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Tom Chambers and Charlotte Ritchie are two of
the stars of Noel Coward’s Private Lives which opens The New Alexandra
Theatre in Birmingham this week. Coward's wit makes the private lives of two newly divorced and now newly married couples a very public, and very funny affair. Roger Clarke caught up with the stars when
they made a flying visit
the theatre . . .
SO, if you are
a struggling actor, how do you land not just a part, but a major part in
a top hospital TV soap like Holby City? Easy - just send a video of
yourself recreating Fred Astaire dance with a drum kit from the1937 RKO
film A Damsel in
Distress. Simple
really. At least that is how Tom Chambers did it to land
the role of Sam Strachan, picked up favourite newcomer (2006) and
favourite all-time male (2007) along the way. Chambers had sent the
video to hundreds of casting directors and TV producers and someone at
the BBC took notice.
It was a career defining moment for Chambers who
also talks about the moment he was just four seconds from death when a
crazed highjacker tried to take over a plane on which he was travelling
and Boeing 747 plunged 19,000 feet with the crew only regaining control
moments before disaster. It was another defining moment for Chambers. He
had been friends from his schooldays with the daughter of his geography
teacher – the brush with death was a reminder of mortality and he
decided to marry her. He also talks about Coward’s witty play about marriage and relationships, but first what about that Fred Astaire dance clip and a break into television?
Interview with Tom Chambers CHARLOTTE Ritche is perhaps best known as Nurse
Barbara Gilbert in BBC’s Call the Midwife but has an impressive list of
film and TV credits as well as a successful singing career – starting as
a schoolgirl - as a member of the classical girl crossover group, All Angels,
with three CDs to their credit along with numerous TV appearances.
She talks about Call the Midwife, about acting
and – and her fear of falling in the audience – as well the play.
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