve never been before and finding new audiences. I love being on the road. Although I’ve been a pop star for the last seven years, being on stage is the thing I’ve done the least. It was all about being on TV or in a studio. The stage is what I love. I love being live in front of an audience, so to do it 10 times a week, I couldn’t be happier.

What is it that makes live performance so special?

It’s the seeing sweat on someone’s face, the passion and the being in the room with them. You can’t beat that. Especially singing, you can’t beat live music and hearing that passion come from someone’s voice. As a performer, you have to impress there and then; there’s no rerun, it’s now or never. That added pressure is what makes theatre so amazing.

At the start of 2019, you announced Union J were splitting for now. How do you look back on your time with that band?

I have the fondest memories of that project, even when things were tough for us. You need to have those moments to give you a sense of how much it means to you. I’ll be forever grateful to that band for giving me what it’s given me and the joy we’ve had over the years. In my adult life I’ve only done what I love. Very few people can say that. I would never take that for granted.

People might think it a little self-indulgent, but I watch back our YouTube videos and listen to our music. I’m very proud of what we achieved as, initially, three young kids who set out to do something and made it happen. We were all so determined.

One day, hopefully, we can get back together and do a reunion and be together at a different time in life when it’s right again. As much as we were a band, we are individual people and we have individual passions, hopes and aspirations. In every good relationship you have to let the other person flourish.

What can audiences expect from a trip to see Joseph?

It’s a real feel good musical. The music’s fun, it’s bright and colourful, and we have the most amazing, talented cast. The world at the moment is so depressing; I think everybody should come for a couple of hours of detachment from reality, and have a fun, uplifting time.

More information on the show, upcoming venues, dates and tickets can be found here.

 

Syndicated Interview

Brendan Cole: All Night Long – UK TOUR (Review)

Brendan Cole: All Night Long

New Theatre, Oxford

Seen November 5th, 2018 

Reviewed by Jade Prince 

★★★★

If you watch Strictly Come Dancing religiously, then Brendan Cole is a familiar name in your household. I like to think he warmed your hearts every Saturday night…that was until he got the boot! 

He is still doing what he loves however he isn’t static anymore. Brendan is now touring the UK with his very own show. A show you can see he has put his all into. Dazzling the audience with the classic dance genres you’d expect, from the Rumba to American Smooth to Jive with fabulous vocals and a 13-piece band to accompany. 

This is not a show I would have normally considered seeing. That being said, I really enjoyed it. It started off a little shaky and I was sat there thinking, “Oh! What have I done? Why am I here?”, but it did not take long for Brendan to convert me! Yes, the opening number was shaky. There was a near miss on stage when the spacing went out the window and a rather anticlimactic quick change. But the show itself was very much like a great red wine, it got better with time. Each number topped the one before. 

It definitely was not the set up I was expecting. I very much thought I’d be watching group dance, after group dance, after group dance. Obviously, it was very dance based, its a dance show! But it was split into bitesize sections and kept the audience engaged. It was a continuous change of solos, duet work, vocal performances and extravagant group numbers. 

The choreography was incredibly varied. Occasionally, from my limited experience of watching live dance, the steps can feel very repetitive from number to number. Not in this show. I’d say that no style of dance neighboured a similar style of dance in this line up. My favourite dance of the night had to be the Argentine Tango to ‘Skyfall’. It was mesmerising and a stunning demonstration of dreamy teamwork between Brendan and Faye Huddleston. 

In between the dance numbers brought a more intimate vibe to the show. Just the audience and Brendan. The script was cheesy in places however the sass it what killed me! It was vicious but delivered in such a  nonchalant way. 

Certain numbers where the music worked better with the addition of the lyrics as a pose to the backing track saw Ian Mackenzie and Jenna Lee-James came into play. I was very impressed with these two. Their vocals were on point and suited every style. It was a really nice touch to have breaks in the show for the dancers where both Ian and Jenna could have their own moments to shine. 

Aside from the couple of messy legs, it was a really enjoyable night. If you love watching strictly as a family you need to come along and see this with them. A night of great entertainment. Mr. Brendan Cole will surely warm your heart. 

Be sure to keep an eye out for Brendan’s new show which will be quickstepping its way across the UK in early 2019. Click here for tickets, venues and the latest information on “Brendan Cole Show Man Tour”

Flashdance (UK tour) – REVIEW

Flashdance (UK tour)

Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol

 

Seen June 26th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★

My advice: If you want a fun night out with your girlfriends, a couple of drink, see a show with good music and some well known songs, this is the show for you. However, if you are like me; see theatre on a regular basis, know what you are looking for and want to see a perfectly executed show…then…this isn’t for you. At all.

We all know the film Flashdance. Yes, Fame’s nearly forgotten sister.

I hate to say this however I can’t help but feel this product is straying towards this same path.

