Exclusive - Fan Interview With Fran

After World Premier and first 10 days of the national UK tour of The Barry Manilow musical of Can't Smile Without You in Bromley, decided it was time we heard from Fran again as to how things were going so far and what her expectations were in respect of the rest of the tour.

Hows the first week of the tour been?

Fran: It’s been exhausting! We’ve been rehearsing every day since we opened, but great fun at the same time!! The audiences in Bromley have been fab as well!

What's it like working with the rest of the cast?

Fran: It’s brilliant! Everyone is so lovely! It’s also a very small cast, which makes it really easy for everyone to get to know each other really well! They’re great!

What do you expect from the rest of the tour?

Fran: To carry on having loads of fun and hope the audiences stay as enthusiastic as they have been in Bromley!

You mentioned previously that It's been an ambition of yours to create a role in an original cast has this opportunity been everything you dreamed it would be?

Fran: Yes it's great! It’s just really rewarding to be able to create something from scratch!

Any promotional interviews for the rest of the tour lined up - not really seen any reviews or promotion about?

Fran:  I’m not sure actually! I think our main press night is Liverpool but we will get reviewed by local papers in each venue! I think I’m doing an interview with Swansea Bay radio while we're at Bristol.

Have you seen or spoken to many of the other Nancy or Oliver contestants since the show - have any of them been or got plans to come and see you?

Fran: I speak with Samantha all the time; She’s a really great friend!! And we're both trying to watch each other’s matinees when we're close enough to do so on tour!

And Amy came to watch the show this week, which was such a lovely surprise!! She’s having an amazing time on The Sound of Music! It was so so lovely to catch up with her!

Have there been any funny incidents on or off stage so far that you can tell us about?

Fran: Well I think the funniest moments on stage for me are when we have loads of Chesney fans in and I get booed for cheating on Tony ( Chesney ) I find it very hard not to corpse at these moments! 

How much are you enjoying being back on stage? 

Fran: More than ever!! I'm just so so grateful and lucky to be working and to adore every minute of my job!

Whats your favourite song from the show and why?

Fran:Ooo, well favorite Barry Manilow song is Weekend in New England and Chesney sings it so beautifully! But in the show I just love singing my duet with Siobhan (Old Songs/If I Should Love Again), it's just a really lovely arrangement of the two songs!

When the tour hits Bristol will you still be doing the Saturday night show as your performing in Cardiff on Sunday night in the Three Phantoms Concert?

Fran: Yes absolutely!!!

Can you give us a hint as to what you might be performing in Cardiff?

Fran: To be honest nothings been confirmed yet but I will let you know as soon as I know

Are you involved at all in ALW 60th Birthday concert?

Fran: No sadly I’m not :(

When you’re not working or on a day off what do you like to do to relax? 

Fran: Watch all my recorded episodes of Coronation Street, Eastenders and the Simpsons! 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Fran for her time in answering these questions and wish her all the best for the rest of the tour and hope we hear further updates as and when she has the time, as the rest of the tour schedule looks incredibly busy.

Fran has been kind enough to answer a list of questions for all her fans as unfortunately She was ejected from the show way to early, and we did not get to know her as well as some of the others.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Fran for taking the time to answer all the questions for us and to let her know that most of us who have the I'd Do Anything songs also have what little from Rent Remixed we could get hold of as well on our ipods.

1. How have you been since I’d Do Anything?

Lots of auditions and meetings but also plenty of relaxing, and even a little holiday… its been nice – lots of great opportunities but I have been careful about the next step after I’d Do Anything.

 

2. Favourite solo performance and why.

Somebody to Love – Because it’s a song that makes a point and is in a style that I love singing.

3. Favourite mission and why

Acting with Bill Sykes – it went SO well and he was my Bill when I played Bet back in 1994 so it felt amazing to be doing a scene with him as Nancy.

4. Favourite Group performance

Never Forget in the final week – the pressure was off so it was easier to enjoy.

5. Did you get to choose any of your songs or were you told what you would be singing each week?

We were always told. We weren’t allowed to choose our own.

6. What song would you have chosen if you could have chosen anything to sing?

If I could have done musical theatre I would have done Maybe I Like it This Way from The Wild Party. I would love to have done Hurt by Christina Aguilera as well.

7. How much of a say did you have in your wardrobe and makeup on the show?

Again we had no say – it was always decided for us

8. Which costume did you most like / dislike? How did you feel about having to wear pink each week?

Well there is no pink in my wardrobe… hee hee… My fav was the Week 2 dress and the long pink one on my last week was pretty horrific!

