Saturday, July 23, 2011

Look Hugh's crooning now

By Baz Bamigboye

Last updated at 2:09 AM on 22nd July 2011

Versatile: Hugh Jackman Versatile: Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman is planning to give a series of concerts in London during breaks from starring in the film version of Les Miserables.

Shooting on the movie, which is being made by Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper, will begin in the UK next February.

Hugh will play the central role of former convict Jean Valjean.

The actor has just completed a short run of his In Concert show at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, accompanied by two Broadway performers and a 17-piece orchestra.

The cracking show, developed by director Warren Carlyle and producer Robert Fox, saw Jackman giving a tour de force performance, singing classic numbers from Oklahoma!, Carousel, Dreamgirls and the Peter Allen catalogue.

He also delivered a haunting version of Over The Rainbow, joined by Olive Knight of the Walmajarri people in Wangkatjungka, Western Australia, and two gentlemen on didgeridoos.

At a matinee I attended this week, Hugh’s 11-year-old son, Oscar, took to the stage to play the didgeridoo, too.

‘I wanted to create a show where I can’t wait to do it,’ Hugh told me backstage.

He found he had a window of opportunity after filming on the next Wolverine film was put back to October.

He and his associates had already developed an earlier version of the concert, but the Mark II model is more substantial and reveals the actor to be a consummate showman.

No stranger to performing: Hugh Jackman (left) sung with Neil Patrick Harris during the 65th Annual Tony Awards in June No stranger to performing: Hugh Jackman (left) sung with Neil Patrick Harris during the 65th Annual Tony Awards in June

Hugh explained how he watched Frank Sinatra’s old Las Vegas shows.

‘I loved that “anything can happen”, relaxed feel about Sinatra — and viewing Peter Allen’s tapes also taught me a lot,’ he said. ‘We’re planning to do some Sunday night concerts when I’m in London in the spring.

‘We’re looking for the right space, and the idea is to do the shows when I’ve got time off from Les Miserables. I just want them to be fun,’ he told me, adding jokingly: ‘I feel like I should have a whisky in my hand, like Dean Martin, and then get Robbie Williams to come on and join me.’

Hugh said he expected to perform his concert show on Broadway in October next year.

He told me he met director Hooper for a three-hour audition for Les Mis. ‘I got cast early, because there was another movie I could do and I didn’t want to wait and get to November to find I had no movie at all. I told them that and I eventually got it.’

The stage version is completely sung through with no spoken dialogue. ‘That’s not going to work on film, so there’s now dialogue and songs,’ said Hugh. ‘Tom’s take on the film is very exciting.’

Hooper is still in the early stages of casting and is working with Working Title and Cameron Mackintosh on other roles.

Paul Bettany has met Hooper about playing the Inspector Javert role. Although Russell Crowe is also keen, my sense is that — ultimately — Bettany will prevail.


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