I’m no Denzel Washington, but my career has been amazing...
AWARD-WINNING PERFORMER CLIVE ROWE CHATS TO MARION McMULLEN ABOUT DOCTOR WHO, TRACY BEAKER AND THE ART OF BEING A HIP HOP BADGER
I DO. I was in one episode of Doctor Who – the Christmas special The Voyage Of The Damned – and four years in Tracy Beaker, but everyone always says ‘You were in Doctor Who’.
My career is extraordinary. I’m no Denzel Washington, but it’s been amazing – a bit of film, TV, musical theatre, Shakespeare, comedy. It’s all down to my fantastic agent Maureen. She says: ‘They are looking for a 20-year-old Caucasian male ... let’s send Clive.’
You recently needed a knee op. What happened?
I DID panto at Christmas and I did the last two shows with a walking stick. (Chuckles) I’m old and I’m overweight and I was dancing in high heels on a raked stage and my knees just said ‘that’s enough’. I joke about it but I’m 55 now and not the slimmest person in the room – I’m rarely the slimmest person in the room – but I’ve had an operation on my knee and it’s all good.
You’re playing Badger in new hip hop musical In The Willows. How does the production update the famous Edwardian classic Wind In The Willows?
IT’S set in a school for 16 to 17-year-olds and Mole, Toad and Ratty are children, or I should say young adults, at that school. Toad is driven by money and wealth and Ratty is the brightest girl in the school and also the top girl in the yard. No-one messes with Ratty. She is applying for university and looking ahead but is afraid it will spoil her credibility.
How would you describe your character?
BADGER is the school teacher. I think he’s like one of those great teachers you come across at school and he is very helpful towards Ratty and Mole. He is very supportive and drives them to be the best they can be.
You won an Olivier award for playing Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys And Dolls at the National Theatre. Are you looking forward to singing again?
OH, yeah, I get to sing again and again, but I don’t hip or hop. I was the only black person in my school and body popping came along and I couldn’t do it. I physically couldn’t do it. I salsa dance, that’s my exercise, but I haven’t been able to do that for a few weeks because of my knee. I’ve been going home and watching Netflix. I binged on Star-Trek Deep Space Nine – all seven seasons, 176 episodes, 45 minutes each episode. (Laughs) I’m never going to do that again.
You’ve appeared in hit musicals like Me And My Girl, Chicago and Kiss Me Kate. Is there any show you’d still love to do?
I LOVE singing and my voice has got me some incredible work. I’m most at peace when I’m singing on stage and it is all going right. I’d love to do Sweeney Todd one day. I doubt it will ever happen, but I’d love to do my version. (Laughs) I’m vocally wrong – it’s not the right key for me – and I’m the wrong shape but, if they can change it for Johnny Depp, they can change it for me.
I love doing new work as well like In The Willows. It is an amazing show and the songs are just fantastic.
What was your reaction when you were awarded an MBE two years ago?
NO-ONE was more surprised than me. I actually said to my agent when she told me ‘Stop it, that’s cruel’. I didn’t believe her.
I’ve never acted for the accolades. I do it because I just love acting. That’s fantastic and just doing it is enough for me. That is the biggest accolade for me. You have to be nominated for a MBE and just the thought that someone thought ‘Clive Rowe deserves one of these’ and wrote in to nominate, I find very touching.
What do you reckon you would be doing if acting had not come along?
I’D be in Tesco or working in a factory, or maybe I’d be working front of house or backstage at a theatre because my love of theatre is so strong.
I’m not the most academic person in the world. I think I’d be working five days a week, the pub on Friday night, Sunday lunch and back at work on Monday. And, you know, I would be OK with that.
What would you order for your last meal on Earth?
(LAUGHS uproariously) It would be a very long meal – four or five years at the minimum.
Off the top of my head, and if it’s going to be my last meal, I would start with something simple like avocado prawns with brown bread.
The main course is a bit of a quandary, probably a big roast but it would have to be a superb roast, not something covered with dodgy gravy. Maybe pork belly or lamb and then my mum’s rice pudding, the best dessert wine and port and cheese.
■ In The Willows tours from February 22. Go to inthewillows. co.uk for details.