Interview: Gemma Sutton Of THE GO-BETWEEN!

We caught up with Gemma Sutton as she rehearses new show The Go-Between. She stars alongside Michael Crawford and Issy van Randwyck.

Hi Gemma! It must be a really exciting time - getting closer!

Absolutely. Everything is coming together. We've got a really brilliant cast performing this piece of new British musical theatre writing.

Yes, and including one musical theatre and British comedy legend!

[laughs] I've always admired him - as I think most of us have, either from Phantom of the Opera or Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Meeting him in real life, he's such a gentle, sweet soul. He sang for us at the end of week one, and we were all in floods of tears, he has such a quality about him. It's magical to watch.

What makes this show so unique as a piece of new writing?

What it starts from is the most brilliant book. I hope people know it through the novel or the film or the most recent BBC adaptation, it's the most brilliant study of the psychological effects of a young boy in an adult world, and a really interesting story. It's not boy meets girl - there's a love element to it, a forbidden love, but it's not about that, it's a coming of age story. We've got the most brilliant score. It's so sophisticated and quite unique and difficult to describe - Sondheim crossed with Benjamin Britten, but accessible, with beautiful, heartbreaking melodies. It's been a challenge to learn, it'll challenge the audience.

It's a tough time for all shows. How confident are you feeling?

There are new things opening and they're working - they're running for a while. I think we're at a really exciting time.

Do you get chance to see very much while you're rehearsing?

At the moment I'm concentrating on the piece. We've been off book from day one of rehearsal. It's an ensemble piece and it's the whole company working together, so you can't have a book in hand. In terms of watching things, there are some on my list - Kinky Boots and Show Boat, at opposite ends of the scale, but I have friends in them and I've wanted to see them both for a long time.

Of course your most recent West End success was with Gypsy - that's something to live up to!

I had the most amazing time on that show! Watching Imelda Staunton - it gave me the best possible experience of how to do it properly! In terms of her dedication, her work ethic - everyone from Gypsy has taken that with them on to their next project. I'm just going to try my best, really!

Gemma Sutton stars in The Go-Between at the Apollo Theatre from May 27.