We chat to Corrie’s Kevin 'Curly Watts' Kennedy about his new show, Rock of Ages

As Rock of Ages makes its first Kent stop, we chat to star Kevin “Curly Watts” Kennedy.

Lose yourself in a city where the dreams are as big as the hair.

Set in the mid 80s in a club called the Bourbon Room, the LA love story Rock Of Ages is packed with more than 25 classic rock anthems.

The musical comedy has had extensive runs in London’s West End, on Broadway and in Vegas, and has been made into a Hollywood movie.

Taking his turn to rock out is actor Kevin Kennedy, best known for his role as Curly in Coronation Street.

A musical role, however, is not unfamiliar to Kevin, as he has been part of a number of bands himself over the years.

“It’s incredible to be able to put your two passions together – one being of course acting and the spoken word and the other being music, which is something I’ve loved throughout my life. To put those together is a perfect marriage, and in a vehicle such as Rock of Ages it is a whole lot of fun as well!

“I was a young-ish man in the 1980s and not a huge fan of some dance music, so the last refuge of guitar music to a certain extent was that brilliant American glam-rock that we showcase in Rock of Ages. They play their own instruments and perform live on stage so I had a huge respect for that.”

For Kevin, however, the show has been a bit of a test for his energy levels.

“It does require a lot of energy!” he said. “However, once the show gets going it’s so much fun and no longer feels like work. Once you’ve done the hard work of learning the lines and where to stand we’ve been allowed to just have so much fun with it.

“What I really enjoy is watching the other members of the cast doing their big solo numbers because they’re all so incredibly talented and it’s great to watch and learn from them. It’s been so lovely to see them grow into their characters from the first rehearsal through to our performances on tour now, where it all comes to fruition.”

After spending some 20 years on the ITV soap, Kevin has been throwing himself into theatre of all kinds.

So what has been the biggest difference for him?

“TV is a totally different skill and technique to theatre. Not least because you may put something in the can after filming and not get the payback of that for months or event years. You can almost film it, and then forget about it. “With theatre however, it’s obviously live and live theatre is one of the last true shared experiences you can have – along with football! In the theatre you are all together and sharing one experience which is happening live, right in front of you and there’s not a lot of that left. “That in itself generates its own energy and excitement as no two shows are the same.

“The show that you come and see will never been exactly the same as that ever again which is quite an exciting thought.”

The show comes to the Orchard Theatre in Dartford next week and the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury next year.

Kevin with one of his co-stars, Zoe Birkett, who was in ITV’S Pop Idol in 2002, as Justice

Pictures: Jay Brooks Kevin as Dennis the owner of the Bourbon Room (right) and Rhiannon Chesterman (above) as Regina.

Lucas Rush plays Lonny in the show