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Michael Ball Talks CHESS with Neil Sean!
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Nov 3, 2022
West End and recording star Michael Ball earned Olivier Awards for Hairspray and Sweeney Todd. Now starring in the new version of the 80's mega smash " Chess" by the Abba boys Benny andamp; Bjorn plus Sir Tim Rice in this new and exclusive interview he reveals all about Chess, interviewing Hollywood legend Doris Day, turning Down Sunset Boulevard and so much more!
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Hi, it's Neil Sean here on Your Entertainment News
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Of course behind me is the beautiful auditorium of the Coliseum Theatre in St. Martins Lane, London
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We're here because we have a very special show and three very special stars to meet
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Cassidy Janssen, the beautiful Alexandra Burke and the legend that is Michael Ball
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So without further ado, join me right now. Hi, it's Neil Sean here on Your Entertainment News
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with the man really that doesn't need any introduction but I will anyway of course it's the legend that is Mr Michael Ball he's starring in chess it's in London only for five weeks if
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you miss it you'll miss out don't miss Michael today on your entertainment news
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Michael, lovely to see you again
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You too. On this beautiful stage where you are starring in... Chess the Musical
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Now, tell me about your... Because is he nice, is he not nice? Well, he's like all of us. He's complex and he's complicated and he's a brilliant chess player
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Whether he's a brilliant human being is another matter. I think his redemption comes at the end when he sacrifices his own happiness and his own success for doing the right thing
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But it's like all of us. It's like the times we're living. It's complicated and it's many layered
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It's interesting isn't it because your two Lady Coastals were saying they don't remember because they're in the 80s
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But it's funny that things come around isn't it? It doesn't seem to have changed landscapes
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It proves everything comes around. And it's interesting isn't it? Because it is quite a young company
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And they have no concept of that emotion that we all felt when the Berlin Wall came down
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of how we grew up with this permanent threat of a potential devastating nuclear war
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between the Americans and the Russians. They have no concept of that
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Until now, when they suddenly go, oh, no, this is reality. Well, this is how we grew up
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Yeah, yeah. This is how we understand it. Well, I vaguely remember it. Yeah, I mean, I heard tell
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So it couldn't be more timely, I don't think. Now, you are one of the busiest men, I think, in showbiz
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You never stop. And you've done so many things. You know from I love listening to your radio show I can see you really enjoy that as well It comes across And I have to say your Doris Day interview still was just beautiful What an honour that was Were you nervous I was
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really nervous. I was going to say. Because those opportunities don't come along very often and you
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don't want to waste them. You know that you have a duty and a responsibility to people who are
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going to be listening who are fans of Doris Day and haven't heard her donkeys. That's what I thought
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I thought, God, you must have been like butterflies. And then, as a fan myself, I'm just, I'm kind of going
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oh, my God, I'm going to talk to Doris. And what's lovely is she doesn't disappoint
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Yeah, that's important. Yeah, she absolutely spoke from her heart, was intelligent and connected
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and it was a lovely moment for me. Now, one of my favourite shows
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which I could have seen you in for many times, Sunset Boulevard, you were very honest about how you turned it down
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You must kick yourself, though, because you want to protect it. brilliant show, isn't it? I know
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It was one of those things. It was a mixture of hubris and timing
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And I was disappointed I didn't get to originate the role, because I'd done it in all the workshops, but they
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wanted to go with a very talented American actor, Kevin Anderson. And so I was offered the role after he'd left
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and they closed the show for two weeks. And I said no. And I did eventually get to do it
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with Petula Clark. At Cork Opera. We did a special staged concert for the BBC over a couple of nights
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And it made me realise just how much I would have loved to have played the role. Yeah, yeah
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And you have done, and you're only 25, you've done so many things
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Is it? Because I saw you again, I just have a very fan of saying this, but I saw you again in that wonderful drama
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written by the late, great Victoria Wood. I thought you were fabulous. Thank you. You actually brought tears
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because you were really willing them on, you know, the whole thing. Yeah, it's a lovely..
