Alistair Brammer on Miss Saigon, Follies and wardrobe malfunctions
Alistair Brammer is the hot star of the Miss Saigon revival currently wowing audiences in the West End, and he’ll be taking to another stage soon to play Young Ben in a concert version of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies. Attitude readers will already be familiar with Brammer after he stripped off in the mag last year (yes, we’ve helpfully included the picture again further down the page). In a new interview, Attitude‘s Simon Button speaks to the theatre hottie about popping his Sondheim cherry…
Are you a Sondheim virgin?
I am indeed. That’s what drew me in and why I wanted to do the job. There’s a bucket list of things you want to do: Everyone wants to do a Sondheim and everyone wants to work at the Royal Albert Hall so that’s a couple of nice big ticks.
But it’s not easy getting your tongue round Sondheim, is it?
That’s true. The lyrics can be a bit of a tongue twister but I relish the challenge.
Why do you think he’s so revered?
He writes amazing music but I think the reason he’s held in such high esteem, and the reason I hold him in such high esteem, is because of his lyrics. It’s hard to write a lyric that’s specific and global at the same time, but he has the knack of writing specific feelings in the huge field of the human psyche.
It’s likely Sondheim will come see the show. He usually does. Do you think you’ll be starstruck if you meet him?
I get starstruck by people like him, yeah. I don’t get starstruck if I bump into people like Kim Kardashian because for me that isn’t what a star is. A star is someone who has a body of genius work. I’d be in awe of him.
Given that, how was it working with Boy George on Taboo?
Well, I wasn’t around when his music was big but he has such presence when he enters a room. He’s got a sort of weight to him [laughs] and I don’t mean literally. He’s got a gravitas about him and a slow, considered approach to work. He’s very cool and easy to get on with. ‘Starstruck’ isn’t the word in this case; I was just really impressed by him.
We hear he compared you to the boxer turned I’m A Celebrity contestant Joe Bugner…
He did do that, yeah. I had to look up who Joe Bugner was and then I was offended. He’s not the best-looking chap in the world.
Are you one of the few straight men in musical theatre or is that all a myth?
It is true there are a lot of gay guys in musical theatre but there are also quite a lot of straight guys. I’d say it’s about 50/50.
Still, you must get lots of gay fan mail. Any saucy requests?
Mostly it’s respectful. You get the odd cheeky one, especially after doing a shirtless shoot for Attitude; you’re inviting a comment or two but it’s usually something nice like ‘You look good with your shirt off’. That’s flattering.
Do you have any worries about flashing your bum every night in Miss Saigon?
It’s slowly been cut out of the show because I had an issue with my microphone belt. It kept getting caught on the trousers and I ended up pulling the mic belt off at the same time. There was one show where I had to sing Why God Why? with the microphone sticking out the side of my head.
We know you’re a hairy guy, but are you manscaping for the show?
No, I keep all the chest hair, although I did recently shave it off because I went on holiday to Egypt and I didn’t want a blotchy tan. But I keep the hair normally because my fiancée likes it.
As do we, Alistair… There’s not much campery in Miss Saigon but what’s the campest thing you’ve ever done on stage?
It has to be Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I’d say putting on a loincloth and oiling up is fairly camp.
Did the loincloth ever fall off?
Actually, there was one point where I didn’t even have it on. I got into a cage at the back of the stage and it wasn’t there, so I ran into the wings panicking, going ‘Where’s my loincloth?’ I managed to find it, grab it and put it on backwards so the piece at the front that’s meant to hang down over your whatsit was at the back.
Please tell us you weren’t wearing underwear…
I was, but it was just a pair of skimpy white briefs.
And what’s the campest thing you’ve done in private?
I have five sisters so when I was a kid and didn’t know any better they’d put make-up on me and put me in dresses. At that age you just do as you’re told until you grow up and realise it isn’t really you.
Miss Saigon is such an emotional show you must be a wreck by the end of it. How do you wind down after a performance?
I have a quick shower, run for the train, sit on the sofa with my fiancée, have a glass of wine and watch a film.
So you don’t blow off steam by popping into the bars on Old Compton Street?
No I don’t, but I have been to gay bars. I’ve got a lot of gay mates and you don’t have a choice – you just go wherever they go. It’s funny because I can never pull women when I’m out but when I’ve been to Freedom or the Shadow Lounge I get hit on by blokes. And of course it’s flattering; it’s just another human being saying you’re attractive.
You mentioned Sondheim being on your theatrical bucket list. What else is on there?
Shakespeare. Everyone wants to do Hamlet but I’ll give that to Cumberbatch, Redmayne and Garfield. But a good Shakespeare would be nice. I don’t have any specific genres, though; I just want to continue making a career and making enough money out of acting.
And will you do more musical theatre?
Whichever direction my career takes, if the right musical comes along – something I feel I will enjoy and benefit from – of course I’ll do it. I’m not a snob. I’d never look down on musical theatre. It’s where I started and what I love doing.
Returning to Follies, is there anyone in the stellar cast you’re most excited to meet? Christine Baranski maybe?
I’m more excited about meeting Stiffler’s Mom. [When told that Jennifer Coolidge is no longer in the cast] That’s a damn shame because I was looking to get a picture with her. But in all seriousness it’s an amazing cast and I’m just privileged to be in the same room as them.
Follies In Concert is at The Royal Albert Hall, London, on April 28th at 3pm and 7.30pm. For more information visit royalalberthall.com. For more information about Miss Saigon visit miss-saigon.com
Words: SIMON BUTTON