He sings. He dances. He exudes sexy from every pore. And now he’s taking his show on the road, pores and all.
After warming up in Europe the past few weeks, Hugh Jackman kicks off the American leg of his tour tonight in Houston. He talked with The Cocktail about the show and why he would want to put himself through a grueling tour schedule.
“I miss being on stage, all the time. It’s where I began. It’s probably where I feel most comfortable. And I just can’t believe I get to do something like this. For me, it’s very self-indulgent. It’s all the things I absolutely love. The shows that I’ve been in and the stories about myself.”
HIS Story In The Making
Sure, he may be a big movie star, (I’m still holding out for a Wolverine return) but you can tell the stage is where he feels at home. And he’s diving deep into his resume for this show. “Obviously there’s stuff that I’m very passionate about, that I was in from The Greatest Showman, to Les Miserables, to The Boy from Oz, which I did on Broadway, or the first job I ever did: Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.”
But this is hardly an intimate evening with just Hugh and the audience. Hugh’s the star, but it’s not a one man show. “I’m going to tell some stories. We’re going to dance a lot. I have 193 people working on this show. There are singers and dancers and choirs. There’s going to be spectacle. But I think the heart is really hopefully, the intimacy of me sharing what I love. What I love to do and who I am.”
Sweat Equity
Hugh’s in incredible shape, but he told me this show is putting him through his paces. “It’s okay. Trust me, in this show I sweat from about minute nine in. Let’s call it minute seven. So it doesn’t matter.”
But despite the backup singers and dancers and trapeze artists (I really hope he has trapeze artists!), Hugh says this show has the heart of a small production. “The heart of the show, I think, is probably me really sharing who I am the stories from my life, not just in showbiz but from my personal life. Music that I love and that I really really connect to.”
“I just love this opportunity to be able to create something that is directly from me to the audience, and to find a way for us to connect. For me, that is not just a privilege. It’s a love and a joy. It’s going to be a good time.”
The Critic’s Cocktail Recommendation
Fosters. It’s not only Australian for beer, it also comes in a big can, so you don’t have to leave your seat to get another cocktail. Because as we all know, even the best theater is enhanced by a good drink!
Cheers, Mate!
Critic's Cocktail 