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When are you getting a script? What do you look for, Mike? What do you look for
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With that, I just looked for Vic's name. I just thought, you know, the fact that she wanted me to be part of it
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that we became best mates through it and I miss her every day
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So it was that. It was the opportunity of doing something that hadn't been done
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a musical on television, a musical drama on television, working with Vic
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this extraordinary idea that she had, based on a true event. That's what I loved, because it was true
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And a working game with Imelda, one of our greatest actresses, and a great friend as well
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So it was a no-brainer. I was just thrilled to be involved with it
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I'm so glad that it went down so well. Brilliant. Now, this theatre, as I say, is a vast theatre
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You have got many, many fans, and no doubt we're filling this theatre nightly
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but what I'd love to know is, Does Michael Ball still get a little bit nervous in the wings Or is it now Because you done so many No Michael Ball gets really nervous Yeah he does Everyone does He doesn listen to me talking in the third person
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Of course I do. And with every new... I think that's part of the buzz of this job
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Nothing beats a live audience for the adrenaline rush. And when you're doing something like this, which is on such a huge scale
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which you're so proud of and you've wanted to be part of
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since I started professionally. I was doing Les Mis while this was teching
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at the Prince Edward Theatre in the original production. I remember that. So every night you feel a responsibility
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you're leading a company, and yes, that creates nerves. And the day those stop, I think
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is a day you want to actually look at what you're doing because you should get a buzz from doing this
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I mean, Tim Rice and Benny and the other sort of connection
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Again, you've been so lucky to sing so many beautiful songs by so many renowned composers
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Do you sometimes pinch yourself and think, wow, I can't believe I'm singing their songs
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Of course, absolutely. We've grown up with them, you know what I mean? But it's then having the personal connection with them
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I've known Tim now a long time. There's a wonderful song that ends the show, You and I
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a beautiful duet, and I've been singing that. I sang it on my television show with Elaine Page back in the 90s
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So I've been singing it all my life. You must have been 10. I was 10. And the way that we've kind of looked, reimagined and re-envisaged the show
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the lyric didn't fit quite so well. So Tim went, here's the new lyric
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And here's a song that I've sung for the last 30 years with an entirely new lyric
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It's the hardest thing in the world to unlearn something and then relearn it something else
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but the thrill of them going of Tim going I've written you a new lyric
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because I think this is going to be more appropriate and they're moments aren't they? They are, of course they are
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and you never take them for granted Is there anything that Michael Ball is still looking to do
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that we, you know because you've had phenomenal success teaming up with
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a young guy that you gave a bit of a break to Alfie Powe took him off the Fleetwood
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factory floor and then you've made him a big star but that's been
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an incredible success for you And I guess record labels, when you were first pitching
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it must have been like, oh. But it just proves people like nice songs, great talent
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Well, it's an interesting thing, because actually the reverse happened. Initially, Alf and I were just going to do some concerts
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And then record companies heard about it, and they were all kind of vying to get the recording right for us
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That must be nice. Which was amazing. Do you know what I mean? And then for it to be justified by having the actual success
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that the record had let alone the concerts It was just Neil I can tell you the know at the end of last year stepping out onto the stage of the O2 with it sold out
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It's rock star stuff, isn't it? It is. And two albums having gone to number one
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And I, you know, it shows... You never know what's going to happen in this business
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Just embrace every opportunity that you're presented with and work hard. I was going to say, touch on that
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You do work very hard. You both said you went on a tour of record shops, which we remember back in the day that people did
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Nowadays, it's all digital. That is the key to selling things. It's about to meet the public
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Meet the public and meet the fans. You know, when you come out the stage door, sign autographs
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You know, I hate the advent of the selfie because no turn comes out after doing a show at the stage door looking their best
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But now everybody wants a photo. But you do it. You do it. And it's a pleasure to do it
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Finally, I've got to touch up Eurovision. it's coming up again it is what's your memories and what do you think now when
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you because when you did it dare I say you had a proper song you know that's what I believe okay you know but it was a very structured song all right yeah you
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know what what do you think now when we come back out is it all as the usual
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story political or do we have any chances I don't know I think if you have
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the greatest song ever you'll win whether we'll ever have the greatest song
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ever. I can hear them tuning up right now. Whether we'll ever have the greatest song, I don't
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know. But I think, you know, who... You never know what's going to
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happen in this business, Neil. You never know. Finally, Chess. Why should we come and see
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it? Because... Michael Ball's going to tell it to me. You should come and see Chess
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because it has one of the greatest scores that's ever been written for a musical
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It has been presented in such an extraordinary event of a theatre production
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We have a vast cast We have the biggest number of people that are on a stage in the West End of any show
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A 65-piece orchestra, an enormous ensemble, staging that is state-of-the-art in one of the most beautiful theatres in the world, let alone London
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And we're only here for five weeks, so it's an event. Do it all, Missy
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Yeah. Do it, Michael Ball. I shall be here many times. Cheers, mate. Lovely
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Thank you. Cheers. Thank you
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