Theatre Radio Interview

Tim McArthur Interviews

Louise Gold starred as herself, the actress playing Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins, First broadcast on Theatre Radio at 17:00 to 18:00 on Easter Sunday, 16 April 2006

Cast

Interviewer – Tim McArthur

Interviewee – Louise Gold

Production Team

Theatre Radio’s page for this particular interview is: http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display?contentId=88986

The shows discussed in this interview are: Mary Poppins, Anything Goes, Mamma Mia, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Assassins, and Merrily We Roll Along.

Louise makes reference to Theatre Royal Drury Lane where she appeared in The Pirates Of Penzance.

Besides appearing in Anything Goes, Louise has also starred on a recording of that show, see Anything Goes (Recording).

Tim McArthur is also a cabaret producer for Trilby Productions who produced the first tryouts for Louise Gold’s cabaret act, “Louise Gold Sings Some Nice Songs”, which eventually became LOUISE GOLD...By Appointment. As a producer Trilby were also responsible for Dress Circle Grand Reopening.

A few weeks after this interview Louise Gold played a guest on Dead By 12, a spoof cabaret chat show co-hosted by Tim McArthur.

Review

Review by Emma Shane, © 25 April 2006

What a lovely interview. She may be playing a nasty character, but in this interview she comes across as lovely, intelligent actress, who really puts a lot of thought into her work, definitely leaning towards the cuddly, and possibly glamorous. Well Tim McArthur’s introduction gives her a bit of glamour. As this interview is on Theatre Radio, a radio channel devoted to musical theatre, it entirely focuses on her work in this genre. (although her work in non-musical plays get a brief mention, the rest of her extraordinary accomplishments are not mentioned). Nevertheless she comes across as a very warm, witty, confident, and, caring person. Her descriptions of backstage at The Prince Edward Theatre are hilarious; as are her responses to being asked about her tendency to corpse. Although she does give some explanation of that. Her insights into some of the more unsavoury characters she has played, such as Sarah Jane Moore in Assassins, The Baroness in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and of course Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins makes fascinating. listening; as does her own comments on her corpsing tendencies. I also found the interview rather moving, and not just because the interviewee herself got moved to tears describing her perception of the musical she is currently in; I found her response to being asked her favourite role that she has ever played (Reno Sweeney) incredibly touching, partly because she has since returned to that same theatre in a far smaller role, but largely because it was a role she was so exceptionally well suited to, as anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing her sing any Cole Porter song written for Ethel Merman should be well aware.

From what few interviews I have heard, I get the impression that Louise seems to come across at her best in situations where she is one to one with a decent interviewer. Tim McArthur is a good interviewer (unlike Jeremy Dyson), he treats Louise with gentle encouragement, which, because she is such a nice person, is just exactly the right way to treat her, though he seems to know when to take a more direct line with her. Yet it is all done very pleasantly, with a lot of humour; which seems to give her the confidence to respond with her own delightful wit be it; kidding that she didn’t need to do much research to play a character who was barking mad, or tell great jokes against herself – for example about the time she thought a take-over-role of a job (the last time she was at The Prince Edward Theatre) she did was going to be easy....

All in all a genuinely beautiful interview. Well worth listening to; even if like me you have such a slow connection (and possibly incorrect software) that it takes an hour and a half to download – I’m sure with the proper software and connections it must take less time. But it is a joy to hear such an thoughtful, yet funny interview, with such a witty, intelligent, and down right pleasant performer.

Critics Comments

Links about Theatre Radio Interview

Theatre Radio: http://www.theatreradio.co.uk/

Theatre Radio Download’s Page: http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/downloads (This interview is available for download)

Theatre Radio’s page for this particular interview: http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display?contentId=88986