This Monday (11 Mar) sees the return of the smash hit show A Night at the Musicals starring Jonny Woo and Le Gateau Chocolat to the Soho Theatre for a two week run. Dave Cross caught up the the two stars to talk about the show which is packed with classic songs from everyone’s favourite musicals delivered in their own special style.
Hello guys, are you excited to be teaming up again for A Night at The Musicals?
Le Gateau: Oh really excited, but it’s not so much teaming up ‘again’, as we are coming straight off of a tour of Oz with our follow up show, Another Night At The Musicals, so we are ready to go for it with the original.
Jonny: We both get to be complete idiots with this show which is lots of fun
Does the 2019 version differ from last year’s?
Jonny: There is no long answer. It’s the same show HA! So come if you haven’t seen it and come again if you did and loved it.
Can you please sum up the show in one sentence?
Le Gateau: The show is a Les Mis-a-massacre musical mash-up of some of your fave musical theatre tunes by two best pals in sequins and swimsuits and endless wig changes!
How did you choose the songs to include?
Jonny: Oh we picked some of our faves from over the years, such as I Know Him So Well and Phantom Of The Opera and then some hits which we know people just know really well like Cabaret or the big Grease sing-a-long numbers.
Were there any songs that you disagreed about in the process?
Le Gateau: Not really. We have tons to choose from and over time we have honed the show to deliver a concise selection that is both crowd pleasing but also allows us to show off a bit and have fun.
Jonny: There are more shows to follow with songs not in this and there is always the ‘jukebox’ section where audiences can shout out suggestions.
How did you two meet and where did the idea come from?
Jonny: We met at Gay Bingo in Brighton years ago and became buddies. We decided to do a classic Night At The Musicals, when East London drag was all about being messy and arch and subversive (I had nothing to do with that). Crowds loved a bit of old school musical sing-a-long and the show was born, back in 2007, ish.
Le Gateau, how would you describe Jonny and what he does to someone who has never met or seen him?
Le Gateau: Matriarchal, lip synching, muscle Mary with an unrelenting ambition to celebrate anarchy, punk and difference. Legs that make you livid, they’re so good. An elastic face that brings any lip-synched character(s) to life and surely amongst the best pub landlords in East London. Composer of Brexit – the musical…. Sooooooo many strings to one’s bow, sooo little time.
And Jonny, how would you describe Le Gateau?
Jonny: Oh he must be seen to be believed. What a voice. It’ll rock you from the core. A complete, and he’ll say this himself, ‘asshole’ who loves to play the fool, enchant and excite, in equal measure.
Can you please pick one favourite moment from the show?
Jonny: Just one moment? I love singing I Know Him So Well. We have a funny chat before which always makes me giggle and then we just sit in stools and sing a good old show tune. Every drag queens dream, right?
Tickets from sohotheatre.com or 0207 478 0100.
The Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, Soho, W1.
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