“Directing Has Been a Fun Little Path”:
An Interview with Ian Baldwin, the Director of Clive Nolan Musicals
How did your theatre work start?
Ian: It all started with my famous interpretation of a stable boy at school nativity play. At school I joined a youth theatre. I was lucky enough to take part in quite a few performances at the Cheltenham Playhouse and at the Everyman and to work with a few people who knew how to influence my ideas of what theatre and performance is about. I then went on and did a degree in Performance Arts and since then I've done all sorts of stuff really. I've written a few things, been in a few things, I directed a few things and just enjoyed performing and producing things that people can watch and enjoy.
What is your directorial experience so far?
Ian: As far as Caamora is concerned, I was asked to direct "Alchemy" last year for our off-West End Jermyn Street Theatre experience, which must have gone OK, because I was then asked to direct "She", which has been quite a pleasurable experience so far. So, yes, as far as directing is concerned, it's been a fun little path so far. Who knows where it will lead!
How did you get involved with the Caamora Theatre Company?
Ian: That was a little odd really. Two friends of mine, Verity and Alex, told me about this thing they were doing: "We're videoing some stuff and it's going to Poland and Holland and we're going to do it in Cheltenham. You might have a look at the website." So, I had a look at the website and discovered there are more people I know involved in this show. Chris Longman, who directed the Cheltenham show in 2013, was there. So that was a kind if weird connection - I knew Chris from years ago and we were doing a few things together and we were in a band together. They happened to mention they were looking for a few more chorus members to join in with the "Alchemy" chorus for the Cheltenham Playhouse show. So, I joined up and that's how I met Clive and the whole team.
What is your work relationship with Clive Nolan?
Ian: Well, he asks questions of me as a director frequently, so rehearsals don't often go without "Just a quick question..." But seriously, it's been fun working with Clive. Obviously it's his material, it's his music, it's his story and vision. So, he sees it one way and sometimes we differ on how we see things, which is cool. That's how it should be. Sometimes we agree to disagree and sometimes we disagree to agree and that's great really.
What was harder to direct: “She” or “Alchemy”?
Ian: "Alchemy" is more of a traditional musical. The story is moved along within each song, whereas with "She" there's more of a rock opera feel to it, where it gets moved along by every song. So in that way, "Alchemy" is probably a little easier to tell the story, because it's constantly being told throughout each verse and each chorus of the song, whereas a lot of the songs in "She" are longer - repeated choruses, repeated verses, etc. So, with "She" to get us to tell the story is a little bit trickier, but it's more of a challenge, which is what's theatre's all about really.
What role do you play in "She"?
Ian: In "She" I get to play the part of Job, who is a man servant to Holly and Leo. In the book he is a little bit older, but because I am so young and angelic... obviously I'm playing him a little younger. He is kind of the voice of reason in some cases, in others he is just a pessimistic old son who really just wants to get out. However, he's loyal, so he sticks around with Leo and Holly. It's been fun doing this part. Job gets a song, which is nice, and it's a new song. So, those who think they know the musical will be surprised here. It's quite nice that Clive decided to re-introduce the character. It exists in the book and the film, but it didn't exist in the first version of "She the Musical" in fact until now. Quite good fun.
What is best about working with the Caamora Company?
Ian: It's been a great experience working on both musicals. For me it's a bit easier to work on "She", because we started from scratch. With "Alchemy" we already had the Cheltenham show and it was the case of adapting it and moulding it and moving it around a bit, cutting down the chorus from 25 to 6 and working on a stage half the size of what we were used to at the Playhouse. That was a challenge in itself to be ready for London. With "She" it's been slightly different because I wasn't involved in any of the concepts previously. I wasn't involved in the Cheltenham show when it was premiered at the Cheltenham Playhouse. So, for me it was a challenge in different ways, but I was able to put my stamp on it perhaps a little bit more. As I said, we started from the beginning, from completely blank canvas. And the story to me was completely new. So, directing "She" has been more of a challenge, but also, because of that, it's been all the more rewarding, I think.
How are the rehearsals going?
Ian: Obviously there are the usual pitfalls. Even though the cast is mostly local to Gloucestershire, it is sometimes difficult to get everybody at the same place at the same time. However, what I like about these people is that it doesn't really matters if they are chorus singers or leads. There is no real distinction between the two sets of the cast. The chorus have worked their socks off and the same with leads. And a nice thing during rehearsal is this knowledge that we're a cast. We're just the Caamora Company rehearsing "She". We've also have some "Alchemy" rehearsals scheduled so that we can remind ourselves how it all works and put both of the musicals on back to back for "The Fire and the Quest". And that's a challenge in itself. There are some technical issues going with that - for example the lighting has to be designed and thought about so that it covers both shows. There will not be time to start taking down the lighting rig and putting up a brand new one for the next day. Especially that there is also the acoustic show happening on the stage in between the two shows. So, the rehearsals have been hard work but also good fun and we've got Chris and Maggi Lewis to thank for hosting us, looking after us and feeding us and also Robbie Gardner for letting us use his place when needed.
What do you expect from "The Fire and the Quest" event?
Ian: It's great that it's been sold out for a long while now! That's amazing - a lot of people are turning up to celebrate 10 years of Clive's musical work. Many of them will know "Alchemy" and "She" backwards, forwards, inside out and they know everything there is to know about it. Having said that, they will be seeing something completely new and different. So, although they might have played the CDs and know the words and know the story, they will get something different. From this point of view it should be a really fantastic weekend when everyone comes along and can just be involved with and celebrate what is really some cracking songs and cracking stories told by very talented people. So, if people go away thinking: “That was a hell of a weekend", then we've done our job properly.
What other projects are you are involved in?
Ian: I'm also a member of the Joliet Blues Band, who plays all around the country as well as Frankenstein's Lobster, where I'm occasional bass player – it's the band of Ross Andrews, who is Billali and also Greaves and Captain Farrell in "The Fire and the Quest". Theatrically we've just finished a brand new musical called "Being Alive", also at the Playhouse. Robbie Gardner, who plays William Gardelle and Leo, was also in it. And I've just finished writing my second children book. I'm pretty sure that other things will follow. And... I'm hoping to be also involved in whatever's coming next with Clive and Caamora.
Interview by Magdalena Grabias
August 2015
Photo by Ron Milsom
http://www.alchemythemusical.com/
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