There have been musicals set in countries in the midst of historic revolutions, on Mediterranean islands, in magical lands straight out of fables and less colourful dystopian futures. But a musical set in a lift? Craig Adams and Ian Watson’s new musical at the Soho theatre must surely be the first.
But when you think about it, as a location it offers thousands of possibilities, that LIFT looks set to reveal a few of as eight strangers – with names including Lap Dancer, Busker and French teacher – stand cramped alongside one another for 54 potentially life-changing seconds.
With the limited snippets of score available on the show’s website sounding very Spring Awakening and a cast comprising a tantalising mix of up-and-coming talent and veteran musical theatre stars, we for one can’t wait to find out what those 54 seconds hold. Here, a selection of the cast mirror the show, which offers an insight into each character’s head, by letting us pick their brains, offering a sneaky preview ahead of the show’s world premiere next week.
Describe your character in six words
Jonny Fines: Ballet dancer, gay, music, unresolved, lost.
Robbie Towns: Thin, tall and ‘praying mantis like’.
Ellie Kirk: American, tourist, young, excited, positive, flirtatious.
Luke Kempner: Assertive, business, hurt, regret, confusion, loneliness.
Julie Atherton: Focused, cautious, considerate, methodical, independent, romantic.
Cynthia Erivo: Sexy, vulnerable, young, hurt, mouthy, unrequited.
Nikki Davis-Jones: Secretary, unnoticed, intelligent, lives-with-mother, loves-her-boss.
George Maguire: Lost, musician, romantic, daydreamer, hurt, caring.
What’s the most unexpected thing that’s ever happened to you in London?
Fines: I broke up a fight once on the underground during the riots. Everyone was a bit on edge and I heard two people going at it on the walking escalators in front of me, so I jumped the side and ran over and broke it up.
Towns: I went to Sainbury’s just the other day and they had run out of broccoli! Shocked!
Kirk: Literally bumping into Danny DeVito backstage at the Savoy theatre!
Kempner: Once I went to Highbury & Islington tube station and it was closed, so I went to Finsbury Park.
Atherton: Not minding the gap? That was pretty unexpected. I scarred my left shin for life!
Erivo: Well a couple days ago, I was on my way home from rehearsal and as I got to the station, my boyfriend calls and asks where I am. I say outside the station, he names the station and says he was driving by. ALL COMPLETELY UNPLANNED!!! So I get picked up! Bonus!
Davis-Jones: When the incredible, dangerous and exciting dance group Streb appeared on the London Eye as part of London 2012. They were actually on the spokes of the London Eye!
Maguire: Don’t think I have one.
Which six people (dead or alive) would you most like to get stuck in a lift with?
Fines: January Jones, Kimberly Wyatt, Ryan Gosling, David Beckham, Ty Burrell and Ricky Gervais.
Towns: My best friend Sallee Reimer-Duntin, Ricky Gervais, Rosie O’Donnell (when she had a talk show and was funny, back in the 90s), Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli singing The Prayer on repeat and a professional masseuse.
Kirk: Meryl Streep, Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Aniston, Hugh Jackman, Gary Oldman and Ty Burrell.
Kempner: Arsene Wenger, Ricky Gervais, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Thierry Henry, Rory Kinnear and Stephen Fry.
Atherton: I don’t really mind as long as one of them was Bear Grylls – he’d get us out.
Erivo: Oprah, Deepak Chopra, Gene Kelly, Patti Labelle, Jamie Foxx and Michelle Obama.
Davis-Jones: David Attenborough, Judi Dench, a lift engineer, Louie Spence, George
Lamb…a man with a bucket?
Maguire: Keith Moon, Michael Jackson, Marc Bolan, Kurt Cobain, Elvis Presley and a lift engineer. I could start a super-band of dead rock stars then the engineer could fix the lift and get us out.
What is your favourite ever musical?
Fines: I don’t like musicals.
Towns: I don’t have one.
Kirk: Miss Saigon.
Kempner: Parade.
Atherton: The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown.
Erivo: Memphis.
Davis-Jones: LIFT, of course!
Maguire: Rent.
How will you be spending your days during the run of the show?
Fines: Hopefully going to the gym. Hopefully resting. Probably being hungover.
Towns: Laughing… just laughing all day.
Kirk: Sleeping and not getting ill!
Kempner: Doing a lot of writing and maybe go to the gym… once.
Atherton: Trying to keep fit and healthy as we have no understudies!
Erivo: Writing music, topping up on vitamin C and making sure I don’t get ill!
Davis-Jones: I’ll spend my days having a lie-in and running. Julie and I are possibly going to do the insanity work out – basically getting fit after Christmas indulgence.
Maguire: Busking! I’m so very method. Possibly sleeping too.
What is your favourite moment during the show?
Fines: When Luke Kempner has to perform fellatio on me.
Towns: All Ellie Kirk’s bits!
Kirk: The opening.
Kempner: The opening.
Atherton: The bit where we’re in a lift? No really, I guess the opening at the moment. And Octet [a song from the show]. Oh I love all of it. Craig Adams is a genius.
Erivo: Not sure yet, I haven’t seen it as a whole yet!
Davis-Jones: The “on the tube” moment.
Maguire: The bit in the lift! I’m not giving anything away…