Radio Wales Interview

MICHAEL ON BBC RADIO WALES
Wednesday, 29th November 2001

Nicola: So you are, I know, rehearsing at the moment for a new role which starts next year.

Michael: I am yeah, I'm mad aren't I, I'm actually taking dance classes because I've got the lead role in the new production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which is going on at the Palladium, we open in April next year, we start rehearsals in the New Year properly but I've got a bit of catching up to do - I've never danced before in my life. I was at Drama School ... they used to start every morning with a class called Ability at 9.00 but I could never make it ... so I invented a heart condition and told them I couldn't do it. I swear it's true but I'm being paid back (Laughing)

Nicola: Well Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one of those classic musicals from the past rather than the new batch of them, the Lloyd Webbers and ....

Michael: ... But it's never been on stage, the film musical, written specifically for the movies and I think probably because up until now the technical constraints would be too difficult to be staged properly ... you know, you've got a flying car and a car that turns into a hovercraft and all that. Well the technology exists and it's going to the Palladium which is the right kind of sized theatre to actually put all that technology on stage.

Nicola: Of course everybody wants the musicals more and more spectacular these days don't they anyway ...

Michael: And I think people want a bit of a feel good factor about it now and you look around things look especially bleak and it's nice to do something that's going to take you out of yourself for 21/2 - 3 hours and help you face the rest of the life.

Nicola: And in the middle of rehearsing and taking the dance classes you've got a Christmas Tour coming up.

Michael: Yeah, well I thought if I'm going to be doing Chitty for a long time, which I probably will be, it'll be a while before I go out on the road, and I just love doing concerts so I've just put five together before Christmas ... we'll be coming to the CIA in Cardiff, and hope to see you there.

Nicola: Wonderful, when is that Michael?

Michael: It's December the 9th I think.

Nicola: December the 9th, yes, yes, in Cardiff ... you are in Bournemouth before that though and at the Dominion in London

Michael: That's right ... where the Royal Variety was on last night ... did you see it?

Nicola: I did see it.

Michael: What did you think?

Nicola: Well, I was very very impressed by the Golden Girls if you like ... everybody has been saying how fantastic Cilla Black looked, didn't she look nice?

Michael: Yeah

Nicola: Great legs, marvellous.

Michael: She can dance

(Both laughing)

Nicola: Now then Michael I know that Aspects of course when you made such a name for yourself in Aspects of Love and it was the song that became the theme tune for you ...

Michael: Love Changes Everything

Nicola: And it went to Number 1 didn't it?

Michael: Yes it did.

Nicola: So that is quite interesting for somebody who specialises as you tend to, and certainly at that time, in the West End and the Musicals, to actually get that chart success.

Michael: Well, at the time ... it's eleven years old now ... doesn't it fly by ... Andrew Lloyd Webber has this ability, I mean people knock him a lot for his writing ability but he does have a kind of through route into the ear of the pop generation and he can hit on a very simple, very commercial song, that works in a theatre certainly, but can be taken out of that and become a stand alone song. He did Love Changes Everything, also did songs like Memory from Cats and Tell Me On A Sunday. Who'd have thought that Don't Cry For Me Argentina would have been such a huge hit and such a specific kind of song for a show but he has this extraordinary ability to write a commercial song.

Nicola: The work you have been doing ... I know that you have got a video and DVD that has just come out ... Divas At The Donmar. What's this all about?

Michael: Well Sam Mendes, he runs this experimental West End Theatre called the Donmar Warehouse, very small, it only holds 250 people and he attracts people from areas to come and expand. It's where Nicola whatsisname, Nicole Kidman ... remember Tom (Both Laughing)

Nicola: No. That's an easy mistake to make.

Michael: Yeah, I know, well she went there to take her kit off in the blue room so Nicola there is a chance. (Both laughing)

Nicola: I really don't think that's a good idea Michael.

Michael: It's where you go to experiment with things ... so I went and did a show there. They have a season called Divas at the Donmar. I don't know what a male diva is ... it's an underwater car. Dudes at the Donmar. So I went there and did this two week season and just wanted to do something entirely different from what I've done before so the premise was if I did it it wouldn't be like a cabaret performance, it would be ... I wouldn't sing any song I've ever sung before ... or recorded before ... so it was new material and it was telling the story, just through song, of a performer, his life and his attitude to being on stage, told just through song. I wouldn't speak to the audience, it was told entirely through different songs from different areas of music - so there was music from Radiohead, from David Bowie, to Duke Ellington to Gershwin, and just done with a piano. So it was really brave, stripped bare kind of theatre and we filmed it, cos I was only there for two weeks and I've just released it.

Nicola: Fantastic.

Michael: I'm really proud of it.

Nicola: That's great. I know that we have got a couple of CD's, your latest CD to give away as prizes.

Michael: Giving them away!!!!

Nicola: Only if people get this question right. The question, because we've been talking about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is who starred in the original film role of Caractacus Potts which Michael will be playing. Call us, you have four minutes in which to do so, four minutes and you could be the lucky winner of Michael Ball's CD.

The weather was read out.

Nicola: Michael Ball and Hunter Davies, the last few minutes as we are taking the phone calls waiting to find out if people know who played the original film role of Caractacus Potts.

Hunter: I have a question for Michael. Where is the original car of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang today?

Michael: Today. I was in it a week ago.

Hunter: It's in Keswick. There's a museum in Keswick called Cars of the Stars, this bloke who's a dentist, in fact he's my dentist, he had a collection of Cars that appeared in famous movies on television ... he's got Del Boy's car ...

Michael: My dad actually puts on the Birmingham Motor Show and that's where he gets them from. He had the batmobile.

Hunter: He's got the batmobile, he's got Laurel and Hardy, and he's got the one from Thunderbirds, Lady Penelope's Rolls Royce. Have you thought of collecting cars from stars before. Michael Jackson offered him millions for it ...

(Still the one is playing in the background)

Nicola: We are fast running out of time. Michael Ball is on Tour and will be in Cardiff for anyone who lives locally on the 9th December and we're out of time to tell you the winners and the question in case you want another chance is who starred in the original role of Caractacus Potts which Michael will be playing in the West End in April. Michael Ball, thanks to you.