Michael Ball might have a golden voice on stage — his vocals have dominated West End musicals since the 1980s — but don’t underestimate his speaking voice, either. The singer, sometime TV star and occasional radio personality (he recently took over a show on the UK’s BBC Radio 2) is just as enthralling in a phone conversation as he is when singing songs such as Love Changes Everything and Empty Chairs At Empty Tables.
“I was a big girl’s blouse,” said Ball over the phone from the UK, speaking of his experience watching the recent film version of Les Miserables. Ball was the first to play the role of Marius the revolutionary/love interest in the musical, which has run continuously since it started in 1985.
His role was taken on by Eddie Redmayne in the 2012 film. “We all wanted it to work because we are proud of the show. It’s had an amazing life and we wanted that mythology to continue,” said Ball, who will very likely be singing songs from the musical when he performs in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
He takes to the stage at the du Forum on Friday and Saturday, accompanied by West End singers and the British Philharmonic Orchestra. He’s just come off a sold-out summer UK tour, but says he’s tweaked the setlist for his UAE debut.
“It’s not going to be like the UK tour, which was half of my new album and half from musicals,” said Ball. “I didn’t think it would be fair to focus on the new album here, so it’s all about the musicals. I think it’s also nice to have a bit of nostalgia.”
Expect songs from Aspects Of Love (that megahit Love Changes Everything), Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, The Lion King, Phantom Of The Opera, Cats, Evita and Hairspray, for which Ball won an Olivier Award for his cross-dressing turn as Edna Turnblad.
“I’ve put some Kismet in there, too, because it’s a musical I’ve done and it’s about the Middle East.”
Ball’s latest album, Both Sides Now, released in February, featuring a new song by Andrew Lloyd Webber called The Perfect Song, which will feature in Lloyd’s new musical, From Here To Eternity, premiering in October. So it’s pretty special for Ball to be able to preview the song on his new album.
“I’ve been lucky to have worked with people like Andrew that I can call them up and ask them if they’ve written any new songs,” he says, serious but with a laugh that says he fully appreciates just how charmed his life is.
It’s been a while since a new musical, I venture — as a singer of the classics, how does he feel about that? “It’s great to have those songs we are nostalgic about, but also to have new musicals that we will be able to be nostalgic about 20 years from now,” he says.
The power of musicals as entertainment can’t be overlooked, he adds, making stage shows such as Les Mis unique in the way they offer the emotion of both music and acting.
“Musicals allow a depth of emotion that you don’t get in another form of acting, the chord changes, the lyrics really affect people, so that in two hours, you’ve forgotten about things. And you’ve dealt with things, too. And you’ve had memories, of why are you still in love with someone, and why you are not in love with someone. And I guess that’s how I choose the songs I chose.”
Tickets for Michael Ball’s two Abu Dhabi shows at du Forum are Dh100 (A reserve), Dh150 (premium) Dh250 (VIP) at ticketmaster.ae.
Michael Ball on Les Mis — the film
“I watched it twice. The first time, it washed over me. I thought, great, they haven’t cocked it up. The second time, I was with friends, at home. At the end of the film, it’s brilliantly done. The bishop was played by Colm Wilkinson, who played the first Jean Valjean [the show’s lead character]. There he was, 27 years later. I just started sobbing, being totally wrapped up in hearing it with fresh ears. I was affected on an audience level.”
