West End Actor Interviews – Nadim Naaman

I went to university first, reading drama at Warwick.

I then trained in Musical Theatre on the postgraduate course at the Royal Academy of Music.

Both experiences, but particularly the latter, left me feeling ready for life in the business.

There’s only so much they can teach you at a drama school, particularly on a one year course, as there are just not enough hours in a day – there is no substitute for experience, in terms of learning how to manage eight shows a week, how to interact with all the various departments in a theatre, looking after your body and voice etc.

But I believe 100% in training, to give you discipline, stamina, solid technique, and to learn how to behave in a company and be a team player.

Regardless of natural talent, you miss out on so much that might prolong your career if you don’t train. Plenty of talented young performers have no voice left by the time they’re thirty because they never learnt to use it properly and safely.

When a show is casting, casting directors send a breakdown of what they are looking for to agents, and your agent will then submit you for any particular role that you are right for.

There are ways of seeing this information if you are not represented by an agent.

If they want to see you, the casting team will call you in for an audition. Your first round will normally involve you bringing your own material, appropriate to what you’re auditioning for, to show you at your best.

If they like you, and more importantly, think you are right for a part, they will recall you with material from the show.

There may then be further recalls, dance calls, workshops with other auditionees, all leading up to a final round in front of the producers of the show when decisions will be made.

But it all varies from show to show. I’ve got one job from seven rounds of auditions, and another from just two.

You Know Better Than I by John Buccino.

What Do I Need With Love from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Last spring I believe, I did one for From Here to Eternity. They asked for a contemporary American monologue.

Not really. Not yet anyway!

One thing I do is buy a new notepad for every job I do, in which I keep all my rehearsal and performance notes from creative teams.

It’s always useful to have them in one place, and to jot down anything that I want to think on, or any questions I have for the creative team who might not be in the building every day.

Plus, they make great souvenirs when you look back on them a few years later.

Talking!

It sounds funny but I always make sure I’ve had a good chat with someone before a show or audition.

‘Vocal rest’ and keeping silent doesn’t work for me. I find that not using my voice all day means I’ve got much more work to do to feel warmed up before a show.

I’ll only do the silent thing if I’m unwell or if I am not singing that day.

Chatting gently blows the cobwebs off and then I find I only need to do about five minutes of singing warm up around half an hour before the show.

It’s a tricky question… Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard is a great part. When I’m a bit older, I’d absolutely love to have a go at The Phantom, and Javert in Les Mis.

Musicals aside, I would love to do some Shakespeare, which I did plenty of when I was younger, but haven’t touched since training.

I will never forget one night of The Sound of Music where one of our Gretls, I think she was six or seven years old, just had to have a wee, so she walked calmly behind the sofa, and just went for it, on stage, during Do-Re-Mi.

Liesl and I did the Sixteen Going on Seventeen scene, which came straight after, knowing full well that a puddle was being cleaned up behind us.

It’s too hard to pick one, so here are a few amazing memories that stick out for me.

Getting Rolf in The Sound of Music, my first role in the West End. That was the first time it really felt like I had decided to act professionally and had achieved it. I had a great time on that show, and the fact that it was in a venue as iconic as The Palladium made it all the more special.

I also adored being a part of the 25th Anniversary company of Phantom. The concert at The Albert Hall was a weekend I’ll never forget, but it also gave a new pride and energy to being in the original production at Her Majesty’s.

I’m really excited to be a part of the One Man, Two Guvnors company – my first job with The National, and something I never saw coming.

Lastly, I’m really proud of my albumWe All Want The Same that was launched in the summer. I’ve been writing songs for a decade, and always said I’d love to record them. Last year I decided to make that happen, and I enjoyed every second of that experience.

I’d want to keep things witty and entertaining.

How about…

Billy Flynn from Chicago,
Carlotta from Phantom,
Glinda from Wicked,
Rizzo from Grease…
I’d want Frankie Valli there too. He could sing after the main course. I know he’s real, but he is in Jersey Boys.

Nobody from Les Mis – too much baggage.

Coffee, music and the Evening Standard.

Californication by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers

I think this is quite a personal one, and most actors will say something different. But that’s a good point – anyone wanting to start out will be bombarded by information.

Listen to lots of advice, and do lots of reading up, but take it all with a pinch of salt. One person’s opinion is almost certainly not the gospel truth.

Keeping your feet on the ground and remaining realistic are important, in my opinion. Theatre is not always glamorous, and not every job will be equally rewarding.

At the start of your career, it’s about not saying no to things. Just because you get one West End show, doesn’t mean another will follow quickly.

It takes time to make a consistent mark on this business, and plenty of people do one show and think that’s them made. Years later, they’ve not done anything else, because they saw themselves ‘above’ ensemble work, or understudying, or going abroad, for example.

Get as many credits as you can, work with as many people as you can … The time to pick and choose comes later, when you’ve earnt it.

Like any business, those who last the longest are the ones who put in the most groundwork. For me, that’s more appealing than fifteen minutes of fame.

I must emphasise though, that’s just my opinion.

Not always glamorous. Not always easy. But each day is rewarding and diverse, and it is a total privilege to do what we love.