Emma's Purr-fect Panto Role In Dick Whittington

Emma Goodwin as
Tommy the Cat

Andy Howells meets Emma Goodwin, the actress  behind the feline fur of Tommy the Cat in Newport Riverfront’s pantomime Dick Whittington.

It would be safe to assume that running a dance school and leading a Cheerleader team regularly for Newport Dragon’s matches would be enough to keep anybody’s diary full, not so for actress Emma Goodwin who is currently treading the boards in Newport Riverfront’s Dick Whittington.

In recent years, Emma has been responsible for choreography in the Riverfront panto, but during this festive season she has quite a different role. “I'm taking a break from the choreography and taking on a bigger role in the form of Tommy the Cat.” she says, “Being a full part of the cast which will be really fun as well as a challenge!”

Emma's  involvement with local dance schools since childhood has enabled her to gain experience in many local pantomime productions as well as  appearances at Her Majesty’s Theatre and The London Palladium. Emma has also gained a full scholarship at the Urdang Academy of performing arts in London’s Covent Garden.

Emma made her debut Riverfront panto performance back in 2009 in Peter Pan. “The year before I was chaperoning the children in panto and the director said to me “Whoa what are you doing there - why are you not in it?” The following year they rang me up and said they would love me to be in it. I assisted the choreographer and had quite a few chorus roles, it was really good fun.”

As each pantomime has come around, so has a new challenge for Emma including playing Eliza in Robin Hood two years ago and been responsible for choreography in Beauty and The Beast last year.

Emma has also been busy throughout the year running her own dance school which consists of 170 students and more recently organising a cheerleader team for Newport Dragons matches on the build up to Christmas. “I quite like teaching,” she says, “the school has opened up so many opportunities for me as a performer.  I’d like to do more professional productions with the children. All of the tutors who work in the school with me are all working actors or dancers so the children love the element of us all working in different things.”

Emma’s panto roles also serve as an inspiration for her young pupils, “The children in my school come along and watch it, and I get such lovely responses from everybody especially if I haven’t been in class for a bit. It’s nice for them to see someone they know in a big production so that they can aim for their goals and dreams as well.”

• Dick Whittington which features Emma along with Richard Elis, Lee Mengo , Elin Llwyd, Nerine Skinner  and Gareth Tempest continues at The Riverfront until January 4, 2015 Call 01633 656757 for ticket details.
• A version of this interview by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during December, 2014.

Judith Owen Discusses Her Album Ebb And Flow

Andy Howells chatted with Welsh singer-songwriter Judith Owen as she released her album, Ebb and Flow in early 2014.

“I call myself London-Welsh.” American based singer-songwriter Judith Owen told me as we chatted over the phone, one day in late January. “I was born in London, although my mother was from Kidwelly and my father from Llanelli." 

"My Dad was at Cardiff college of music and drama planning to be an opera singer. He and my mother were going back and forth between London because Dad was wanting to become a serious opera singer, which he did by joining the chorus of Covent Garden for 35 years. So, I was basically a product of very Welsh parents who were constantly homesick for Wales and whose real home was the place they had left.” 

Its clear from talking to Judith and listening to her acclaimed new album Ebb and Flow that she still feels a strong  genetic attachment to Wales through her childhood recollections of family visits and her strong memories of her mother and father both of whom she has dedicated songs to on her new album. “We went back to Wales as often as humanly possible," she tells me, “and that was what we saw as been home." 

Judith and her sister were exposed to frequent classical music rehearsals from an early age as their father was the popular operatic singer, Handel Owen; I ask why she didn't follow her father’s classical path musically. “The overwhelming desire I had from an early age was to write music at the piano,”she says,“I could copy my sister playing Debussy and that wasn't hard work at all because that was my gift. I faked it really well until everyone realised I wasn't going to be a concert pianist at all and I was just pretending." 

"Ultimately it was all about self expression and it was an immediate thing that I realised I could express myself at the piano. There was sort of sadness around because although my mother was a beautiful alive and wonderful person she was also a very depressed person. It was a sense of great light and darkness in our house so watching the effect the music had on my father and how his face lit up when he could sing. I knew from a very early age that was the route to joy and life a love affair with a piano and singing.”

It’s the stark realisation of loss that inspired two “honest interpretations” of emotions through the songs You’re Not Here Anymore and I Would Give Anything on Judith’s latest release. “I don’t know of anybody that doesn't go through this and beats themselves up,” she says, “All of us think we have forever and if you didn't think that way you wouldn't get through it. I don’t write music to be anything but cathartic and compassionate and that’s the point of it, I still think music needs to be beautiful and therapeutic for the listener it should still be a beautiful experience.” 

"A beautiful experience" sums up Ebb and Flow, a set of potent songs about love and loss, pain and joy, dreams and despair, exploring the duality of the human condition with Judith turning to the legendary musicians who created the seventies’ troubadour sound. Between them, her core band of drummer Russ Kunkel, bassist Lee Sklar and guitarist Waddy Wachtel played on many of the landmark albums from the era by the likes of Carole King, James Taylor, and Joni Mitchell. 

