Kara Lily Hayworth beat off thousands of rivals to land the role of Cilla Black on stage. But she had to queue up first. Jane McGowan finds her holding it together
Back in 2014, screenwriter and producer Jeff Pope hit upon the idea of dramatising the career of Cilla Black, everyone’s favourite Liverpudlian chanteuse. Cilla, which charts her early years singing bluesy ballads in smoky northern clubs, was a reminder that one of the nation’s most respected entertainers also had one of the best voices in British pop history – and added another string to the bow of actress Sheridan Smith, who belted out the big numbers with aplomb.
A hit with audiences, the award-winning drama was made with the co-operation of Cilla and her family – her son, Robert Willis, was a producer. Then, following her death in 2015, it was decided that the drama should be turned into a musical, enabling a whole new generation to hear the songs that made Cilla a star.
But who would play her? The search for Cilla was on. As the ‘open auditions’ got under way, thousands of young performers queued round the block for their chance.
Among them was actress Kara Lily Hayworth, patiently standing in line on the instructions of her agent. The 29-year-old former student at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama already had considerable experience: her very first professional audition landed her the eponymous role of Annie in the 1999 national touring production that also starred Paul O’Grady. In addition, her group Zyrah Rose reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent, and she had also sung with Craig David and starred as Satine in a Secret Cinema version of Baz Luhrmann’s epic Moulin Rouge!
Jono Symonds Photography
“I hadn’t done an audition like that for quite a while,” she laughs. “After the queueing, I had to go into various rooms and sing for lots of different people, and then for more people on the callbacks – producers, musical directors and so on. But the final official round was a performance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, which was amazing.”
With her natural auburn hair and slim frame, Kara is not a million miles away from Miss Black physically, but she is quite clear that her performance is an interpretation rather than an impersonation.
“It’s a show telling her story, not a tribute act,” she explains. “I think a lot of people had forgotten, or never even knew, that the person presenting Blind Date every week had two massive No 1 singles and her own primetime show on Saturday night during the 70s. She was a great all-round performer.”
The show, which comes to the New Wimbledon Theatre this month, has been playing to great reviews and packed houses. It opened, of course, in Liverpool, which couldn’t help but add to the first night nerves.
“Performing at the Cavern was extraordinary, but the opening night in the city was something else,” recalls Kara. “On the first note of Anyone Who Had a Heart, the whole audience were on their feet, which made the song even more emotional. I managed to hold it together, but it was phenomenal. Magical. A night I will never forget.”
- Cilla The Musical is at New Wimbledon Theatre from Nov 7-11. For details and tickets, visit: atgtickets.com
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