So… I’m sitting at my desk and the phone rings, and unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I’ve just tipped two little plastic cups of champagne down my neck in celebration of a new system we’ve just had installed here in the office. It’s a funny old world when we’re toasting computer programming, but hey, if it makes our lives easier it means less time behind our desks, and more time to sip champagne.
I digress. So, I’m sitting at my desk, feeling the bubbles, wondering what to reheat for dinner, when the phone rings and it’s Alistair McGowan just calling for a chat about his new show. He is of course, starring as the egotistical, sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors and we were supposed to talk last week, but kept missing each other. Well,… OK, so I kept missing him. It’s not as though I’m the one running round London trying to chat to every journo in town about my new West End show. I’m too busy implementing computer tools.
The show’s going well, he says, considering he only got the chance to rehearse for about two weeks before going live at the Duke of York Theatre. Of course, Little Shop of Horrors has been playing at the Menier Chocolate factory for a while, so he got to learn the lines by watching the others, but most of the time he practised the script and the songs at home, in his living room. Was he wearing his pyjamas and big fluffy monkey-foot slippers while he did it? Well, who knows, but his suave and sinister character doesn’t really call for anything less macho than a leather jacket and a good pot of hair gel, so I won’t ask.
“I’ve just come straight from performing in the Merry Wives of Windsor, in Stratford (a new musical version of Shakespeare's popular comedy), so I was really just thrown into it. I couldn’t wait to play such a sadist, it’s such a hilarious part. I mean, I love the fact that he’s a dentist and he’s insane, it’s like the image we all have of them anyway, intensified.”
He’s right, I have horrific half-memories from a dental encounter, when the anaesthetic didn’t work on a wisdom tooth removal. Ouch! So did he use his impressionist roots to mimic the wacky ways of Steve Martin in the movie version? We all know his celebrity repertoire of over a hundred impersonations, including David Beckham, Gary Lineker and Tony Blair.
“No, I didn’t watch the film again, I think I’ve seen it once and that was years ago. Steve Martin did a great job, and I really didn’t want to watch him again in case I mimicked him. I wanted to see what came out of me in the role.”
Fair enough. What does he think about the comments and reviews in the press so far? I reckon they’ve been pretty good – after all you can’t really go wrong with such a well-loved musical, especially once you’ve included a modernised, animatronic plant and a stellar cast including Sheridan Smith (2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps).
“Oh I try not to look at what the press write to be honest. I like to think I’m doing OK, and then I’ll probably read something like, ‘ look at that long-legged, lanky man bending about all over the place’ and then my actions will consciously change because of it. Yeah,.. I’d rather not know!”
OK, that’s probably wise, I think, wishing my plastic cup had some more champagne in it. So what’s next in line then, any plans for world domination, like Audrey II? 
“I’d love to do something quite wordy next, I think. You know, a big play with lots of words! Obviously the singing thing is fun but something quite meaty would be different after doing all this comedy. I’ve actually written a couple of plays I’d love to see about getting into production, that would be brilliant – another string to the bow and all that!”
Well, you can never have too many strings, in my opinion. Looks like everything’s going swell over on Skid Row for Alistair, and we’re loving the mini parts he plays as Seymour’s fans in the later part of the show. That’s the Alistair we know and love – talking funny. Not that a spot of laughing gas doesn’t make a good impression, of course.
I let him get back to the show as I pour myself some more champers and return to my computing celebrations. Oh, the difference in our evening schedules. Still, I bet Alistair’s not having such glorious, re-heated (and extra tomatoey) bolognese for dinner.
Becky Wicks
To book tickets to Little Shop of Horrors on lastminute.com, click here
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