Cassidy Janson: “LEND ME A TENOR is a hilarious, laugh out loud, musical farce”

After a successful run at Plymouth on Autumn 2010, LEND ME A TENOR THE MUSICAL arrived at the West End last month, opening officially on the 15th June 2011. LEND ME A TENOR is a musical with music by Brad Carroll and book and Lyrics by Peter Sham based on the 1986 play of the same name by Ken Ludwig.

The production is directed by Ian Talbot, who has a deep knowledge of the show, as he played the role of Max in the original production of the play, which also opened at the Gielgud in 1986. The cast is lead by Matthew Kelly (Henry Saunders), Joanna Riding (Maria Merelli), Damian Humbley (Max Garber), Michael Matus (Tito Merelli), Sophie-Louise Dann (Diana Divane) and Cassidy Janson (Maggie Saunders).

Cassidy Janson, who earlier in the year played Amy in Stephen Sondheim´s COMPANY at the Southwark Playhouse and before that appeared as Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in AVENUE Q, tells us more details about this new musical comedy that has just arrived in the West End.

HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE ‘LEND ME A TENOR THE MUSICAL’?
As a hilarious, laugh out loud, musical farce.

YOU ARE PERFORMING THE ROLE OF MAGGIE SAUNDERS, WHAT COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT HER? WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT PLAYING IT?
She is Henry Saunders daughter, who runs the opera house. She is feisty and full of energy. I really enjoy playing her as she is literally brimming with joy and excitement for most of the show. I seem to have done a hell of a lot of roles requiring me to cry so it´s a welcome change to play a happy perky ingenue!

HOW HAS BEEN THE AUDIENCE REACTION TO THE SHOW SO FAR?
I´ve never known anything like it. People are LOVING it. The first thing everyone says is they´re gonna come back & bring their friends/mum/kids to watch it!

THE SHOW WAS DIRECTED BY IAN TALBOT, HOW HAS IT WORKING WITH HIM?
Incredible. A real learning curve in farcical comedy. I´ve done a lot of comedy roles. But never a farce. Ever since I saw ´Noises Off´ a few years ago I´ve been chomping at the bit to do one. And to be in the talented and experienced hands of Ian was amazing. He can see the comedy rhythm in every line, every door slam. It´s really awe inspiring to be in a note session with him, telling an actor to pause here, not there and suddenly BOOM - it´s a funny line.

THE MUSIC OF THE SHOW WAS WRITTEN BY BRAD CARROLL, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT?
One minute it´s and MGM musical the next your favourite Disney song. And they all fit seamlessly together. The songs are really catchy - I find myself singing them all day!

THE MUSICAL IS BASED ON THE AWARD WINNING WEST END AND BROADWAY HIT COMEDY BY KEN LUDWIG. IN WHICH ASPECTS DO YOU THINK THAT TURNING IT INTO A MUSICAL SHOW “IMPROVES” THE PIECE?
Well the fact that it´s about an opera singer really lends itself to becoming a musical. You really believe Tito is the great Tenor as Michael Matus who plays him IS a beautiful tenor.

AS YOUR PREVIOUS WEST END SHOW –‘AVENUE Q’–, ‘LEND ME A TENOR’ IS A MUSICAL COMEDY. HOW DOES AUDIENCE REACTIONS TO THE JOKES ON STAGE AFFECT TO THE PERFORMERS? DO YOU THINK THAT IS HARDER DOING COMEDY THAN DRAMA IN GENERAL TERMS?
The audience are soooo important to comedy. It´s a real giving and receiving of energy. The more they laugh and are ´with us´ the more we can give back.

YOU MADE YOUR WEST END DEBUT WITH ‘WICKED’. WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU TAKING PART OF THAT SHOW?
It meant a lot as there was soooo much anticipation for the show coming over. And to be an original cover for such an epic role was an honour. I loved playing Elphaba . It´s such a massive role vocally, physically and mentally. And i learnt a hell of a lot about my craft in those two years.

IS THERE ANY ROLE IN YOUR CAREER THAT YOU ARE SPECIALLY PROUD OF?
It´s very difficult to pick one. Every role has it´s own specific challenges. I´m mostly just proud I´ve got a body of work to pick from!  A few that spring to mind would be Amy in COMPANY, Susan in TICK, TICK... BOOM! And of course, Maggie in TENOR.

Cassidy Janson en una escena de LEND ME A TENOR THE MUSICAL