If the past year has taught me anything, it’s just to embrace life
STEPS’ STAR CLAIRE RICHARDS TELLS MARION McMULLEN WHY, AFTER LIVING THROUGH A PANDEMIC, SHE’S READY TO BATTLE MARTIAN INVADERS
How do you feel going from a pandemic to an arena tour of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of War Of The Worlds?
(Laughs) I know, I know. It almost feels a bit apt in a way. The story is not that similar but it has a feeling of what we have all been through in a way. And, after a pandemic, which I’ve never experienced before, being in a theatre production is an experience I’ve not had before either so it’s one new experience to the next.
I’m actually really grateful that it is an arena tour because they are venues that I know so it will feel comfortable and I’ll know my way around.
It’s such a huge show and to have the orchestra on the stage and Jeff Wayne there conducting; it’s going to be so exciting. This is going to be pretty special for me. We did a performance once with an orchestra at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff for a musical show, which you wouldn’t expect us to do, but we did sing Tragedy.
What appealed to you about playing Beth, the Parson’s wife, in the show?
If the past year has taught me anything it is to embrace life and really just take things that are offered that might perhaps scare you and might frighten you, because opportunities like this don’t come around very often, and I think in the past if I had opportunities like this presented to me I would come up with an excuse not to do it because it frightened the life out of me.
And even though it is slightly terrifying, I just think ‘ You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow so you’ve just got to do everything’”.
You’re 43 now. Where did the love of music first begin?
When I was a kid all I ever wanted was to play Eponine in Les Misérables and that kind of disappeared along the line, so it feels like it’s coming full circle a little bit with
War Of The Worlds.
All I ever sang was musical theatre as a kid and I remember the first time I went into a studio the producer told me I sounded too much like Julie Andrews and I needed to knock the Julie Andrews out of my voice. (Laughs) Which I’ve done, but now it’s difficult to go back.
My mum and dad bought me tickets to see Les Mis for my 15th birthday because I was completely obsessed with it and I cried my eyes out through the whole show.
Have you missed performing live?
Yeah, I think that’s the one thing we’ve all missed actually.
Steps were meant to be touring and should have been done and dusted last November and we had geared ourselves up.
Every couple of years you feel ‘Right, I’m ready for it now’ and, for it to be delayed another year, it
was a shame but I think it’s just going to make it better when we do get out there and do it. It’s making me emotional just thinking about it. I’ve got a little lump in my throat.
How did you manage with lockdowns and home schooling?
My son (Charlie) is at secondary school so he’s pretty good. He’s about to start his GCSEs in September and he’s quite clever so he’ll take himself off and just do it himself. My daughter (Daisy), is year six, and I was so grateful during the first lockdown when they sorted out the Zoom teams and the teacher could actually do a lesson.
(Laughs) I’m not great. I’m terrible at maths and, I know I probably learned all this stuff at school, but when it comes to pronouns subjective adjectives and all these things... I can’t help you.
We got a puppy as well last July so we are the ultimate lockdown cliché and I like to cook so I’ve experimented with a few things and, to be honest, I really love being at home. We’re lucky we’ve got a garden and a bit of space and there’s enough rooms in our house to go and be on your own if you need to. And I’ve had a lot of baths and watched a lot of TV. It’s nice. I’ve not had to think of one single excuse why I can’t go anywhere.
Are you children following in your musical footsteps?
They both love music. My son is doing GCSE music so he is teaching himself how to play the guitar at the moment. I’m very impressed because I can’t play an instrument. I can hear him in his bedroom playing Spanish flamenco-type music. It’s amazing. Although I think I might steer him into something more stable. I keep sending him to work with my husband who is an electrician saying ‘This is the life for you Charlie’.
When I was a kid all I ever wanted was to play Eponine in Les Misérables
Tickets for Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War Of
The Worlds - the Life Begins Again tour are on sale now via livenation. co.uk. The tour runs from March 23 next year. thewaroftheworlds.com