It’s almost time for kick off at Footballers’ Wives: The Musical!
Primarily based on the long-lasting early ’00s ITV present when Premier League soccer was the brand new rock ‘n’ roll, and the drama wasn’t solely on the pitch, it follows the scandal, sass, and secrets and techniques of the gamers’ wives.
Anthony Banks is on directorial responsibility for the brand new musical by Kath Gotts and Maureen Chadwick, whereas WhatsOnStage Award winner Arlene Phillips is about to choreograph. Because the present prepares to premiere at this yr’s Edinburgh Pageant Fringe, we had a chat with Banks.
Please word, this interview has been edited for readability and size.
It has been over 20 years since Footballers’ Wives was first seen on display screen, and a number of years since the show was workshopped. Why is now the time for a full staging?
Maureen Chadwick and Kath Gotts requested me to direct their new musical throughout lockdown in 2020. I’d been distracting myself from Boris by studying Jacobean revenge performs, so once I learn Footballers’ Wives and realised Tanya Turner was a descendant of the noirish femme fatale, I instantly signed as much as assist deliver her story to the stage. It’s a ferociously humorous feminist piece. It’s about all of the wives of all time. It’s about what occurs in partnerships when folks cease being affordable and assume solely of themselves.
You’ve directed Metal Magnolias, Lady on the Practice, and now Footballers’ Wives – all closely that includes girls with very completely different lives! What attracts you to those titles, do you assume?
It’s true I’ve directed a number of exhibits which current tales of strong-willed girls preventing poisonous male behaviour. For the reason that days of Medea, Cleopatra, and Nora, wives have been avenging their no-good husbands onstage – however hardly ever have they accomplished so in tune or laugh-out-loud humour as these wives do!
I’m drawn to those girls and their tales as a result of I believe they nonetheless must be informed, in so some ways, the world we reside in continues to be not balanced, and I generally discover that inside the theatre career itself. In case you walked across the West Finish this night, you’d discover you possibly can rely the variety of exhibits written by girls on one hand. Why is that this? It baffles me. So we’re doubly fortunate with this present in that it’s a world premiere of a brand new musical written by two girls. It’s a uncommon deal with to direct a present that’s wholly authentic, dramatically provocative, and filled with catchy tunes.
What was the thought course of behind premiering this present on the Fringe?
It was producer Laura Elmes’ thought to launch in Edinburgh. So many established theatres habitually revive traditional musicals or produce jukebox exhibits – the Fringe appears probably the most vibrant panorama during which to current this new present.
What’s your relationship like with Edinburgh Fringe, and your views as a complete on the brand new musical panorama in the meanwhile?
The Edinburgh Fringe – in sunshine or showers – is creatively fabulous yearly. There appears to be endless angst in regards to the plight of the brand new British musical inside our career. Given how a lot we all know audiences love the shape, it does appear nuts that it isn’t supported extra by the state. Governing our bodies that determine what youngsters be taught appear suspicious of musicals, maybe as a result of they’re a mix artwork type, fairly than a purely singular one, which makes them simpler to “measure” in terms of evaluation.
In different phrases, I believe the challenges start inside the curriculum. Edinburgh is a fantastically open and politically truthful cultural panorama – something can occur – tickets are significantly cheaper, cliques are much less hazardous, and competition goers take their destinies – and the future of the exhibits – into their very own palms.
Homicide, mischief, mayhem – did you watch the unique collection, and why do you assume the fabric lends so effectively to a musical?
I bear in mind the unique collection however I haven’t rewatched it, because the musical is a special factor, and I wish to maintain concepts contemporary. Additionally, it’s a part of the director’s job to fathom find out how to current one thing set previously in a means that is sensible within the current! The stakes are excessive; each character has goals and disappointments. There’s love, betrayal, revenge, marriage, and homicide – it’s musical theatre gold!
Will the musical be rooted within the ’00s? And what can we anticipate visually?
Sure, it’s set in 2002 on the wave of Cool Britannia, which in some methods feels current however in different methods so way back! It’s been enjoyable working with costume designer Susan Kulkarni and the solid on the appears. There’s been a number of “I had that costume; I bear in mind these sneakers,” and many others.
For some audiences, there will likely be a nostalgic issue with the story and the characters. However do you assume the concept of “WAGS” and soccer movie star has modified as we speak?
The apparent change is that we now get information delivered immediately into our palms on cellphones. In these days, you needed to anticipate the papers to be printed the following morning for the newest headline scandal. It’s not solely the tempo that’s modified, however the next of style and movie star tradition has turn out to be multi-directional by way of social media. The place as soon as Whats up and OK magazines have been inert printed magazines, these tales at the moment are constantly up to date and commented upon by way of the usage of superior know-how. To achieve or retain energy inside that orbit lately requires a special crafty than it did when the news-traffic was all “one-way”.
We’ve had many high-profile football-based theatre exhibits, together with Dear England and a football-themed revival of Much Ado About Nothing. What’s it in regards to the world of soccer that’s attracting theatre-makers and audiences as we speak, do you assume?
The experiences for the viewers include so many related elements: winners, losers, suspense, loyalty, and the communal roar of the group as they comply with the twists and turns of the gamers.
You’ve assembled a terrific firm, together with WOS favorite Leesa Tulley. What’s the casting course of like for a brand new musical?
For this present, we marketed, acquired 1500 purposes, met 200, and from these conferences chose our cast of 12.
I do know this isn’t your first world premiere, however as a director, what are the challenges and rewards of being on the helm of a brand new manufacturing?
The problem, which is identical as with all present, is the duty to create a superb expertise for the viewers. The constantly rewarding factor when engaged on a brand new piece is having the writers with you within the room at each stage of the method – it’s a richer collaborative management course of than doing a revival of an outdated piece. I assume the bonus of a tried-and-tested outdated present is that audiences prefer it, and in case you want to take them, there are references on the way it could possibly be carried out, designed, and many others. With a totally new present like this, each atom of the present springs from the imaginations of the artists concerned in its creation.
