Meet the Cast of Sweeney Todd: Christine Siddall

"...the simple joy of a night out with your mates in the pie shop!"

'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' runs from Thursday 15th September until Saturday 17th at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking - tickets are going fast. You can book now at our box office (and still get your choice of performance & seat!)

Christine

Your Name: Christine Siddall    

Your Role: Washerwoman, Inmate and Ensemble

Tell us about your character: Hardworking widow as husband killed in WWII, mum of Maddie and fighting to give her a better life.

Your favourite lyric your character has: “Inconspicuous Sweeney was, quick and quiet and clean he was, back of his smile, under his word, Sweeney heard music that nobody heard”

Everyone knows something of the Sweeney Todd story, but what extra do you think we will get from the Simply version of this Sondheim telling? Sweeney has been glamorised in the past. “Simply” bring back the realism: the story telling in the ballads, the drab and dowdy costumes, the real evil and menace of Sweeney and the simple joy of a night out with your mates in the pie shop!

What’s your favourite song in the show and why? My fave is “By the Sea” I’ve always loved the clever narrative lyrics coupled with the catchy syncopated tune. Mrs Lovett is voicing her pipe dream and for those few minutes you can forgive her bad behaviour!

Christine in rehearsal with Ann Tippelt (Photo courtesy of FRONT OF HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY)

What other shows have you done? ‘A Doll’s House’, ‘Lillies On The Land’, ‘42nd Street’, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’, ‘Am Dram the Musical’, ‘Calendar Girls’, ‘The Producers’, ‘Annie’, ‘Hello Dolly’, ‘Mame’, ‘Grand Hotel’, ‘NINE’ and loads more!  

Has anything ever happened to you, on-stage, that wasn’t in the script? When I was playing Prince Charming in Cinderella, on the last night, I said “Where will I find the other slipper?” To my surprise, the cast threw on stage: sandals, wellies, army boots, stilettos and all varieties of footwear. So I had to watch and say “None of those, then!”

What musical moment first made you think, “I want to do that!”? When I was a teenager studying singing. We went to see the opera “Cosi Fan Tutte”. It’s a really fast paced fun story, the singers looked as if they were having such a laugh and their joy spilled out into the audience and me! I wanted to be in musical theatre.

What are you enjoying most about being part of Simply Theatre? The mix of familiar faces and new friends, being accepted and working hard to make this a stunning show.

What else do you do besides singing, dancing & acting? I am the Project Manager for Hart Foodbank, we distribute about 1400 food parcels to the needy people of North Hants. I’m married to Tony and a mum to Mark and Andy who both enjoy amdram too!