Rhydian talks to Sophie Williams about his post-X Factor success, the juggling act between music and theatre, and his sadistic character in The Little Shop of Horrors at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking September 6-10
The UK tour of hit musical comedy Little Shop Of Horrors, welcomes audiences to Woking’s New Victoria Theatre, September 6-10. Produced by Sell a Door Theatre Company, the tour will be directed by Tara Wilkinson, with choreography by Matthew Cole and music featuring some of the most catchy and iconic songs by the legendary Alan Menken, best known for his numerous Walt Disney film scores, Little Shop of Horrors is a cult film and one of the longest running off-Broadway shows of all time.
The '50s musical sci-fi spoof introduces us to Seymour Krelborn assistant at Mushnik’s Flower Shop in downtrodden Skid Row, who becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers a strange and exotic plant with a macabre craving. Secretly in love with his colleague Audrey he names the plant Audrey II in her honour. Audrey II quickly starts to wilt, putting Seymour’s job and dream future with Audrey at risk.
Audrey II has plans that are far greater than Seymour can imagine as it grows into a bad-tempered, foul-mouthed carnivore who offers fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite. Accidentally pricking his finger, Seymour discovers that this creature needs a little more than plant food to thrive…. How far will Seymour go for the woman of his dreams?
X-Factor finalist Rhydian Roberts stars as the sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello. “I play Skid Row’s evil dentist, he’s a sadist, he likes to inflict pain, as a child he was the type to shoot puppies with a B-B gun or kick cats and more over he’s addicted to Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas). He is also the boyfriend of female lead Audrey, whom is victim to his love for causing pain. He mistreats and beats her up, which undoubtedly forms her character and the way she is.”, explains Rhydian.
This role is a far cry from previous roles that we've seen him in, like the smooth ‘Teen Angel’ in the 2012 UK tour of Grease and lead man ‘Rocky’ adorning those famous leopard print pants for the 40th Anniversary UK Tour of The Rocky Horror Show in 2012/13 (pictured below) just to name a few.
Since placing runner up on ITV ‘s The X Factor, Rhydian has been a runaway success with 2008 debut album going double platinum, selling in excess of a million albums worldwide. He has released 6 albums and duetted and performed with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Michael Bublé, Taylor Swift, Enrique Iglesias, Celine Dion and Nicole Scherzinger. Rhydian’s many theatre credits include Grease, We Will Rock You, The War Of The Worlds, Jesus Christ Superstar and the 40th Anniversary Tour of The Rocky Horror Show. Rhydian has just completed his third solo UK tour and is a Classical Brit Award nominee.
It's thoroughly impressive to see how Rhydian has managed to conquer both of these industries with constant success in both music and theatre. Unless you’re the likes of Idina Menzel (Wicked & Disney’s Frozen) the art of juggling the theatre and music industry is something many artists find impossible.
“You hear a lot of people talk about the music industry being very cut-throat and it is, the music industry will stab you in the face, where as the theatre, they’ll stab you in the back. So I’ve done very well over the past 10-years musically and with my theatre roles. My agent will get calls inquiring if I’m available for lead roles and that’s a very lovely and privileged situation to be in”, says Rhydian.
Distanced from the classical music scene, most people will know Rhydian for his time on the X Factor, which saw him as the 2007 runner-up. Arguably this could be a label that an artist looking to make their mark, might find difficult to escape. “Fortunately for me nine and a half years after X Factor people are still booking me, it's true it sped things up, I don’t have to do those chorus roles, but instead I was thrown in the deep end and have hopefully shown its not just hype anymore”.
Joining Rhydian is a stellar cast familiar with the world of smash-hit theatre, with Sam Lupton (Boq in Wicked, West End, Avenue Q, UK Tour) as Seymour, Stephanie Clift (Mamma Mia!, West End) as Audrey, Paul Kissaun (Calamity Jane, Fiddler on the Roof, UK Tours) as Mushnik and Josh Wilmott (Spamalot, We Will Rock You, UK Tours) as the carnivorous Audrey II.
This is going to be the must-see show to round off your summer, a kooky, high energy, 50s sci-fi that will have you bouncing in your seat. “I like doing iconic big shows and Little Shop Of Horrors is definitely one of those, concludes Rhydian.
The Little Shop Of Horrors will be showing at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking September to book visit atgtickets.com
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For more great local interviews click here, like our recent chinwag with fellow pop-stars turned theatre junkies Gareth Gates and Will Young
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