James Kiley is ready to step up for the biggest role in his young career – Jamie in the teen edition of Everybody's Talking About Jamie which Brighton Theatre Group are staging at The Old Market, Upper Market Street, Hove from Tuesday, May 28-Saturday, June 1.
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00:00 Good morning, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers.
00:06 Lovely this morning to speak to James Kiley. Now James, you've got a very, very big moment
00:10 on the not so distant horizon. You are Jamie in Everybody's Talking About Jamie for Brighton
00:16 Theatre Group. Now, inevitably, this is the biggest role you've played so far.
00:21 You must be super excited. 100%. I'm so excited. I'm also very nervous
00:28 because I've only just realised it is this month now and I still need to get my head around
00:34 the logistics of quick changes and everything, but I'm so excited for it. Honestly, I can't wait.
00:40 Nerves are very useful, aren't they? Nerves are good.
00:42 100%. I think nerves really help to build yourself up to get on stage and then just be able to let
00:50 it all off and just perform and just be there. Yeah. So tell me, what makes Jamie an attractive,
00:56 appealing character for you to play? You're the right age for a start, aren't you?
01:00 I'm the right age. I am 16 and Jamie's a 16 year old boy. And I think I understand him quite a lot
01:07 because he doesn't fit into his society and he's 16 and he's gay. He's come out as gay and he wants
01:14 to be a drag queen. He wants nothing more than to be on stage in a wig, in makeup, with boobs,
01:21 in a dress, just performing to everyone. And that's just what he loves to do. And it makes
01:26 him feel free and makes him feel confident and beautiful. Oh, brilliant. And you share
01:33 some of the dreams, don't you? Certainly in terms of being on stage.
01:37 Yeah, I would love to be on stage. I would love to perform in the West End. I agree. It's just
01:44 amazing. Yeah. So what is the buzz of performing then when you're on stage? That's something that
01:50 would terrify the rest of us normal people. But yeah, I mean, for me, it terrifies me still. But
02:00 I just go on stage and I look out into the audience and you just become this character
02:07 and I don't really take notice of the audience. I barely, you know, really realise there's an
02:13 audience there. But I just like to perform and I just like to put on a show for everyone. And
02:20 when I'm on stage, I just imagine what they're seeing and I want to do it right for them and
02:26 I want to perform it the best I can for them. And what a fabulous show. I mean, quite apart
02:31 from a really important, appealing story, the music is fabulous, isn't it?
02:36 Music's amazing. It's like, it's quite poppy, the music, and it's very glittery and glamoury.
02:43 I love the music in this show. Fantastic. Well, good luck with that. And you've got a school trip
02:49 from BN1 Arts where you are studying. Coming to see you? Yeah, a lot of my peers are coming to
02:55 see me, which I can't wait for, honestly. Fantastic. Well, lovely to speak to you.
03:00 Good luck with everything. Thank you.
03:02 Thank you.
03:03 Thank you.
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