BWW Interviews Scott Armstrong, The Gruffalo, Garrick Theatre

As the Gruffalo prepares to open on the West End for its third successive season I spoke with Scott Armstrong about what it's like to don those terrible tusks and terrible claws.

How does it feel to be playing everyone's favourite monster?

It's a very strange experience because I didn't imagine just how much kids love the book. I have two very young nephews who adore the book and quite a few of the other Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler books. When I meet some of the children afterwards, they couldn't quite believe that I play the Gruffalo, they find it incredible and I'm just totally overawed by how much children are in love with the book.

It's very strange but very wonderful and it's pleasing to see just how much kids love the character, it's very gratfiying as an actor.

Are you feeling the pressure to get it right?

I am, but I also feel very lucky. I've been on tour with the show for six months this year already so that helps but I feel pretty scared about this West End run.

Have your nephews given you the seal of approval for your Gruffalo performance?

They absolutely have, they saw the show when we were on tour in Edinburgh and they're my number one fans. They love going round telling everyone that Uncle Scott is the Gruffalo, they're very boastful, one of them has used me as a school project.

You've worked with Tall Stories before - what does it feel like to be back?

I worked for them on Room on the Broom last year, it's brilliant to be back working with them, they're a lovely team. I actually worked more under the specific direction of Olivia for Room on the Broom and Toby with the Gruffalo so it's been lovely to get to work closely with both of them and I've had such tremendous experiences. With Room on the Broom I did a six-month tour of the UK, then I did the Fringe in London, then the US, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Where's the best place you've been on tour so far?

That's a hard question, I really loved the US, we saw some terrific places while we were there but I loved Hong Kong. It was an amazing experience and a completely different way of life. So, I'd think I'd have to say Hong Kong.

What is special about performing for a young audience?

It's great to see kids enjoy theatre the way I enjoy theatre. It's so nice to be working on something that is not just directed at children but also at families. There is just as many jokes in there for the adults as there is for the children, so everyone enjoys it. I haven't met anyone who has watched it and not had a lot of fun.

Does this go back to your early memories of going to the theatre?

My first experience was a pantomime version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which I only remember vaguely. I didn't really get into theatre until I was in my teenage years. I started performing when I was 14 and I got into it quite quickly, it was when I hit around 16 that I knew I wanted to become a performer, so I came to it quite late. I love performing, I love watching shows, I love researching shows, especially musicals, but it has been so nice to work in children's theatre, it's just a completely different genre.

You mentioned you like to research shows; what sort of research have you done for the Gruffalo?

The biggest challenge with him was understanding the physicality and getting the character just right. The danger is that if you don't get it right then you're just a man in a suit. It's been through the experience of putting it together on stage and the character work I've done with the other actors to get the relationships right.

Discovering how to play a monster was tough, because he's not big and scary and he's not really very friendly either, he's in an odd place in-between, the Gruffalo just is. He's not the brightest and he doesn't really see himself as scary but just doesn't really understand why everyone else thinks he's so scary.

I tried to think of people I could base him on and there really is nothing that's quite like the Gruffalo so I just had to play with my body and my physicality and find out what movements I could do to bring the costume alive. He just is really, you can't do too much, it all sort of comes together.

And finally, I have to ask, what is your favourite bedtime story?

I love the Gruffalo but I do also love Room on the Broom. I think I have to put them both right up there at the top. The Gruffalo is certainly my nephews' favourite so perhaps I should stick with that; I'm going up to Scotland for the weekend so I shall be reading it to them before bed, which will give me a good chance to make sure I remember all the lines before we open next week!

The Gruffalo opens at the Garrick Theatre on Wednesday 24 November, booking until Sunday 16 January 2011.

 

 

 

 

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