Musical Theatre Actor Interviews – Matt Harrop

Guildford School of Acting.

In some ways it did prepare me and in others, no! Definitely the college gave me the skills to get jobs, singing and acting particularly, and I also felt that actually doing shows to a reasonably high level with other budding actors gave me a sense of how working as a professional actor would be.

However, even though there was much talk and discussion of how hard it can be, I don’t think anyone can really prepare a young actor for the reality! Its tough, but it can be extremely rewarding too.

I have been reasonably lucky to have had some lovely jobs. But I have had long breaks so i guess that’s been the worst. My first year and a bit out of GSA I didn’t work at all, I was working in a call centre and decided to go full time.

I gave up.

I had just been auditioning for Les Miserable though as a final push, and literally a week after going full time I got it. So going and telling my boss I was quitting after a week was kinda cringy!

With an agent, a first round where you sing your own song, and then waiting…

…. Waaaaaiiiting..

If you are recalled, probably sing something form the show, especially if you are up for a part and probably script too.

For me, as a slightly older man and a singer/actor I may have to do a dance call at a later stage, or hopefully not at all! But the dance stage usually comes second if you are up for ensemble or very young and spritely!

I’ve had anything up to 8 rounds for a single job, it can be quite gruelling and mentally tough to keep that up, but sometimes there are lots of people who will need to see you.

I have about 15 songs I use for auditions, so I don’t really have favourites… I used to sing Funny from City of Angels a lot… not so much anymore, and I was going to sing it for a big casting director a couple of months back until he told me two people had sung it already that day!

I truly believe you should sing a song you KNOW you can sing well, and maybe you feel you sing uniquely too… even if it doesn’t always quite fit the brief.

Some casting directors get you to sing pop for shows that aren’t even poppy, I hate that but I have an Elton John song I sing that covers all the bases and I enjoy singing it. Finding songs like that for yourself is the best way to go.

See above!

I don’t really. I am not superstitious myself. Oh I do have a lucky pair of pants for auditions!

I find less and less that actors are into them. When I first started if you whistled anywhere in the theatre you were sent outside and had to spin and blah blah blah, but no one does that sort of thing anymore!

I’m a bad person. I don’t like doing vocal exercises, and I find it much better to sing songs.

I have a warm up playlist on my iPhone and its all mid range songs (I’m a high baritone) with a few high ones thrown in. I find this a better warm up for myself. However, I know that is naughty!!

I don’t have one! Many of the parts Ive played I never thought I would, and they were a surprise and a joy to do.

As a character actor I end up playing very different types, which is lovely. I never thought I’d play Fagin, and yet that was such a satisfying and fulfilling part to play for me.

I was on for Thenardier, and in the sewers scene you have to walk to the front of the stage with a guy over your shoulder and drop him down to the floor and sing. I walked forward and started to drop him, and something on his costume caught my hat, and pulled it off. Unfortunately for me the hair for Thenardier is also attached to the hat so that came off too, and i had a stocking cap underneath. Stupidly I didn’t attach my mic to my stocking cap so that fell off too.

So, picture me, on stage, in a spotlight, holding my head mic like a microphone in front of my mouth in a stocking cap, with a giggling corpse in front of me. Also the first 8 rows of the audience were laughing as well… EMBARRASSING!

Gosh. I have two that come to mind. Playing Fagin in Dublin for a whole week was amazing, I was tired and my back was done in by the end of it, as it was between Christmas and New year with 8 shows in 4 days, but I had the best time. I can safely say I loved every minute of it, and it kept me in the business for the foreseeable, just for the chance to have another week like that.

Also, the first job I got was Les Miserables, as I said earlier I had been out of work for a year after college, and so when I got the call I had Les Mis, I didn’t eat for a week. I was floating on cloud nine. I rang my agent to make sure it was definitely me that got it and that they hadn’t called the wrong person! God that was good…

Norma Desmond.

Mrs Lovett.

The Witch (Into the Woods).

Trunchbull (Matilda).

Madame Thenardier.

EXPLOSIVE!!

Deodorant.

Water.

Crisps.

Mrs Taylors Lullaby, Bat Boy (London Cast)

Have faith in your abilities, and if you think your not good enough at something work as hard as you can to be good enough. Because its tough out there! And you need to believe in yourself, especially when you are up in front of people giving them your take on the part, or the song, or whatever!

I would also say, if you aren’t totally in love with musical theatre, and can see yourself doing something else, do the something else. This world is only for the the committed, and probably the insane.

Wake. Stretch. Warm. Eat. Travel. Change. Perform. Enjoy. Friends. Travel. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.