INTERVIEW: Jon Robyns, star of Hamilton and soon to appear in ‘The Best of… Rock Musicals’

Jon is a celebrated musical theatre star, with a CV as one as my arm! He is currently paying King George in the West End production of Hamilton and will feature in ‘The Best of… Rock Musicals’ concert on the 12 May at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith. His other credits include Robbie in the Wedding Singer (UK tour); Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde (Curve Theatre, Leicester); Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Alternate Huey in Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre); Adam Nehemiah in Dessa Rose (Trafalgar Studios); Jamie in The Last Five Years (Greenwich Theatre); Galahad in Spamalot (Harold Pinter and Playhouse Theatres); Hollis in Road Show (Menier Chocolate Factory); Enjolras in Les Miserablés (25th Anniversary Tour); Marius in Les Miserablés (Queen's Theatre); Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q (Noel Coward Theatre); Mark in Rent (English Theatre Frankfurt); Alternate Chris in Miss Saigon (UK tour).

Tell us a bit about what we can expect from ‘The Best of… Rock Musicals’. 

An epic celebration of all things Rock Musical. There are some genuine legends of the theatre involved in the show and the set list is going to be just as awesome. My guess is that it’ll be LOUD! 

The concert will be in aid of The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, which raises awareness of, and offers support and education to those affected by, depression and mental illness. For you, what is so special about being involved in this event for this amazing charity? 

Mental health has been, until very recently, hidden away as a private affliction. Thankfully, charities such as The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust are bringing topics like depression, anxiety and even suicide out into the open so their social stigma can be taken away and dealt with care and compassion. 

Have you ever had a moment in your career where you think you could have benefitted from the work of this charity? 

We all suffer from anxiety and stress both in and away from work. I haven’t had cause to contact the Trust, but should I need to I’m glad it’s there. That’s why we’re all getting together to support them in May.

Spamalot the Musical: Theatre Review

Spamalot is a musical comedy which has been “lovingly ripped off” from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As much as it stays true to the Monty Python legacy it also is packed with jokes about musicals, TV and the music industry which means there is definitely something for everyone in this show. The original Broadway production opened in early 2005, closing four years later. The West End production opened in September 2006 in the Palace Theatre, this production closed only a week before the Broadway production closed (January 2009). A UK Tour was planned in 2009 but this was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances however the tour went ahead the following year. The UK Tour finished mid 2012 and transferred back to the West End, playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre and later transferring to the Playhouse Theatre.Other productions have opened in Las Vegas, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, France and loads of other places!
The show follows King Arthur and his knights on their journey to find the Holy Grail. The show has been scaled down a lot from the original production, just one set with a few small changes. Even though Hugh Durrant’s designs are very ‘panto’, it still fits in with the context of the musical. So even though it’s got a very cheap feeling to it, it still works. The only thing that is sacrificed is the dramaticness of the Lady of the Lake entrance which was, if I’m honest, dreadful. Eric Idle has done a brilliant job with the Book, Lyrics and Music (music with John Du Prez), they’re genius! It is truly a Musical Comedy, possibly one of the funniest musicals ever to be written.