Your family has a musical background, how influential was that for you growing up?
Very much so in the sense I was always being entertained by my uncles who always made a racket with pots and pans and anything else they could find around the house! They are both musicians who played in bands The Clash for a brief time before the band got super famous and other bands that would play the north west London scene of Kensal rise and Camden. They are a talented drummer and bass player and pots and pans terrorists! My dad sang the soho night life were he did his Billy Fury and Elvis numbers!
Did they support your decision to go into Musical Theatre?
Sure they did which I'm grateful for even though musical theatre is not particularly Rock & Roll but my family have been very influential with the music I was brought up on for my own band ‘Charlie and the Band of Demons’ it being Rock, Blues, Soul and jazz. I fell into musical theatre after having intense training in dance, singing and acting; wherever there's those 3 things there's a musical!
It has to be playing the role of Gypsy Rose Lee, that will always be my fondest memory. She's a wonderful girl who had a very interesting and fast life and was an absolute joy to play.
I've worked with so many inspiring people so it's hard to say. My first job I worked with Kid Creole who was an absolute Star with so much professionalism, I learnt so much from right from the start. More recently I did a workshop for Pedro Almodovar who I'm the biggest fan of so meeting him was quite something in itself but the actress Doon Mackichan who's done Smack the Pony, Green wing, Plebs to name a few was so interesting to see the ways she worked and I learnt so much from her process in the rehearsal room. An Incredible actress.
Shows come and they go, some quicker than others. It's sad of course for all involved most of the time. Especially the writers which is what always upsets me the most as they've put so many years investing their time and soul. It's just how the cookie crumbles unfortunately and that's theatre.
It was a wonderful experience first taking the show on tour for a year. The rehearsal process was so new, exciting and fun.The writers are marvelous in my opinion and deserve great things. We did so well on tour and it was fabulous, town was more complicated and not the best time. It could of been something really special for me and those involved but yet it had its troubles. Flashdance is now touring America with a Broadway transfer so I hear and I wish all those involved the best of luck!
Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee! I've never felt so at home and so content with a character. The cast, company, Paul Kerryson, David Needham and all those at Curve theatre created something very special for us all and I will never forget the magic of that story and production! I loved Louise's transition, journey and heartache into this Incredible women that is Gypsy Rose Lee. It's the ultimate underdog success story that everyone revels in hearing.
Sally Bowels from Cabaret has to be up there with job satisfaction and of course when I'm maturer Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard. I love the heartache and drama these characters find themselves in. These are the best kind of roles to play, unpredictable loose canon type females is what I find most fun.
Rizzo has been played thousands of times before me which is always a tough one to stomach but then also thrilling once you get the knack of it! She is fun and furious and I loved her. Alex was a truthful being with no funny business straight down the line and I was lucky enough to create the role after Jenifer Beals of course and had great fun doing so. Gypsy's character I actually got help from videos of the real Gypsy Rose Lee off youtube and her memoirs. She was a real person and I wanted to try my best at capturing the real her and not what was adapted for Hollywood in the movie's. You do your best in creating these roles for yourself to understand them first before the audience and hope for the best without getting to hard on yourself about it. It's all good fun.
I relate to all these people in A Chorus Line; these people and stories are documented in truth from actual personalities of dancers from the 70's interviewed by Micahel Bennett himself. He knew these people and is still sharing their lives with everyone today.
I see myself in Morales,Bobby and other characters in the show.. I'm sure some of the audience do too!
A Chorus Line was the first ever reality show! This is where it started and the interest came about. A Chorus Lines process of how an audition can pan out it very accurate apart from breaking into song whilst introducing ourselves although some might beg to differ! I'm not too sure about the TV shows as I don't watch them, auditions don't tend to be our favourite subject so I'd rather save my nerves for something else. We audition everyday apart from Sunday being in A Chorus Line and its nerve racking every time. If people are interested in how it all works come see our documented show, it's far better than any Britain's got talent or X Factor baloney!
Spending time walking and playing with our new pup and fronting my band ‘Charlie and the Band of Demons’ I also am into property porn (so I call it) like Escape to the country and other shows like that and have enjoyed making chutney in the past!
Emotional, nerve-wracking, beautiful, insightful and precious.
I'm sure I have loads of things planned but I just don't know all of them yet!
Work hard, don't stress if your not the best as its subjective, learn to like your person, trust yourself, don't waist energy worrying on unimportant things like unimportant things and whatever you don't take yourself seriously.
Victoria is currently in A Chorus Line at the London Palladium.
Follow Victoria on Twitter: @iamVHBgaribaldi
Left to right: as Louise (Gypsy, Leicester Curve), as Diana (A Chorus Line, London Palladium), as Alex (Flashdance, UK Tour)
Headshot Photo credit : Darren Bell / www.darren-bell.co.uk
