Rebecca Caine: “SALAD DAYS is an utterly delightful and charming show”

Rebecca Caine was born in Toronto and studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Her career has been divided between opera and musical theatre, making her West End debut at 19 in the role of Laurey in OKLAHOMA!. She created the role of Cosette in LES MISÉRABLES and, after a successful West End run, she joined THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA to play Christine. She then returned to Toronto to repeat the role in the Canadian premiere of the show. She has also developed an extensive career in the opera, working with Opera companies of all around the world.

From the 9th December Rebecca Caine will perform the role of Lady Raeburn in the new production of SALAD DAYS at London Riverside Studios. She will also offer a solo concert next 12th December at the Waterloo East Theatre included in the ´Cristmas with´ concert series produced by Simon Greiff.

Rebecca Caine tells us about her next musical theatre projects and about the importance of the iconic shows LES MISÉRABLES and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in her career.

YOU WILL PERFORM LADY RAEBURN IN THE NEW LONDON PRODUCTION OF ‘SALAD DAYS’. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS CHARACTER AND ITS ROLE IN THE SHOW?
I only started rehearsing this today so I can´t comment much on it.
I can say she comes across as pretty self obsessed and vile.
It´s a good fun role and interesting to now be playing the MOTHER of the leading lady! I also play some small other parts. AND I get to do a lot of dancing which I love.

HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE ‘SALAD DAYS’? AND HOW WILL BE THIS NEW PRODUCTION?
It´s an utterly delightful and charming show. It´s a revival and was very well received last year. I can´t wait to be a part of it.

THIS SHOW MEANS YOUR RETURN TO THE LONDON STAGE IN A MUSICAL SHOW. HOW DO YOU APPROACH TO IT?
I´ve never really differentiated between opera and musicals. Different styles certainly but ultimately it´s about good singing, acting and dancing.

NEXT 12TH DECEMBER YOU WILL OFFER A SOLO CONCERT AT LONDON’S WATERLOO EAST THEATRE. WHAT CAN THE AUDIENCE EXPECT OF THAT EVENING?
A good evening, I hope! Some rep from my album and then in the second half, more modern rep. I´ll be singing with Nathan Martin as well.

ON THE CONCERT, YOU WILL HAVE TWO SPECIAL GUESTS: GINA BECK AND ANNALENE BEECHEY. WHAT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT OF THEM?
We´ve all played Christine and Cosette. I thought could be a response to the ‘Three Phantoms’ concerts. We´ll sing some 3 part music with an idea to develop it into a full evening. These women are top notch and I´m thrilled they are joining me.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST OF PERFORMING IN SOLO SHOWS AND CABARETS?
I love singing Sondheim or music that has a great story and good lyrics.

YOU’RE ALSO PERFORMING AS A GUEST IN THE UK TOUR OF ‘THREE PHANTOMS’ GALA CONCERT. WHAT COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THESE CONCERTS? HOW HAS BEEN THE EXPERIENCE SO FAR?
Fantastic! I laugh most of the time.  Earl Carpenter, John Owen Jones and Matthew Camelle are wonderful singers at their peak and I love singing with them.
We do a lot of different rep and big sections not just of PHANTOM but LES MIS as well.
The men are a joy to work with and I feel I must be the envy of all Musical theatre sopranos. We are doing more concerts in the new year and hope to do a proper tour.

2010 IS ‘LES MISÉRABLES’ YEAR. YOU TOOK PART OF THE O2 CONCERT LAST 3rd OCTOBER. WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU PERFORMING AGAIN WITH THE ORIGINAL CAST?
It was wonderful to be reunited with them. They have all gone on to do wonderful work. I loved that company more than any other I was in. Frances and Sue Jane are still my best friends.

WHAT MEMOIRS DO YOU KEEP OF THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION OF ‘LES MISERABLES’? DID YOU IMAGINE THAT THE SHOW WOULD MAKE HISTORY IN THE THEATRE WORLD?
So many memories but it is such a long time ago it almost feels like a film I once saw.
It astounds me how, through the internet, the interest in the show and us goes on.
No matter what or what I sing and that can sometimes be very modern and difficult opera, people appear with cds to be signed, wanting to talk about the two jobs I did so long ago.
 I include PHANTOM in this because usually people are more interested in talking to me about that.
It is wonderful to be remembered for anything, even such a small contribution as mine but I have done other things and work I am personally more proud of.
However, it is great thing to have been involved in the creation of a show that has become a legend.
You must remember, though, that it’s become a legend over the years  and we didn’t realise what it was to become and while we helped create it, it is the many actors and their creativity since us too that have kept the flame of LES MIS burning.
I was very moved at the O2 to look at that huge stadium and remember the small group of people putting it together in a basement back in 1985.
I´d especially like to pay tribute to Trevor Nunn and John Caird, not present at the 02 without whom LES MIS would not have become what it is.

WHICH ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PERFORMING IN A MUSICAL THEATRE SHOW AND IN AN OPERA?
See above- style plus no mics in opera!

COULD YOU COMMENT ON YOUR PROJECTS?
I have a lot of things I´ll be announcing soon including another opera with the playwright Mark Ravenhill and more concerts including a tour of Canada.
I also teach singing at Trinity Laban in London.

Rebecca Caine (Christine) in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA