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Interviews: Hit The Theatre meets stars of London's West End stages
In Conversation with Carley Stenson and Siobhan Dillon
Carley is known to most as Steph Cunningham/de la Dean – a character she spent a decade playing in Channel 4’s soap Hollyoaks. She made the hard decision to leave the programme in order to pursue a career in musical theatre to great success, joining the cast of Legally Blonde in October 2010 as Margot and understudy for Elle Woods. On 11th July she took over the role full-time.
After coming third in Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s search for Sound of Music’s leading lady in the programme ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ Siobhan’s career in musical theatre has gone from strength to strength, landing roles such as Sandy and Patty Simcox in Grease, Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Mandy in Can’t Smile Without You.
As well as our own questions we had to ask, we received some great questions from some of you so thank you for sending them in!
Click on a question below to read the answers or read the whole interview HERE.
How would you describe Legally Blonde The Musical? What do you think makes it so popular as winner of this year’s Olivier for Best New Musical?
CARLEY: I always describe it as fun, vibrant, colourful and infectious.
SIOBHAN: They’ve opened it up to a lot of people and like you said the vibrancy attracts the younger audiences and the hidden jokes and banter attracts an older audience.
How would you describe the characters you play?
CARLEY: Elle is caring, honest, loyal and the way I was told to think of her is that every girl in a way wants to be her because she’s a nice person, she’s got everything going for her and she’s naïve, especially at the very beginning.
SIOBHAN: And she always sticks to her morals which is really important.
CARLEY: Yeah she really believes in what’s wrong and what’s right. If there’s something that you’ve got to do and it’s right then you’ve got to do that no matter what. She’s determined and she’s fun!
SIOBHAN: I think Vivienne is just a product of Mum and Dad who expect a ridiculous amount from one human being and is under pressure to fulfil their daughter ideal that they have in mind for her. As far as she’s concerned she’s already graduated with Honours and working for the biggest law firm. In her mind she is a cut above the rest but only because that is what her parents have instilled in her.
Siobhan how do you find it playing such a mean character when she is nothing like you?!
SIOBHAN: Ok can I start by saying that evidently whoever asked the question doesn’t know me! That’s the thing, Vivienne is not actively a mean person; she genuinely believes that every comment that she fires in Elle’s direction is worthy, she doesn’t believe she’s being particularly manipulative or vile, she’s just saying it as it is. I concentrate more on the ‘I’m getting what I want’ and the integrity of Vivienne, rather than the conniving, manipulative bitch.
What are your favourite aspects of your characters?
CARLEY: My favourite aspect is her innocence; she believes in everyone and everything until proven otherwise i.e Callahan, so I think that’s really lovely for someone to have that much faith.
SIOBHAN: I quite enjoy the moment Vivienne and Elle have after the Callahan kiss because it’s a total turn around –And that leads on to the remix where I’m like ‘Right, that’s it, under my wing! I’m not saying that I want to be you, but I admire you!’ so still keeping her at arm’s length.
If you could play any other character in the show who would it be?
SIOBHAN: Elle!
CARLEY: I would love to play Vivienne! I feel that sometimes I can be a bit of a walkover and I would love to have a reason to be a bitch and bring that part of me forward. Shall we swap?!
SIOBHAN: I just like the songs, I’d love to get a bit more of a sing going on!
If you could play any role in a current West End show, what would it be?
SIOBHAN: Elphaba in Wicked.
CARLEY: I’d love to be able to do GHOST.
What is your dream role in any musical theatre production?
SIOBHAN: Satine in Moulin Rouge.
CARLEY: I would love to be able to play Kim in Miss Saigon but I doubt that’s going to happen because I don’t look Vietnamese! But that is a role I would love to be able to play because I think the songs are immense, the drama is just beautiful.
Carley is it hard not to say Margot’s lines/go to her positions since starting as Elle? Is it strange to watch someone else as her?
CARLEY: It’s not strange because when I first got the role I already knew I was taking over from somebody else so I already had that instilled in me but sometimes I go to say her lines, especially in ‘Positive’. I’m hoping it’s in my body now though and I’m slowly going to have to let Margot go!
Carley how did you celebrate getting full-time Elle?
CARLEY: I was in the car driving home after two amazing weeks at home with my family so I was gutted because I’d been with all my friends and family for all that time and then I found out just as I got in the car to have a 3 hour drive to London! I rang everyone I knew which took the whole 3 hours! I haven’t really celebrated here, we had the press night but it was the night before two shows.
How do you prepare yourselves before a show? Do you have any rituals?
SIOBHAN: None!
CARLEY: I don’t want to get into a routine of having a specific way of doing things but I always have my warm honey and echinacea, in the morning I have berocca.
