Jane McGowan meets composer and performer Joe Stilgoe as he swings into town with a new musical version of Kipling’s The Jungle Book
Manuel Harlan
Joe Stilgoe has music running through his veins. His dad (whom he bears more than a passing resemblance to) is Sir Richard Stilgoe – pianist, lyricist and former High Sheriff of Surrey; his mother is opera star Annabel Hunt. With such a pedigree surely a career as a musician was a foregone conclusion?
“No, not at all,” he points out. “I am the youngest of five children and all the others have ‘proper’ jobs. For me music was something I loved from a very young age and I am thrilled that I have been able to make a living out of it.”
The “living”, as Joe so modestly puts it, has so far seen him secure the Number One spot in the Amazon Jazz Chart, perform all over the world and collaborate with such names as Matilda composer Tim Minchin and comedian and Pointless presenter-turned-singer Alexander Armstrong. Alongside his band he performs regularly at London’s Ronnie Scott’s and the 38-year-old is about to hit the road with chat show and fellow jazz aficionado Michael Parkinson, providing a live musical tribute to some of Parky’s favourite guests.
“Parky was so important to me growing up,” he says. “He introduced people like Michael Bublé, Jamie Cullum and Diana Krall to the world. I have always been a massive fan. So to work with him is a ‘pinch-yourself’ moment. Not only is he a legend, but he is the link to so many legends – he’s the one who has shaken hands with Bing Crosby, Mohammed Ali, Fred Astaire and everyone – there is no way I was going to miss this opportunity. He even has the two leather chairs on stage that he used on the shows – so imagine all those famous bottoms that have sat on there.”
But aside from performing, Joe is also a talented composer and his score for The Jungle Book will soon be heard ringing through Richmond Theatre, when the new adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling classic opens at the Little Green venue later this month.
“I was approached by the producers to write some songs to accompany a brilliant script written by Jessica Swale,” he explains. “I thought it was just going to be three or four numbers and then it ballooned into a full-scale musical.”
The story, which follows the adventures of man-cub Mowgli who is being raised in the Indian jungle by wolves, was given a Disney makeover in 1967 and its iconic score featuring such numbers as The Bare Necessities and I Wanna Be Like You quickly became worldwide favourites. Joe admits it was difficult to keep these toe-tappers out of his mind as he put pen to paper.
“It was really hard. The film was such a big part of my growing up – it’s a jazzy score and that’s what I love most,” he says. “But I write songs in that style anyway and hopefully we have captured the spirit of the film’s songs, while creating new tunes that people will quickly begin to associate with the characters.”
Joe was given just five months to create the score and spent the summer frantically writing.
“I retreated to the shed for weeks and worked on the music, then Jess came in with the lyrics and it just gelled really well. But we’ve actually got another two to write before the tour begins,” he adds.
The 14-stop tour kicks off in Chichester before coming to Richmond, a place the married, father-of-one is excited about.
“Richmond is the perfect venue for a family musical,” Joe enthuses. “It’s a lovely theatre and it means having a London opening without all the stress of the West End.”
- The Jungle Book is at Richmond Theatre from Feb 6-10. Visit: atgtickets.com. Joe will be with Sir Michael Parkinson on the Our Kind of Music tour at the London Palladium on April 14. For details, visit: faneproductions.com
Check out our Theatre/Arts Section for more great local theatre news, reviews and interviews
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on all our latest articles
Sign up to our Weekly Newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and stories
Looking to advertise your business in Surrey or SW London? Check out our 11 different lifestyle magazines with a combined monthly distribution of over 210,000 AB1 homes