9. What happened with the makeup in week 4? It’s widely felt that the makeup artist disliked you that week.

Ha ha ha… I didn’t realise til I came offstage what had happened – Keisha and I had the same makup artist that week and literally before I went on she retouched my makeup with Keisha’s blusher by accident (I hope). Oh dear.

10. How hard was it continually being singled out as the professional by everyone, including Graham he seemed to introduce you as the professional actress every week?

It was really difficult – especially as I wasn’t the most experienced but I tried not to focus on it or let it get me down. There was nothing I could do to change it and it definitely made my time on the show harder.

11. If you could play any role in any musical (not Nancy) what would it be?

So many – but Elphaba, Fantine, Ellen in Miss Saigon, Linda in Blood Bros, Queenie in the Wild Party. I want to do everything!!

12. Who is your dream leading man sorry Tom she can’t chose you?

Johnny Depp – need I say more.

13. If you couldn’t do musical theatre what would you do?

Anything with children or animals – but I would be devastated if I couldn’t continue my career!

14. What was the role that made you decide this was what you wanted to do?

I suppose playing Bet in the 1994 Palladium production of Oliver confirmed that this was my dream career but I can’t ever remember NOT wanting to do it

15. Who is your role model/idol

Julie Walters and Emma Thompson – I love them both!

16. Favourite Meal?

My mums Shepherds Pie.

17. What do you like to do in your spare time – if you ever get any?

Coronation Street and Eastenders… I love Monday nights.

18. Favourite musical of all time?

Tom is making me say Jersey Boys… But maybe Rent – this is difficult… Blood Brothers… Oh I don’t know!

19. What 3 items would you take with you to a desert island?

A Steamer – Nasal Spray – Vocalzones – I live off that stuff... ha ha!!

20. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

The Maldives

21. If you have looked on Digital Spy you would see that most of your fan base is slightly crazy does that worry you? – They have also somehow decided that because your CV states you can play the drums to associate you with the bongos – check out bongos and teapots unite – do you play the bongos or Drums regularly.

I’m afraid I haven’t looked on Digital Spy as I try to not read forums because I’m scared of reading the negative stuff. It is difficult in this profession not to take criticism to heart as you are so exposed so I try to minimise the risk… for my own sanity!! As for the drums/bongos I played the drums at college (A-levels) cos I wanted to be a rock-chick but I haven’t played for years.  

22. Sam has ‘Sam’s Lambs’ and ‘Barketeers’, Niamh has her ‘Niamphers’, Rachel has 'Team Tucker', Sarah has ‘Larkabouts’ your fans are struggling and the best they can come up with is ‘Frans Fans’ as the other names are dangerous if read or spelt wrong do you have any other ideas?

I can’t even believe I have fans – let alone name them!!!

23. How does it feel to be the 3^rd finalist from IDA to start work in a production, (not counting Edinburgh Fringe festival or Sarah's Hits of The West End) you beat Sam in to third place by 1 day

Sam actually got Cabaret a few days before me but its just fantastic to be working again

She May have got the part first but you go on stage the day before.

24. Was it any consolation to know that your exit was one of the most controversial decisions of the series and is still talked about now?

It was great to know I had done my best that night and that people thought I should stay but hopefully everything happens for a reason.

25. What was it like doing a concert back in Swansea with Peter Karrie? (And what happened to the DVD that was being produced of the event that Jay promised me? (It was just to costly to get from hear to Swansea at that short notice a week before going away)

The concert was fantastic – I couldn’t believe how many people were there and it really amazed me to see how much support I had. I got quite choked up at the end. I’m not sure about the DVD I’m afraid. 

26. How excited are you about ‘Can’t Smile Without You’ and can you tell us anything about the show and your role?

I’m very pleased to be a part of it!! It’s a really good script and Barry Manilow is a massive star so hopefully we will do well. My part is called Lucy and she is the fiancée of Tony (Chesney Hawkes) but is having an affair with his best friend, Scott. Its really exciting!!

27. When will we know if the show is going to be on the west end at the end of the tour as is predicted?

I’m not sure really – as soon as I know, you will!!

28. If Rent Remixed was to come back and go on tour would you reprise your role of Joanne if asked?

I would absolutely love too. I loved every minute of Rent.

29. How does it make you feel to know that a lot of your fans spend most of their days listening to your IDA performances on their ipods.

It’s such a lovely feeling and slightly bizarre that people have ME on their ipods!! Although I would rather they had Rent Remixed (hee hee)… I wasn’t too confident with most of my I’d Do Anything songs.