SIOBHAN: It’s better to let it go I think because you get to a stage where if you do it religiously you panic if you don’t.
Do you get nervous and how do you combat nerves?
SIOBHAN: The only time I get nervous now is when for a split second my brain goes ‘you don’t know what your next line is!’ My whole body goes into a hot flush and sweaty and then I have to just breathe and it comes back.
CARLEY: I still get a little bit nervous but it’s just adrenaline nerves now because I worry about certain notes in certain songs.
Do you read reviews about yourselves?
CARLEY: I have done but I’m trying not to.
SIOBHAN: I think it is worth mentioning that the majority of people who write things on the internet are not performers themselves so it’s really difficult to give a constructive review of a show if you don’t really have any idea of the craft you are talking about.
CARLEY: You also don’t know what is going to happen that day to a certain person or how things have been directed a specific way; a lot of actors aren’t doing what their gut tells them to do but what they’ve been told to do. So until you know everything, you shouldn’t really judge.
After such a high energy performance, how do you wind down afterwards?
CARLEY: I chill either with a really good soundtrack or an episode of Desperate Housewives or a book, then get in, make myself something to eat and stick Friends on or a DVD.
SIOBHAN: I’m barely out of the theatre before I’ve got my headphones on with someone like Natalie Walker or John Mayer, sit on the train and read Eckhart Tolle.
Legally Blonde is such a happy show, how do you maintain such positivity when you’re having a bad day?
SIOBHAN: That doesn’t really apply to me. It did in Grease when I was doing Patty, you had to keep a big fat smiley face on when you were knackered and all you wanted to do was to go to bed. Now I don’t have to do it because I’m po-faced and miserable all the time!
CARLEY: It can be quite hard if you’re really tired but the music really does help, it is so upbeat and so high-energy. It’s only when I’m in the wings that I feel tired because you stop but on stage you don’t have a second to think about it.
How do you find having to meeting fans at the stage door after every performance?
SIOBHAN: I love it! Everyone’s so enthusiastic.
CARLEY: We have some really good, loyal, dedicated fans that come back. I don’t know how they do it financially! I always make an effort to go out to people because I remember when I was younger and before I got in this job I always wanted to go and see people afterwards.
What’s the funniest thing that has happened on stage?
SIOBHAN: A few weeks ago when ‘Paulette’ fell over! It was when Sorelle Marsh was on and it was during the ‘Go on, do it!’ in Bend and Snap, she went ‘Beeeend and Snap!’ and fell over! Everyone fell about laughing!
CARLEY: You do try not to laugh but you can’t help it and it’s awful!
What has been your favourite moment while in Legally Blonde?
CARLEY: I love singing Legally Blonde the ballad and I love coming through the door at the end.
SIOBHAN: Yeah in the remix, that’s one of my favourite points actually
Other than Legally Blonde Siobhan, what has been your favourite production to work on?
SIOBHAN: Cabaret. I love Sally. I want to do it again now that I feel more experienced and more confident. If it comes to town again I will literally be banging the door down to audition!
Aside from Legally Blonde, what are your favourite musicals?
CARLEY: Miss Saigon, Les Mis, Jesus Christ Superstar
SIOBHAN: Fame, Notre Dame de Paris and Wicked
Carley congratulations on being nominated for several soap awards since leaving! Acting for TV and acting for stage are completely different but what skills and experience did you gain in Hollyoaks that you’ve benefitted from in your work in Legally Blonde?
CARLEY: Having no pride - I have absolutely no pride! That came from Hollyoaks; I don’t think anyone has dressed up in as many costumes as Steph de la Dean has! I guess confidence building too and being nominated is nice because it gives you confidence and belief in yourself when going for a role.
Did you always want to make the transition from TV to musical theatre?
CARLEY: I did in the latter years of Hollyoaks because I felt that Steph had done everything, especially after Max died. I never really left singing when I was there – I was always doing singing lessons and my shows with the girls that I was in a group with called Diamond and so I never actually really left it but I always knew that after Hollyoaks I wanted to do musical theatre.
Did you leave Hollyoaks because the opportunity came up for Legally Blonde or was your contract going to end anyway?
CARLEY: No, I asked if I could leave because I wanted to leave on a high; I thought that Steph had had some great stories and I thought that if I don’t leave now, I never will. I finished Hollyoaks on the Friday and started this on the Monday so only had a weekend off, madness!
Siobhan what made you change pursuing a career in the fashion industry to go into musical theatre?
SIOBHAN: I figured if I didn’t do it then, I would never do it because it’s not something that you can grow old into – you have to do it when you’re young or not at all and I figured that fashion will still be around when I want to settle down and have children, I could have a studio at home etc. Plus I was intrigued and excited about it (performing), I was never going to suppress it and finish my degree when I had that opportunity.
