Former Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton plays Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical and tells John Byrne about life on stage and on the road.
"Dublin's one of my favourite places." Joanne Clifton gets off to a great start when I get her on the blower to talk about her latest role, playing Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical, which lands at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on August 15 for six ogre-iffic nights.
It’s become one of this generation’s most enduring tales, this Shrek story. Beginning as a 1990 children's picture book by William Steig, it became an animated film of the same name in 2001. Since then, it’s become a bit of a mini-industry, inspiring sequels and spin-offs, computer games and a musical. Which is where Joanne Clifton comes in.
From its debut in 2008, Shrek The Musical has enjoyed massive success, from Broadway to London’s West End, and on tour, not just here and in the neighbouring UK, but as far away as Brazil and Australia.
The story's all about Shrek and Donkey seeking to complete their quest of defeating the dragon and saving Princess Fiona. The musical features fabulous songs such as I'm A Believer, Big Bright Beautiful World and I Know It’s Today.
Antony Lawrence, who plays Shrek, has a CV that includes Scar in The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Matilda the Musical and We Will Rock You.
Olivier Award-nominee James Gillan stars as Lord Farquaad, while Brandon Lee Sears plays the much-loved Donkey. But for Irish audiences the big name on the bill is Joanne Clifton.
Best known for her time as a professional dancer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, here she plays Princess Fiona. Her brother, of course, is Kevin Clifton, recently seen here starring in Strictly Ballroom: The Musical at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
John Byrne: Hi Joanne. Are you looking forward to coming back to Ireland?
Joanne Clifton: Dublin’s one of my favourite places. The most fun I’ve ever had on any tour was there and the Bord Gáis dressing rooms are the best in the world, better than any other theatre ever. No one can argue with this. I honestly can’t wait.
And the audience are just brilliant. Mental!
Shrek is something that’s really endured. It's basically turned into an industry!
I think there’s like five other films and a new coming out with Puss and Boots, I think. It’s one of my favourite films ever, which is why I’m so excited to play Princess Fiona. Because if ever I was going to play a princess, this is it.
You’ve done a lot of films that became musicals - the likes of Flashdance and Addams Family, for example - and it gives an audience a certain amount of familiarity even before they’ve got to the theatre. That must be a plus?
They know roughly what they’re going to be seeing. They know what to expect. However, I always feel the musical versions, you don’t quite know what exactly to expect, because there are going to be new songs.
For example, this is a new production of the musical and there are going to be songs that the audiences don’t know. And even the characters . . . of course, they’re going to be similar to what people would have seen in the film, but there are going to be different people playing them.
There’ll be tiny little details that people bring to the characters.
It's nice to see something familiar, but also good if there’s something new about it as well.
Exactly. And even though Princess Fiona is really well known, I bring something of my own to the role. Sutton Foster did it on Broadway and I’m very different to her. I’m going to bring own thing to it.
Is that one of the things that drew you to musical theatre?
I've been a dancer most of my life, so I’ve learned to tell stories through dance. And even in competitions I always tell. What I love more than the actual competing side of it and getting results is the actual performance side of it. And trying to tell a story through dance.
Obviously, in a musical, on top of that you can also tell it though words and you can tell it through a style of music, and I just love that.
And what I do love as well about musicals is that no one’s bigger than the show. When we all coming together in our different roles - however big or small the roles are - the main thing is to put on a fantastic show for the audience that’s come to see us. I just love that. It’s so nice and so thrilling.
Being on the road is, of course, a totally difference experience for the cast compared to a residency at one venue. It's almost like being in a gang, I'd imagine?
Oh, absolutely. I mean, for example with Shrek we’re on the road for one massive ten-month holiday together.
It’s kind of like a coach trip. We’re all just together like one big family. And you do get so close. I mean, from Kruger shows I’ve been in I’ve got matching tattoos with people. I’m best of friends with people.
It’s quite a transitory existence too. You work, often intensely, with a group of people and then you move to the next project. Is that something that appeals to you?
Yeah! I love the uncertainty of it. Obviously it can be stressful at times, when you’re not in a job. But it makes it that when you do get the jobs, you can get so many ‘nos’ it makes a ‘yes’ all the more incredible. When you get that ‘yes’ it’s like ‘Oh, brilliant!’
And there’s something about it that’s really exciting.
Shrek The Musical is at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre August 15-20. Tickets are available now from TickletMaster.
