THE last time Adam Woodyatt was in a musical he was playing one of the kids in Fagin’s gang.
“I was in Oliver! back in 1980. That was my first musical and indeed my last until now,” he says, adding, with a laugh: “I played one of Fagin’s gang and had far more to do in that show than I have in this.”
Adam, who played Ian Beale in EastEnders for over 25 years, has returned to musical theatre to play Alfred P Doolittle - father of Eliza - in My Fair Lady, heading for Bradford this month. “I’m not on stage loads but it’s so much fun,” he says. “The story and characters are ingrained into musical theatre history, as are the two songs I perform: With a Little Bit of Luck and Get Me to the Church on Time. When it came along I was like, ‘I’ve got to give this a go’.”
There is, says Adam, an edge to Alfred: “He’s very outspoken, very socialist, and he does what he likes. He has opinions and always thinks he’s absolutely right. He has this wonderful speech where he says: ‘I’m not the deserving poor, I’m the undeserving poor’.
“I’m having so much fun playing around with it. Bartlett Sher (the director) wants him to not just be a comedy character but one who, as I say, also has an edge. There’s something else behind it, there’s something else driving him.”
While Adam says Alfred is “very much a man of that time”, he points out that George Bernard Shaw, who wrote the play Pygmalion on which My Fair Lady is based, “favours women in his writing”.
“As does Alan Jay Lerner’s book for the show. They create strong female characters whilst showing the men to be not so good. There are perhaps stronger words to describe most of the men in the show but I’ll refrain from using them.”
As a child Adam trained at the famous Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. “I only did evening classes because I was too busy working. I didn’t got to too many evening classes either because I kept picking up jobs. So I never studied song and dance,” he says. “They’ve been very patient about getting me up to speed (for My Fair Lady) because it’s been a long time since I’ve sung. Singing isn’t something that comes naturally to me, I have to work at it.”
Why does he think this show is so beloved? “It’s such an engrossing story and the characters are brilliantly written, even supporting characters who only have the odd line here and there. They’re all so well defined and it’s just a timeless, classic show. Then there’s the music; numbers like Wouldn’t It Be Loverly? and I Could Have Danced All Night. Everybody knows these songs.”
Adam landed the role of Ian Beale when EastEnders began in 1985 and he left last year. “The programme and the character changed so much, to the moment when Ian got on an underground train and disappeared,” says Adam. “It became a completely different beast but all through it I loved the camaraderie with cast and crew, and with Ian he was doing something different all the time. He was constantly evolving.”
He was the longest-serving cast member. How was it saying goodbye to Ian? “Have I said goodbye to him? I don’t know!” he says. “I think for as long as I live Ian Beale will always be part of the fabric of EastEnders, whether I’m there or not. I could go back but then again I might not. I have no idea what the future holds, what storylines they’re planning or whether Ian is in those plans. But I’m very happy at the moment being back in the theatre. I absolutely love it.”
He adds: “I love the rehearsal process. With most things on TV, it’s very immediate. You do something, change it a bit, do it again and it’s ‘done, move on’. With a play or musical you can really investigate things like ‘Why would I walk over there?’ or ‘Why would I say this?
“Not everyone can get into London to see a show or can afford to do so. This tour gives people the opportunity to see a massive-scale West End show at their local theatre. I’ve never been to Bradford before and I love exploring new places so I’m looking forward to spending time there. It’s such a famous old theatre.”
My Fair Lady is at the Alhambra, September 22 to October 2. Call (01274) or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk
* LIVE music doesn’t have to mean late nights and a sore head next day. Bradford DJ and promoter Tony Sykes is launching a new Sunday afternoon series of entertainment at the Midland Hotel.
Says Tony: “The pandemic halted social events, to the dismay of not only the hospitality industry but also those who missed out on face-to-face entertainment events. Now the Bradford scene is thriving once more. These Sunday afternoon shows offer something different. They start with a three-course Sunday dinner at 12.30pm and the live act is 2.15pm-3.45pm. Upcoming shows include Franki Valli tribute act, and winner of TVs Stars In Their Eyes, Peter Sarsfield, September 18; The Everly Brothers, October 2, a great tribute act followed by Jive Bunny rock ‘n’ roll show, alias Terry Webster, who was frontman for Rockin Berries in the 60s.”
For those who prefer evening entertainment, The Ultimate Boyband Experience (September 24) pays tribute to Westlife, Take That and Boyzone, and Beatles for Sale (October 1) celebrates the Fab Four and other sounds of the 60s. Says Tony: “We’ve created a buzz at the Midland Hotel and there’s more to come! Don’t miss out.”
Go to the Tony Sykes Productions Facebook page, call (01274) 735735 or visit tonysykesproductions.co.uk
* WHAT happens when two sets of parents meet up to discuss their unruly children? A calm, rational debate between mature adults? Or a hysterical night of name-calling, tantrums and tears before bedtime?
When one 11-year-old child hits another, their parents meet. But as the evening wears on, “protective parenting” ends up an excuse to “let loose the primordial beast buried in each of us”.
Bringing the social satire of Abigail’s Party into the 21st century, Yasmina Reza’s dark comedy God of Carnage is performed by Bingley Little Theatre next week. Director Bruce Sturrock says: “This play is a deceptively deep human satire. I wonder which of the four characters the audience might recognise in themselves.” The sharp four-hander stars Rachel Conyers, Mark Simister, Becky Kordowicz and Andy Price.
God of Carnage runs at BLT’s Theatre Upstairs, Bingley Arts Centre, from September 13-17 at 7.30pm. Call (01274) 567983 or visits bingleyartscentre.co.uk
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