As homage to the era Judith covers James Taylor's Hey Mister, That’s Me Up On The Jukebox and Mungo Jerry’s In The Summertime on the album, “I asked them which James Taylor song I should do and of course James Taylor is the king of taking over peoples songs and making them sound that they’re his anyway. Russ (Kunkel) said “you've got to do Hey Mister. We were on the road with James at the time and he literally heard himself in a bar it was about his loneliness despite his success he was a lonely person a little too long” and that’s the bit that breaks my heart when I sing it.” 

I ask Judith if her husband, the comedian Harry Shearer gives her any feedback to her recordings. “Whenever I write a song Harry is always the first person who plays on it, he’s the first person I ask about mixes, the look, sound and everything that’s the relationship we have. I see everything he does, he sees everything I do, we are that to each other and I’d never release anything if I didn't think he would be a 100% about it. That’s the implicit trust we have in each other, that’s the major perk of been married to your number one supporter it’s a rare thing.” 

With numerous UK dates in the pipeline Judith also hopes to play dates again in Wales in the future. “Nothing makes me happier than coming back to Wales. It’s hard to describe to people how much Wales means to me and coming from a Welsh background the thing that comes close to the feeling I get when I come home are those are my happiest memories and they really are.”

• Ebb and Flow by Judith Owen is available to buy as a CD or download now.
• For more information on Judith Owen visit her official website.
• A version of this review appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during April, 2014.

CD Review: Definitely Maybe (Remastered) - Oasis

Crazy as it might seem its 21 years since Oasis exploded onto the music scene with their debut (and some regard - still best) album Definitely Maybe.

Some might say (excuse the pun) that the album might not need revisiting, but as The Gallagher Brothers have frequently pointed out in various interviews over the years Oasis has rarely got much better than this, except it does.

While all 11 tracks including Rock and Roll Star , Shakermaker and Supersonic have been remastered, fans and collectors will also enjoy the two extra discs in this package which contain 33 demos, rarities, b-sides and live tracks including Half The World Away and their cover of The Beatles' I Am The Walrus.

Among the cut and thrust of rock n roll and raw Brit pop  there are also the occasional surprises including the string version of Whatever which closes the collection. Classical Oasis anyone?

• A version of this review by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during June, 2014.

CD Review: The Sound Of Strength By Laura Wright

Laura Wright

Soprano Laura Wright's album The Sound Of Strength certainly breaks down barriers when fusing the classical music genre with the driving beats of drum and bass.

Her powerful  rendition of Barber's Agnus Dei sampling sections of Rudyard Kipling's poem If was released with a Hunger Games stylized video earlier this Summer and succeeded in securing the attention of a diverse range of music fans.

"Classical music is for everyone," Laura recently told Andy Howells," and it’s a matter of how you use it and produce it. I feel I want to be someone who presents it in a different way."

Laura certainly achieves that objective here, giving an energetic twist to the compositions of Puccini, Caruso, Beethoven and of course, Barber challenging the listener both mentally and physically.

The fusion of familiar tunes such as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and epic production values make this album incredibly accessible and with the accompaniment of a sequenced workout playlist devised by Sport Psychologist Dr Costas Karageorghis bring The Sound Of Strength like a breeze into the world of health and fitness.

• Laura Wright will tour the UK in early 2015. Visit laura-wright.co.uk for further details.
• A version of this review appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during October, 2014

Sarah Perryman Of The Siren Sisters Discusses Debut Album

Back in Summer 2014, Andy Howells chatted with Sarah Perryman of 1940s homage vocal trio The Siren Sisters as the group released their debut album, Now and Then.

The Siren Sisters were formed in 2010 and have appealed to audiences young and old. The trio have based their success on a true representation of the 1940s era and made numerous performances on television, radio and their successful theatre show Christmas With The Siren Sisters. Such has been their popularity the trio recently went into the recording studio to put together their first album. 

"Its been a long time in the making really." says founder member Sarah Perryman, " we kind of dilly dallied with a few EP's to sell at Christmas time for our theatre tours, but then we decided we wanted to do an album. People kept asking me for it and in the end We've been doing it for long enough we felt we really do need to have one." 

Anyone who has seen The Siren Sisters live on stage will know of their attention to detail with their 1940s inspired hair, dresses and shoes. Their attention to detail is followed through on their debut album featuring songs originally popularised by Al Bowlly, Bing Crosby and The Dinning Sisters. The album  entitled Now and Then features ten songs from the classic era recorded in the first instance using modern recording techniques and then repeated and remixed again with a more vintage feel (complete with record crackles and mono overtones). 

"Basically people love those songs. We have a really wide audience base of older people that love what we do and a really big younger following as well," says Sarah, " I couldn't decide whether to use all the modern technology available or go for the more vintage sound but then risk compromising on the quality so i had the idea of having two versions of each song so the audience can decide to listen to the songs as they would sound now or listen to them as our interpretation as what they would have sounded like then." 

