Teens go mad for Madness musical
12:27pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Art & Exhibitions By Rebecca Cain
Teens go mad for Madness musical
TALKING to five teenagers from the Wycombe Swan Youth Theatre it is hard not to get excited about their latest production, Our House- The Madness Musical. For if energy and enthusiasm were anything to go by this is going to be a show to remember. Rebecca Cain talks to five of the actors who will be singing their way through Madness' hits.
The Wycombe Swan Youth Theatre attracts hundreds of youngsters from the area each year. Rehearsals last five months culminating with a production week in February half term.
This year's choice of show is Our House- a London love story about Joe Casey.. or rather the two stories of Joe Casey. The audience follows both parts of his life from the night of his 16th birthday.
And Guy Lambert, 17, from Marlow is understandably feeling a bit nervous as he is playing Joe who is nearly onstage the whole time and has 27 costume changes.
Guy said: "I am especially nervous about this character. I haven't played any character like it what with all the costume changes and I am in every single scene."
Our House, by Tim Firth, was first produced at Cambridge Theatre, London, in 2002 and includes the classic Madness songs, House of Fun, My Girl, Baggy Trousers, It Must Be Love and lots more.
And although the hits are mostly from the early 80s, when many of the cast weren't even born, they know all the songs, with a little help from a certain brand of fish fingers.
Elysia Page, 17, from High Wycombe, who is playing Joe's mum Kath, said: "The songs are everywhere. Our House is also on that fish finger advert"
Jenny Jones, 16, from High Wycombe, who is playing Sarah, said: "It is like our guilty pleasure. Now we have an excuse to listen to all of the songs."
They have all been involved in the youth theatre before and most are enjoying playing a principle lead for the first time.
Jenny said: "It is such a great experience. You don't get it any where else. Not at this professional standard."
And for the time during the rehearsals the show really becomes a big part of the teenagers' lives.
Lewis Cochrane, 16, from Beaconsfield, who is playing Lewis, said: "We learn to kind of abandon other friends if we are true to the youth theatre.
"We are seeing each other every week. It becomes our social life."
Director Matt Dye said: "We are very close as a cast. In the show they are close friends and life can imitate art."
Laurence Hodgson, 15, from Chalfont St Peter is playing Emmo who is friends with Lewis and Joe.
He said: "I love the character. I did Our house with a different group and I played Reecey. I enjoy the character a lot more. You can have so much fun with it."
And that is what makes all the difference, said Matt, as sometimes they do not even have to act because they are having so much fun. Again Emmo's love of chocolate biscuits is very close to Laurence who even whipped out a packet of chocolate biscuits during the interview.
The actors are all taken through a process of training with the aim to boost them to a professional standard.
But some are more intent on becoming actors that others.
Jenny and Lewis are going to give it a go as they cannot imagine doing anything else, whereas the other three said the intense competition puts them off.
Jenny said: "We have to go to school every day. I would love to come here every day."
The finishing touches are being made before the show starts on February 16. Matt added: "It is part of the Wycombe community and it is just great theatre."
Our House is at the Town Hall from February 16 to 19 at 7.30pm with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm. Tickets are £13 with £2 off for concessions. To book go to www.wycombeswan.co.uk or call 01494512000.
