Shared Chichester debut leads to fun on stage in Shrek
Their first professional show together was Oklahoma! at Chichester Festival Theatre five years ago. They then got to work together in the musical Newsies, during which the big news was that they became a couple.
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00:00 Good afternoon, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers. Now, Shrek
00:07 the musical, such a fantastic show, brilliant show, so much looking forward to seeing it
00:11 again at the Mayflower Theatre from February the 20th to the 25th, and great this morning
00:17 to be speaking to Rory Shefford and Imogen Bailey, who are both in the company. But interestingly,
00:24 you are a couple. What's it like? Is it so much easier when you are an item, if I dare
00:29 say?
00:30 I think with touring it definitely does. There's certainly benefits to it for us that we found
00:37 on this tour, personally. Things like finding digs, it makes it a heck of a lot easier.
00:44 The fact that we've got team payments going into maybe a one bedroom place as opposed
00:49 to looking for numerous bedroom flats or apartments, things like that. Even things just for company.
00:57 Touring can be a little bit lonely at times when you go into the maybe unfamiliar cities.
01:01 And so the fact that I get to go around the country with you makes it all that much better.
01:07 And Imogen, the fact that you are touring with someone who, you're with someone who
01:10 completely understands the pressures you're under, that you're both under, that must help
01:14 too.
01:15 No, absolutely. I think the other thing to mention is, well, we're both very, very supportive
01:20 of each other, you know, so that obviously really helps. I know when I've been chucked
01:25 on for Fiona or you've been chucked on for one of your new tracks, we've just both been
01:30 there for each other. And it means that we just know each other so well that, you know,
01:34 I know what he needs. I'll run to Sainsbury's and go grab him a Leucocade and whatever he
01:39 needs, you know.
01:40 That's true love, isn't it?
01:41 It really is. We just know what each other need. And yeah, what else was I going to mention?
01:49 I was going to say, oh, he's really on it.
01:53 Yeah, he's really on it.
01:54 I was just going to say, Rory's toured before, right? So Rory's toured with the Book of Mormon,
02:02 so he kind of understands the life of touring, especially before we started this job, because
02:07 obviously you have to book your digs, your trains so in advance sometimes. And obviously
02:13 I'm new to all this world. I've never done a contract that moves around. So it's been
02:18 really helpful just having someone to guide me through this, because honestly, like, I've
02:23 not been the best, I've not been the most on it when it comes to digs and trains and
02:27 things, but you really are. So it's really nice. If I've not got a train ticket, I'll
02:31 be like, Rory, have you booked this one yet? And he'll be like, do you want me to book
02:35 it as well? And I'll be like, yes, please.
02:38 Fantastic, to have someone to guide you through the logistics.
02:41 As well, but it's just basically, yeah.
02:45 And the really intriguing thing, Imogen, is that you are cover Fiona. We were just saying
02:50 just now that that sounds to me enormously nerve wracking, that you could be on as Fiona
02:55 in Trek at the drop of a hat, couldn't you? Potentially.
02:59 Yeah, I mean, you can get chucked on before the show, or you can even get chucked on mid
03:03 show. That's a thing, you know, if for any reason that, you know, one of the leads or
03:08 one of the ensemble members comes down ill, gets injured, you know, there'll be a show
03:11 stop, sometimes not even a show stop, you know, you just find that time to get ready
03:15 and just have to suddenly go from, you know, ugly duckling into Princess Fiona. But it's
03:22 such a fun role to cover. And like I was saying, Duran Clifton is amazing. She's so perfect
03:29 for that role. So it's an honour to cover her and just to cover the role. Oh, she's
03:35 hilarious. That's the thing, Trek is such a funny show. If you are coming to watch,
03:40 you just need to be prepared to laugh a lot. It's so funny. And you know, it's Trek the
03:45 musical. So it's just like the film, you've got your favourite characters, and you've
03:49 got amazing songs. I think that's one thing that's so underrated about this musical is
03:54 the soundtrack is so good. You know, you've got all the comedy bits you want, but also
03:59 you've got the meaning behind the show. I mean, there's a much deeper, more meaningful
04:04 meaning there. So, you know, not something you necessarily expect to get when you come
04:08 away from watching the show. Wow. And it also sounds like relatively early in your career
04:13 as you've been incredibly lucky to work together so much. And your first time working together
04:18 was Oklahoma in Chichester, five years ago. And that must be a fantastic memory.
04:25 Absolutely. It really does. Looking back on our summer season at Chichester, I have nothing
04:31 but happy memories. And if we were ever so lucky to be able to go back there and work
04:37 together, I'll do a show there. I would do it in the blink of an eye.
04:41 Yeah, 100%. It's, you know, it's such an amazing place. I love Chichester. I live not far from
04:47 Chichester. So for me, it's like, it's just a really comforting place. I love all the
04:51 musicals they put on. I've always seen them. I think even the ballets at Christmas, you
04:55 know, I think I've been taken to the theatre at Chichester since I was about three or four,
05:00 I think. Like, you know, my entire life has, you know, been through that theatre. So it
05:05 was just amazing to make, well, we both made our professional debuts there, didn't we?
05:09 So yeah, it was just incredible.
05:10 Very, very best place to start. Brilliant. Well, lovely to speak to you both. And really
05:15 lovely to see you on the show. And thank you for your time and good luck. Thank you.
05:18 Thank you so much.
05:19 Thank you.
05:19 Thank you.
05:20 [BLANK_AUDIO]