Sarah maintains that although The Siren Sisters may be inspired by the wonderful music of the bygone era they are still rooted firmly in the present,"All the way along I've always wanted to honour the songs. I haven't really messed with the songs too much in terms of modernising them because they're well loved.  Its always about bringing it up to date and looking forwards so that younger people can join with older people and celebrate the same music together. Its a bit of artistic licence as well, our costumes aren't actually from the 40s, I wouldn't want to wear them because they'd probably rip in two minutes!" 

Sarah hopes some of the songs featured on the album will also enlighten audiences to some long lost hits of a golden era, "We wanted some songs that were well known songs like Run Rabbit Run and a mixture of British and American as well. I didn't want it to be all well-known songs that you'd find on someone else's swing style album. I wanted it to be some of the more obscure songs from girl groups like the Dinning Sisters who perhaps weren't commercial in the way that The Andrew Sisters were. A lot of their music hadn't had the same exposure I almost love their stuff more." 

• The Siren Sisters new album Now and Then is available from their official website.
• A version of this interview appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during July, 2014 

Linda Lusardi Brings Pantomime Magic To Cinderella - Interview

Linda Lusardi in Cinderella

Actress and former glamour model Linda Lusardi is currently making wishes come true as the Fairy Godmother in Cardiff New Theatre's pantomime Cinderella, "It’s quite a change to me because I'm normally a Wicked Queen in Snow White or Carabeth in Sleeping Beauty. For me to be a Fairy Godmother is quite nice as I'm able to smile on stage and not get booed!"

Linda, along with her husband the actor and director Sam Kane have been pantomime regulars around the UK for the last 25 years and will be appearing on stage together in Cinderella, (Sam is playing an Ugly Sister alongside Mike Doyle as well as directing.)

"I think we work well together because he has so much to think about with all the different characters," says Linda of her on stage partnership with her husband, "sometimes I see things that he’s missed. Kids are the best because when ours were younger they would sit in on rehearsal and go "Mum that doesn't make sense and it would be something you've not even seen but children don’t miss a trick."

Linda took up acting following a successful modelling career in the 1980s "I wasn't a confident person even when I was modelling," she says, “Slowly as I got older I was offered different things. I was offered this play called Funny Peculiar. I didn't really know what I was doing but the director worked with me and by the end of the 12 week run I kind of got the knack of it. There were no microphones you had to project yourself on stage. From that, I was offered my first panto with Norman Wisdom in Dartford and that was it, that was Christmas for me. I just wanted to do panto every year."

Andy Howells meets Linda Lusardi

Linda met Sam when they appeared in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs at Darlington 20 years ago. "He was the Prince and I was Snow White,"she says. "My marriage was on the rocks and had been for a while and we'd basically become really good friends over that season. We remained in contact after my marriage split. I was in Llandudno in a wartime play and he came to see it and we went out for dinner and it was lovely. Twenty years on it still feels new."

Linda and Sam married in 1998 and have two children Jack and Lucy, both of whom are following their parent’s footsteps into the acting profession. Like Sam and Linda, Lucy is also appearing in pantomime this Christmas, but in Swindon with Nigel Havers.

Linda feels that the medium of pantomime is an important one for bringing families into the theatre, "We've had some people go "I've come every year for a good sleep because its just for the kids, but this year we've really loved it, we were into it as much as the kids!"

Of Cinderella which also stars Lee Mead, Gareth Thomas, Andy Jones, Holly Bluett and Mike Doyle, Linda says, "Its lavish and sparkly, we've got real ponies on stage for the carriage for the ball. Its spectacular."

Even though Linda is taking to the stage as the Fairy Godmother, I wonder if she'll have any Christmas wishes she'd like granting of her own. "That we don’t get stuck in by snow, " she replies, "I hate driving in the snow, as my daughter is in Swindon  I hope we can get over and pick her up for Christmas Day without any problems. if it goes smoothly its all I can hope for."

• Extracts from this interview by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on December 19, 2014. 
• To book tickets for Cinderella, which runs until January 15, 2015 visit Cardiff New Theatre's website.

CD Review: Elvis: That's The Way It Is (Deluxe Edition)

In 1970, Elvis Presley fans were thrilled by the arrival of two cultural milestones: one an album, the other a full-length concert/documentary and each of them called Elvis: That’s The Way It Is. 2014 saw Legacy recordings revisit the original album, but this time with additional recordings from five other Elvis concerts of the period and several out-takes from the sessions.

Totaling some 150 tracks there is naturally some repetition, but the clarity of most of the live performances allows the die-hard Elvis fans to cherry-pick their favourite cuts, among them BJ Thomas' I Just Can't Help Believing, Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline and George Harrison's Something.

A separate disc of insightful rehearsal highlights, featuring unusual song selections showcases both the hard work and the playful atmosphere that governed Elvis’ relationship with his band of the period.

There are some further attempts for Elvis to visit what he terms on the album as "The Beatles songbook" in a series of out-takes which make interesting listening.

That's The Way It Is is available as both a highly-collectible 8CD/2DVD box set and That’s The Way It Is (Deluxe Edition).

• A version of this review by Andy Howells was published in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during August, 2014.