When did you both realise that you wanted to perform?
CARLEY: I don’t think I’ve ever thought of doing anything else since I was about 3 years old. Apparently the first words I said to my auntie were ‘Do you want to hear a joke?!’ So I don’t think I was ever contemplating doing anything else.
SIOBHAN: When I was growing up at school it was like a pipe dream ‘wouldn’t it be amazing if I could be a singer or even on the West End stage’ because I used to love coming to the theatre down in London but there was never a part of me that thought that I was a good enough actress, dancer or singer so I thought that I might as well just cut my losses and go to fashion college. I was perfectly happy doing that but when the reality TV show came up I thought I’d give it a go and then I got the bug for it!
Is there anyone that particularly inspired you growing up and who are your role models?
CARLEY: Gene Kelly. A perfectionist, amazing dancer, beautiful man, beautiful voice, great actor, all round entertainer.
SIOBHAN: When I was growing up Michael Jackson was massive for me. I just used to be in awe of his performance skills and technique, his presence and charisma. Also my Mum, she’s incredible, and my father, I’m obsessed with the two of them, I think that they are amazing people. And of course Audrey Hepburn who is one of the most beautiful actresses inside and out that you could ever wish to watch.
If you could work with anyone, who would it be?
CARLEY: Gene Kelly, Lea Salonga, Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds and Albert Finney.
SIOBHAN: Bradley Cooper and Brendan Hines.
What was the first stage production you saw?
CARLEY: When I was younger I saw a lot of panto and amateur dramatics in my local area. I remember going to watch Joseph with school. The stage show that really jumped out at me and solidified my reason to perform was Cats when I was about 12 years old. When they came out into the audience I was just mesmerised.
SIOBHAN: I watched Phantom and I remember feeling like that when I was really young.
CARLEY: When I was 20 my best mate got me tickets to see Beauty and the Beast, I hadn’t seen theatre for ages because I’d been working on Hollyoaks for about four years and I cried as the curtain came UP because I really wanted to do it!
SIOBHAN: I’ve had that so many times, when the lead female opens her mouth to sing I cry!
What are the downsides to your job if you think there are any?
SIOBHAN: I’ve got one and it’s true for all jobs, nothing specific to Legally Blonde, but what I really love is that vibe of London when everyone is winding down after work and it’s the summer on a Friday or Saturday night, that feeling of having your weekend. I really miss it. You’re walking through it like a salmon upstream almost; on your way to work revving yourself up and they’re all winding down and you’re like ‘it’s not fair!’ seeing them sitting in the beer gardens drinking Pimms.
CARLEY: We get our days off and the amount of hours we do are a lot less than the average joe, but you want to go and party and hang out with the average joe and you can’t because they’re working! I’d definitely say the one down point is having just the one night off.
Do you have any projects lined up for after Legally Blonde and what are your long-term goals?
CARLEY: I’m contracted until October with the possibility to extend to April but nothing has been confirmed yet so I haven’t really thought about that but I would
just audition, get out there and try and do as much TV and musicals as I can. I just want to tick as many boxes as possible.
SIOBHAN: I’ve got to be honest, I’m a little punch drunk from musical theatre, not that I don’t love it, I think I need a bit of a break. I’ve got an album on the way, I’m starting a fashion label, and I’m really into getting into film so I’m not sure.
What are the best moments of your career so far?
SIOBHAN: The thing that has given me a leg up was the Maria show which still to this day was probably one of the most enjoyable, rollercoaster experiences for me. The best job has been this one with the best people as well.
What advice would you give to young people wanting to break into the industry? Especially regarding training; a recent topic of debate owing the rise in fees.
CARLEY: I think it can’t be wrong to train but I wouldn’t beat yourself up if you haven’t because a lot has to be said for natural talent and experience. If you can get training, do, if not, I’d just say go and see, do and experience as much as you can, get yourself involved in as many shows as you can and keep up singing and dancing lessons.
SIOBHAN: I’d reiterate all of the above. Apart from the financial problems that come with training, I don’t think you could lose anything. Although some people have said that sometimes when you go to a drama school and you try to harness a certain style of acting and a specific voice you can actually hinder your development because you’re not just doing it freely.
CARLEY: You can become just a typical sounding musical theatre person so don’t lose your individuality.
SIOBHAN: Exactly, don’t try to be like anyone else in your year or college.
Thank you to Carley and Siobhan for such an insightful interview. Buy tickets to see them in Legally Blonde in top price seats at just £39.99 here.
For more of their news follow them on twitter: @carleystenson and @siobhandillonuk
We are also on twitter: @HitTheTheatre