Michael Ball Talks To First

07-11-2006 11:29

Most famously a dynamic star of the West End and Broadway, Michael Ball is also a talented TV and Radio presenter and multi-platinum recording artist. Is there no end to this man’s talents?His new album ‘ONE VOICE’ out on 30th October 2006, is a follow up to last years ultra successful album ‘MUSIC’ which sold over 220,000 copies. On ONE VOICE, Michael breaths his unique breed of charisma into some of his favourite pop and rock songs, some of which might take you by surprise. By Liz Frost

Did you always want to be a singer

It’s not that I always wanted to be, I think I always was. I just wanted to make a living out of it. Growing up my family used to say I had a nice voice and were really encouraging. I don’t think it’s until you’re with people who are going to be honest, probably not until you’re in front of an audience that pays, they’ve come to see a production - and it works. They say, ‘He was up there and he was alright’. I think that was probably when I thought ‘Oh, I can do that’

The first job I got was a musical, Godspell. It was the best entrance you could ever hope for. There are all these philosophers, a cocophony of noise a horn sound and I’m behind these huge doors. I was playing John the Baptist and Judas. The doors swing open and a spotlight hits. I thought Ah, lovely. I understood then the power of music. You can move an audience, you can talk to an audience you can capture and audience far more with music than with anything else. I just loved it from that moment.

What’s the favourite part you’ve played

That’s a difficult question. I’m really lucky, I think early on you do any part you can. You just want to work. It’s really hard. I’ve just come back from New York frojm doing Woman in White, and doing Patience a Gilbert and Sullivan musical at New York City opera two great parts. Two different character parts. I’ve either been the young romantic lead or the old romantic lead

Do your roles change as you get older

I can’t play Marius from Les Mis anymore because he’s 20! The parts get better as you get older, there’s no question. Although I was always really lucky, when I started it was the birth of the British musicals and we ruled the art form. To go from Les Mis Phantom to Aspects of Love. These were really meaty dramatic roles, they required the acting part of my armery as much as just being able to sing. The first time I did proper musical comedy was chitty chitty bang bang. Which was extraordinary, what a joy to be doing big dances.

Was it difficult to dance

Really difficult! I’m not trained., I was really scared about it! The choreographer had to work really hard with me at it. The old bamboo is one of the most complex dance routines ever! The chorus all go off and I’ve got to stay on and do the next scene purple in the face!

Is there a part you want to play and haven’t yet

There’s only one. Sweeny Todd. They’ve just revised it here and on Broadway and I’ve worked with Stephen quite a lot, but I’ve never actually sat and watched the show. It’s briliant, I’d love to do that. Just having been revised and restaged I couldn’t do it right now, but at some point in the future, there’s no question I want to do that.