Interview: Kym Marsh in Fatal Attraction at The Alexandra, Birmingham

Interview: Kym Marsh in Fatal Attraction at The Alexandra, Birmingham

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Posted 2022-02-23 by Andy Colemanfollow

Tue 01 Mar 2022

Actress, singer and TV presenter Kym Marsh stars as Alex Forrest in the stage version of Fatal Attraction at The Alexandra, Birmingham , March 1 – 5, 2022.

Known for playing Michelle Connor in Coronation Street , being a member of chart-toppers Hear'Say and presenting BBC's Morning Live , 45-year-old Kym is joined in Fatal Attraction by fellow Corrie star Oliver Farnworth and Footballers' Wives' Susie Amy .

Kym answered our questions about the production, which is based on the 1987 film starring Glenn Close and Michael Douglas .



What makes Alex such a meaty role for an actress?

She's multi-faceted, she's quite a complex character and playing her in this day and age it's more interesting, I think. I've read a lot of articles that Glenn Close did about the character of Alex and even then, back in the 1980s, she was thinking that there's more to Alex, she's not just this psychotic woman. She's got real issues and you can tell that she's gone through something awful in her life. For me, it's interesting to dig around in that and look at the vulnerabilities in her.

Have you rewatched the film?

I rewatched it with my son, who had never seen it before. He was like 'Whoah! Wow!' It's still quite scary but there are lots of different layers to Alex in it, and I think her behaviour would be viewed very differently now compared to in 1987. I think there'd be another conversation around it for sure. We've come a long way in terms of how we view mental health since then.

Is it daunting following in the footsteps of Glenn Close, who was Oscar-nominated for the movie?

No one can fill those shoes, can they? All I can do is my best with it and not copy her, but the script of the play is slightly different. It's not exactly the same, it's not scene-by-scene and word-for-word. There are subtle differences and you hear more from Alex about where she's been. It's hard to talk about without giving too much away but you get more of a sense of who Alex is and what her journey may have been.

Is there still a bunny boiling scene?

[Laughs] Well, there has to be, doesn't there? But I don't imagine the audience will see anything graphic.



What challenges does the role present?

Every role you take on should have some challenge or other. You're never going to be playing yourself, are you? With Alex, it's all about trying to understand the character and trying to work out the journey she's been on. Getting into that mindset is going to be quite tricky but I'm very much up for the challenge.

Did you had to do any physical preparation?

I'm in the gym all the time because there are certain scenes where I'm not going to be wearing very much, even if it's just a short T-shirt. You always want to feel physically prepared for that kind of thing, and not just that, it's a big thing going on tour, going on stage every night, sometimes doing two shows a day. Keeping yourself mentally and physically well and healthy is important.

Can you recall when you first saw the film and what impact did it have on you?

It was probably in the '90s and I remember thinking how remarkable the cast were. Even the little girl; she had me in tears again when I rewatched it. The cast were astounding and they all played their parts brilliantly. The thing that used to annoy me about it, though, was that Michael Douglas's character seemed to get off quite lightly. When you first watched it you forgot that he played a part in it all and he'd gone back for more. I found that quite vexing but, without giving spoilers, it's addressed a little more in how the stage version ends.



When were you last in a play and how is returning to the theatre?

The last time I was on stage was in Elf The Musical in 2019 and before that, it was Saturday Night Fever, which was before I joined Coronation Street in 2006. Fatal Attraction is completely different because it's a play, not a musical.

Is Michelle from Corrie the role you're most recognised for by the public?

It's funny because most people just know me as Kym and I think that's because I've been allowed to do so many different things. I've been very fortunate in my career. I started out as a singer, then moved on to acting, and I've done some presenting. I've been allowed to be a Jack of all trades. Yes, I've been known as a character in a series but I've also been known as just Kym as well.

We also saw you in Kay Mellor's The Syndicate.

That was brilliant as well. That was my first acting role since COVID restrictions had semi-lifted and they allowed actors to go back on set, but we were having tests constantly and everyone was wearing masks. It was a very different way of filming but we all said how wonderful it was to be back on set. Going back to that first job after lockdown is an experience we will never forget. It was great to be back doing the job we love doing, even under very different circumstances.



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!date 01/03/2022 -- 05/02/2022
%wnbirmingham
70624 - 2023-01-26 01:48:13

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