I can see it has potential but what it really lacks is commitment.

The standard was not there. Everything was messy. The choreography was the biggest let down. For a show with such a heavy bulk of dance involved, I was expecting so much more. Instead we go horrendous spacing on stage and 20 different energy levels. From the audience I could feel no connection between the cast on stage. This was even more prominent in the dance numbers that required partner work and group work. A few cast members were going all out! High kicks so high, precise and extended there might be a chance of a hip dislocation. Whereas others gave minimal effort or even found themselves several beats behind racing to catch up. Unfortunately, being off beat was a regular occurrence.

This isn’t me saying the choreography was bad. It was simply the delivery. I can’t fault Matt Cole’s work. Matt has definitely created high energy movement on stage…when executed well.

The staging was nice. I did enjoy the set and its movement through the different scenes. The two levels worked well. It really came into play when there were two different locations in the same scene. I just wish some of the actors remained in character when walking from upstage centre, having exited from the back stairs of the raised platform, to the wings. Some were evidently out of character and this whole walk section was exposed. Wait until you’re in the wings!

Performance-wise the show was rather bland. The script and delivery was mediocre. The vocals were good. Some stand out performers included Joanne Clifton (Alex Owens) and Emily Kenwright (on as cover Gloria for this particular performance). For the majority of the show I found myself focusing on Emily. She has a great stage presence. Although there was one scene where I did not want her to demand my focus but she still continued doing so. I didn’t want to focus on her not because of her performance but because of the costume. The opening number of act two had these lovely gold, shimmery halter neck dressed. The back is exposed therefore you either wear no bra, a strapless flesh colour bra or a regular flesh colour bra. These are forgivable. But not a regular white bra. Straps on show and everything. Glaring out into the audience like a little gremlin! I had to demonstrate some breathing exercises during this number. How did this get through costume?!

In short, I felt like I was watching a high school production. The vocals were the best part. This show could be something incredible with the right budget and time to nurture it further. It fell into the stereotype that touring shows are trying to shake; limited budget, time, resources which was very sad to see.

It’s meant to be a feel good show about chasing your dreams except this feeling was lost as it traveled off stage into the audience.

Flashdance is still touring the UK if you have a girls night out planned!

Information on the show, tour stops and tickets can be found at http://www.flashdanceuktour.co.uk

 

Sarah Kendall: One-Seventeen (UK tour) – REVIEW

Sarah Kendall – One-Seventeen 

Soho theatre, London 

 

Seen May 16th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince 

★★★★

Sarah Kendall spent a few nights of her UK tour down in the basement of Soho theatre, the perfect venue for a comedy act. The tour, one-seventeen, takes you on a turbulent retelling of Sarah’s life from the early years up to the present day. It tackles everything; the brilliant highs, some painful lows and everything called life in between. Luck, being a key theme, is able to connect everything at various points during the show. 

I have to say this wasn’t the best comedy act I have seen but it most certainly wasn’t the worst. It was a nice, acceptable middle level. 

I warmed to her straight away when she called the audience c*nts in under a minute of being on stage. It definitely got the laughs! A real ice breaker. I did appreciate how the word flowed so freely from her mouth. One thing I cannot stand is when comedians scripts that word in as an attempt to get more laughs and it does normally fails miserably. For Sarah, it just slipped out as if she was having a conversation with some friends. 

I have to hand it to her for the originality in her jokes. It was real life. Not necessarily real life that everyone could relate to. A few of these stories kind of left me feeling slightly awkward. Not that they were inappropriate just not relatable. I started getting that vibe from other audience members too. It was a rollercoaster of a show. Some highs which were so funny but then there were other parts where I didn’t know whether to laugh or not. It just seemed weird having such serious matters in a comedy show especially presented in that way. The subject matters were obviously life stories, I just felt they went on a little too long and started to bring a bit of a downer on the show. This feeling, however, was immediately removed when Sarah whipped out the next joke! 

Something I like about a good comedy show is when the comedian is able to link all the stories together and Sarah certainly did this. I loved the referencing of previous things she spoke about and doubling up the jokes. 

Despite the rollercoaster of funny to serious, it had such a great pace. There was never a point where I was urging it to end. Sarah is definitely a great story teller and had the audience in the palm of her hand. Something in comedians which is few and far between specially with the serious matters. 

There was another point which made me feel a bit ‘meh’ and that was the ending of the show. It had a rather abrupt ending which left you wanting more. I think it would have been great to see Sarah leave the stage on a real high with the audience roaring with laughter like they did during so much of the show. 

Overall, it was a very enjoyable show. One I would recommend. I’d be interested in seeing her again when she comes to my home town later in the tour.

Sarah is currently touring the UK with One-Seventeen. Click here for more information on her upcoming dates and tickets. 

Also be sure to follow Sarah on twitter for the latest updates in her travels.