Tim McArthur: “I have always felt a bond with the music and lyrics of Kander and Ebb since I saw Diane Langton singing Coloured Lights”

Jermyn Street Theatre, known for cabaret and musical theatre, has invited Trilby Productions to restage COLOURED LIGHTS following last year’s success at Greenwich Playhouse, where it was first performed. A colourful collection of some of the less familiar songs from Kander & Ebb’s hit shows CABARET, KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN AND CHICAGO, alongside hidden gems from the rest of their repertoire including THE RINK, FLORA THE RED MENACE, WOMAN OF THE YEAR and CURTAINS.

Tim McArthur has been the director of Casanova, creator of Sister Mary McArthur (musical comedy nun) and cabaret at the Purcell Room, Pizza on the Park and Don’t Tell Mama, New York. He has also been “the face” of Theatre247.tv for 18 months, and John Prescott in ‘Blair on Broadway’ (West End).

McArthur tells us more details about this musical and about his experience as presenter of Theatre247.tv.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE KANDER & EBB FOR YOUR SHOW?
I have always felt a bond with the music and lyrics of Kander and Ebb since I saw Diane Langton singing Coloured Lights from The Rink on the 1989 Oliver awards on BBC 1.  I was 15 and felt their music and lyrics have their own individual identity, expression and unique style... one of those moments were you get a tingly feeling in your showbiz stomach..

HOW DID YOU SELECT THE SONGS THAT APPEAR IN ‘COLOURED LIGHTS’?
We decided to focus on the not so well-known repertoire of Kander and Ebb from shows such as Kiss of The Spiderwoman, Flora The Red Menace, The Rink and Steel Pier...a lot of well known songs were made famous by the diva that is Liza Minelli. I wanted to explore some of the darker tones of their work...

 WHAT DO YOU THINK AUDIENCE WILL DISCOVER ABOUT KANDER & EBB WATCHING YOUR SHOW?
All the songs I have chosen, stand up in their own right.  I hope the audience will explore and enjoy the wealth of material that Kander and Ebb have created over the past 30 years..

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KANDER & EBB MUSICAL?
I think its a close call for me between Chicago and Cabaret.. I still have a secret dream that I will become a house hold name and be offered Sally Bowles or I could ‘easily paint the town and pull my stockings down and all that jazz’..and play Roxie hart in Chicago...

PLAYING A MUSICAL IN A SMALL THEATRE IN THE WEST END MUST BE HARD, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITIVENESS. WHAT DO YOUR SHOW OFFER THAT DOESN’T OFFER ANY OTHER WEST END SHOW?
Intimacy, The Jermyn Street Theatre is a lovely glamorous 70 seat theatre.  You are very very close to the audience... as an audience member I think you experience the emotion close up as there is no where to hide..as a performer or spectator.. it’s close live theatre..

AS A PRESENTER OF THEATRE247.TV,  YOU MUST HAVE A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF WEST END BUSINESS... COULD YOU TELL US (TALKING ABOUT MUSICAL SHOWS)...

- THE MOST SURPRISING SHOW YOU HAVE SEEN RECENTLY
I loved the Drowsy Chaperone..it was a shame it closed.. I don’t think people really understood it.. it was a good light hearted silly show and starred "ala plage" the diva herself Elaine Paige

- THE MOST HORRIBLE SHOW YOU HAVE SEEN RECENTLY
difficult to say... but one show featured a giant spider, amazing effects, uninteresting songs, visually though stunning to watch and short hairy people with hairy feet - that last bit sounds like I am talking about myself...

- THE KINDEST ACTOR AND ACTRESS
over the two years I was working for Theatre 247, I have been so lucky and interviewed some amazing artists including Tim Curry, the Pythons, Andy Serkis to name but a few.. it’s a really difficult question because some of my interviewees have actually now become close friends..

- AN ACTOR/ACTRESS THAT HAS DISAPPOINTED YOU
Some people are more expressive then others and are more open to chat. but most people I have interviewed have actually been very generous..

- THE WORST MOMENT YOU HAVE LIVED AS A PRESENTER
Oh my gawd... we were filming Mamma Mia and I could not say the word "Phenomen, Pheoonomen sorry...Phenomenon" took me about 16 takes,, its because I am from the North of England!! Also I was interviewing a very attractive young actor who I did not fancy, but close up his eyes were amazing.. and in my mind i was thinking "Oh my gawd his eyes are beautiful.. his eyes are beautiful,, " and i stopped listening to what he was saying and he finished taking and I was just starring.....

- THE BEST MOMENT YOU HAVE LIVED AS A PRESENTER
I presented the Olivier Awards for Solt in 2007 and that was an amazing experience.  But, oh my gosh, it’s really difficult to say as I have met so many incredible people at first nights.  Now I am focusing on other opportunities within the entertainment industry from performing to directing to presenting.