We were blown away by the heart and soul that came with the upbeat Cilla - the Musical when it came to Milton Keynes Theatre last year.
Audience reactions were quite something too, so it's not such a surprise to find it back on the menu, so to speak, from Tuesday (October 30).
And it's great to be able to report that the lady who did such a swell job in the title role the first time around is back; Kara Lily Hayworth beat thousands of hopefuls to win the coveted role in the musical adaptation of the acclaimed ITV mini-series.
It follows the extraordinary life of the ordinary girl teenage girl from Liverpool, Priscilla White, and her rocky, yet incredible, rise to fame. By the time she reached 25, she was international singing star Cilla Black.
Actress Kara Lily Hayworth talks to us about playing a British entertainment icon in Cilla The Musical.
It's a love story...
"In essence, it’s a beautiful love story. It follows Cilla Black’s rise to fame, but underneath it’s about her relationship with Bobby and their journey.
"You watch how they progress and how Cilla becoming a star affects their relationship.
"The audiences love all the music. All of Cilla’s hits are in there – Anyone Who Had A Heart, You’re My World, Alfie, Step Inside Love – but there’s also early Beatles songs as well, Gerry And The Pacemakers, The Mamas & The Papas. But it’s not a jukebox musical. It’s a play with truly fantastic songs woven into it."
Kara on playing Cilla...
She’s an absolute icon. I sing 18 songs in the show, so it’s tough vocally, but I feel incredibly lucky to be able to play her. When people come to stage door and share their memories of her, it reminds me how special it is and how much it means for me to portray someone who had such an influence on their lives.
It's a challenging role...
The hardest thing to get across is that magic she had that made audiences fall in love with her. That’s what she was so good at; whatever she was doing, people just fell in love with her. That’s the hardest thing.
The trick is trying to capture her essence. I’m not doing an impersonation, but I’ve adopted certain mannerisms. It’s my own take on it. Hopefully I’ve included little things that remind people of her without mimicking her.
On the show premiere - in Cilla's hometown of Liverpool...
It was incredible. I was extremely nervous playing a Liverpudlian icon in Liverpool. I didn’t know if they’d like the show or if they’d like me. I sing Anyone Who Had A Heart, her first number one hit, at the end of the first act.
At that point, everyone stood up and everything just stopped. That was an extraordinary moment that I won’t forget. It’s always a real high point in the show. It’s the first time the audience sees her really become a star.
Kara on touring...
Touring’s great. Going to a different theatre every week with different audiences keeps the show fresh. This is the first time I’ve toured a production for this long, so it’s been a new experience. But it’s lovely because you become a real family with the cast.
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Kara on meeting Cilla...
I did meet her, when I was about 10. I played Annie opposite Paul O’Grady and he was one of Cilla’s friends.
I met her in a clothes shop and told her that I’d worked with Paul and I was going to be a performer when I was older. She told me it was a tough industry. I’ve still got her autograph at home in a frame.
She was right, of course. It’s mad how things can change so quickly. A year or two ago, I struggled to even get auditions. I left drama school in 2010 and didn’t get any parts for two or three years. I signed with a different acting agent and everything changed.
It was my agent who thought I’d be good for this role, but I didn’t think I’d have a chance at open auditions. A friend of mine was going, so we went together to just see what might happen.
It just goes to show, you have to believe that things happen for a reason. The jobs you don’t get mean you’re available for the perfect role that comes along next. Like this.
INTERVIEW: Total MK talks to Cilla Black's son about his mother's legacy: http://totalmk.co.uk/theatre/interview-total-mk-speaks-with-cilla-blacks-son-about-his-mothers-legacy-and-the-new-musical-coming-to-milton-keynes-next-week
Cilla the Musical will be at MK Theatre until Saturday, November 3.
To book tickets click here
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