BWW Interviews: Steph Fearon of OVER THE RAINBOW And SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE

Hi Steph, how are you?

I'm good, thank you!

And how's the run going?

Last week was reviews, so we've changing things up and rehearsing. We've settled in it, it's starting to flow.

Tell me a bit about the show and your role in it.

It's a jukebox musical, really; it doesn't really have a storyline, but MykAl Rand, our director, has made a storyline for us. Everyone has a journey through the musical. My character is a teenage sweetheart; she's quite innocent. After the first number, the show goes back in time for the first half, and we reminisce about the old times. My storyline is about being a teenager and being in love - I fall in love with Ed [Edward Baruwa] and we end up being together. Pip [Philippa Stefani]'s character is also in love with Ed - everyone's in love with Ed! Everyone has their own little journey.

You used the phrase "jukebox musical" before I did - do you think they have a negative image now through overkill?

I think it's weird. This is half a celebration rather than a musical. MykAl Rand's been great. Because we all have our narratives through it, it's not like a cabaret.

What are your favourite songs to sing from it?

Every song, I love. I have a lot of fun in the second half. We're back at a reunion, and we're all a bit tipsy and having fun - we sing Charlie Brown and Yakety-Yak. All of them are amazing! They're complex, and took us a long time to learn because they have eight-part harmonies!

Were you approached for this show?

Yes, two days after Over The Rainbow! I didn't know much about it before. I hadn't seen it or anything. I looked into it, and I knew some of the songs, and it sounded a really interesting project.

Over The Rainbow - do you regret anything?

Not a thing. No way. I didn't recognise myself by the end of the show. It made me a stronger person, and I definitely made friends for life. I can't even explain the experience - it was amazing.

Having watched the series, I felt the people who were a tad older than the pack did best out of it, or at least enjoyed it more. When poor Dani went out I just felt, "You're 16, you shouldn't be doing this."

Bless Dani. She was in the middle of her A-levels then, and lots of the girls were still studying. I'd just graduated and was working in a bar. I had nothing to lose. They had to choose whether to pursue this or train. Dani's gone back into training, as are a lot of them in September, which I think is a good step, they're so young anyway. I definitely think having a couple of years helped.

You had so many ups and downs in it as well.

It's hard for anyone, let alone 16-year-olds.

And you had your family there.

The Fearons! Yeah!

One of my favourite bits was when you were back at home with your family and you were in your room and yelling at them to turn the telly down...

That was actually what it was like! No joke. Whenever I was at home they were constantly watching me on the telly, and it drove me mad because I wanted to get away from it.

Was it weird having a camera crew following you all the time?

The interviewing got quite intense. It was so draining. You finished the show late on Saturday night and you'd see your family and say goodbye to one of the girls, help her pack, then you'd be up at 8am the next morning for an interview and then go and find out what song you were going to sing next week. You have to go with it and accept it.

How much input did you have with songs and choreography?

We didn't have any with the song choices, and the staging was all choreographed for us. You just had to do your own thing with it and make it look good for yourself, but you couldn't really do much about it if you got a song you didn't want. There were a couple of times when I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the song - actually, when I first got the Bjork song [It's Oh So Quiet]! But luckily that turned out all right. You just have to make it work for you. I thought I was definitely going the week I got Somewhere. That was double-elimination week. I thought if I'm not going first I'm going second! I thought I was dreaming when I stayed in. I couldn't believe it.

Often they said something along the lines of they didn't think you were right for the role - did you ever wonder why they put you through in the first place?

Yeah. That first week, Andrew [Andrew Lloyd-Webber] said he wasn't sure I was right for it - I'd sung one song, I'd been put through, and I just thought it was a bit weird. I'm not sure I ever fully convinced Andrew, though. Every week I stayed in after the first week was a bonus, I was counting my blessings.

What kind of work would you like to do in the future?

It's looking like we might get a transfer with this, which is what I'm hoping for. And I get to be Dorothy soon for a week in Milton Keynes, in The Wiz! I've got panto in December, playing Princess Jasmine in Buxton. After that, who knows? I'd love to continue my West End dream - I'd love to be in The Lion King, which has always been one of my favourites. I'd love to be in film, I'd love to release an album - I want to do everything!

What have you seen recently in the West End?

Legally Blonde! And I'll go and see Lauren [Lauren Samuels] when she starts in Grease. She's really excited. She came to see my show at the gala night, and so did some of the other girls. Jenny [Jenny Douglas] has just got Meat in We Will Rock You [on tour]. I can't wait to see them doing their thing. We're all really supportive of each other. And a lot of the girls are moving down to London for training as well, so I'll be able to show them the town!

Steph Fearon stars in Smokey Joe's Cafe at the Landor Theatre.

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