Q&A: LIFT

First Published 21 January 2013, Last Updated 23 January 2013

There have been musicals set in countries in the midst of historic revolutions, on Mediterranean islands, in magical lands straight out of fables and less colourful dystopian futures. But a musical set in a lift? Craig Adams and Ian Watson’s new musical at the Soho theatre must surely be the first.

But when you think about it, as a location it offers thousands of possibilities, that LIFT looks set to reveal a few of as eight strangers – with names including Lap Dancer, Busker and French teacher – stand cramped alongside one another for 54 potentially life-changing seconds.

With the limited snippets of score available on the show’s website sounding very Spring Awakening and a cast comprising a tantalising mix of up-and-coming talent and veteran musical theatre stars, we for one can’t wait to find out what those 54 seconds hold. Here, a selection of the cast mirror the show, which offers an insight into each character’s head, by letting us pick their brains, offering a sneaky preview ahead of the show’s world premiere next week.

Describe your character in six words

Jonny Fines: Ballet dancer, gay, music, unresolved, lost.
Robbie Towns: Thin, tall and ‘praying mantis like’.
Ellie Kirk: American, tourist, young, excited, positive, flirtatious.
Luke Kempner: Assertive, business, hurt, regret, confusion, loneliness.
Julie Atherton: Focused, cautious, considerate, methodical, independent, romantic.
Cynthia Erivo: Sexy, vulnerable, young, hurt, mouthy, unrequited.
Nikki Davis-Jones: Secretary, unnoticed, intelligent, lives-with-mother, loves-her-boss.
George Maguire: Lost, musician, romantic, daydreamer, hurt, caring.

What’s the most unexpected thing that’s ever happened to you in London?

Fines: I broke up a fight once on the underground during the riots. Everyone was a bit on edge and I heard two people going at it on the walking escalators in front of me, so I jumped the side and ran over and broke it up.
Towns: I went to Sainbury’s just the other day and they had run out of broccoli! Shocked!
Kirk: Literally bumping into Danny DeVito backstage at the Savoy theatre!
Kempner: Once I went to Highbury & Islington tube station and it was closed, so I went to Finsbury Park.
Atherton: Not minding the gap? That was pretty unexpected. I scarred my left shin for life!
Erivo: Well a couple days ago, I was on my way home from rehearsal and as I got to the station, my boyfriend calls and asks where I am. I say outside the station, he names the station and says he was driving by. ALL COMPLETELY UNPLANNED!!! So I get picked up! Bonus!
Davis-Jones: When the incredible, dangerous and exciting dance group Streb appeared on the London Eye as part of London 2012. They were actually on the spokes of the London Eye!
Maguire: Don’t think I have one.

Which six people (dead or alive) would you most like to get stuck in a lift with?

Fines: January Jones, Kimberly Wyatt, Ryan Gosling, David Beckham, Ty Burrell and Ricky Gervais.
Towns: My best friend Sallee Reimer-Duntin, Ricky Gervais, Rosie O’Donnell (when she had a talk show and was funny, back in the 90s), Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli singing The Prayer on repeat and a professional masseuse.
Kirk: Meryl Streep, Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Aniston, Hugh Jackman, Gary Oldman and Ty Burrell.
Kempner: Arsene Wenger, Ricky Gervais, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Thierry Henry, Rory Kinnear and Stephen Fry.
Atherton: I don’t really mind as long as one of them was Bear Grylls – he’d get us out.
Erivo: Oprah, Deepak Chopra, Gene Kelly, Patti Labelle, Jamie Foxx and Michelle Obama.
Davis-Jones: David Attenborough, Judi Dench, a lift engineer, Louie Spence, George
Lamb…a man with a bucket?
Maguire: Keith Moon, Michael Jackson, Marc Bolan, Kurt Cobain, Elvis Presley and a lift engineer. I could start a super-band of dead rock stars then the engineer could fix the lift and get us out.

What is your favourite ever musical?

Fines: I don’t like musicals.
Towns: I don’t have one.
Kirk: Miss Saigon.
Kempner: Parade.
Atherton: The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown.
Erivo: Memphis.
Davis-Jones: LIFT, of course!
Maguire: Rent.

How will you be spending your days during the run of the show?

Fines: Hopefully going to the gym. Hopefully resting. Probably being hungover.
Towns: Laughing… just laughing all day.
Kirk: Sleeping and not getting ill!
Kempner: Doing a lot of writing and maybe go to the gym… once.
Atherton: Trying to keep fit and healthy as we have no understudies!
Erivo: Writing music, topping up on vitamin C and making sure I don’t get ill!
Davis-Jones: I’ll spend my days having a lie-in and running. Julie and I are possibly going to do the insanity work out – basically getting fit after Christmas indulgence.
Maguire: Busking! I’m so very method. Possibly sleeping too.

What is your favourite moment during the show?

Fines: When Luke Kempner has to perform fellatio on me.
Towns: All Ellie Kirk’s bits!
Kirk: The opening.
Kempner: The opening.
Atherton: The bit where we’re in a lift? No really, I guess the opening at the moment. And Octet [a song from the show]. Oh I love all of it. Craig Adams is a genius.
Erivo: Not sure yet, I haven’t seen it as a whole yet!
Davis-Jones: The “on the tube” moment.
Maguire: The bit in the lift! I’m not giving anything away…

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