London-Based Singer Peter French Returns to Scotland Next Weekend To

2 Saturday, April 20, 2013 Magazine The Courier & Advertiser The Courier & Advertiser Magazine Saturday, April 20, 2013 3 l About Love by Peter French MY PERFECT WEEKEND is at Dundee Rep Theatre on April 27 at 7.30pm. More Birds of a Feather star Linda Robson information is available at tells The Courier what makes her peterfrenchlive. com perfect weekend . LINDA ROBSON grew up for outdoor pursuits but I do been exposed to every kind of in Islington, London, and like looking round whichever music under the sun! Peter is all starred in hit BBC sitcom town or city I’m in when I loved Mr Selfridge on Birds of a Feather, which I’m on tour. I love going to the TV – it was like a history ran for 10 years from 1989, churches and lighting can- lesson. Films I enjoy include alongside her real-life best dles for people I’ve lost. There Will Be Blood, starring fiend Pauline Quirke. Daniel Day-Lewis – he is one What food would you of the most amazing actors Where would your Qeat – and who would I’ve ever seen – and Skyfall. Qperfect weekend take cook it? I’m not a James Bond fan place? Mark and I make a big but I loved it, especially Judi It sounds boring but being roast lamb and slow cook it Dench. I’m depressed she at home with my family, and then serve it with all the won’t be in any more James watching all our favourite trimmings and sides. Lauren Bond films! programmes on the TV. loves gnawing on the bone But mostly, we sit round and we’ve got a great photo Lili-watching these days! about love Who would it be spent of Lili having a gnaw too! Qwith? Favourite music/TV Favourite Sunday meal London-based singer Peter French returns to My family – my husband Qshow/film to pass the Qand why? Mark, our older daughter time? Our roast lamb lunch and Lauren and her one-year-old Pauline (Quirke) and I were then, about an hour later, a Scotland next weekend to play an exclusive concert daughter Lili, our son Louis, having lunch in a restaurant lovely apple crumble. We sit 21, and younger daughter last year and the music round and have a great time in Dundee. He tells Jennifer Cosgrove why this Bobbie who’s 16. playing was lovely – lots of chatting and eating. old Dusty Springfield, Louis Would you lie in or get Armstrong, a real mix of Where would you go homecoming is so important . Qup early? relaxing music. Unknown to Qand what would you do I’m an early bird – I always me, Pauline went back later if time and money were no ETER FRENCH is nervous and me to travel to places in the world I would next to Michael Crawford waiting for your inspire me because they tell stories and I get up around 7am, even if and asked Sonia, the lady object? excited about his impending visit otherwise never have gone.” lesson to start. It was extraordinary.” really like the idea of telling stories.” I don’t have to be and if I’m who ran the restaurant, what I’d love to take Lili to to Broughty Ferry in Dundee, While he never considered modelling as During his training, Peter realised he had Peter’s signing teacher Ian passed on Loose Women, it’s even the CD was and it turned Disneyland. I took my kids because it isn’t just any social trip: a long-term career option, when Peter was to make a conscious effort to forge a career away in 2007, following a long illness. earlier. I never trust alarm out it was her compilation. when they were young and Phe will be performing his first ever Scottish taken on in 2000 by a top New York agency, as a singer: “Around 2004, I saw all these He produced a concert at London’s Her clocks! She made another one and they loved it. I’d also like to solo concert in his home city. he saw it as a new chapter and adventure. famous actors coming and going and a lot Majesty’s Theatre in tribute to his teacher, Pauline gave it me for my go back to Venice. Mark and He is bringing his sell-out London show “I was all set up to do it and then 9/11 of them were out of work and waiting for assembling a 50-strong cast led by Elaine What are your favourite birthday last year. But my I went a few years ago and About Love to Dundee’s Rep Theatre, using happened in 2001 and everything changed. auditions. I turned to Ian one day and Paige, Jonathan Pryce and Jeremy Irons Qoutdoor activities? kids are into everything I thought it was the most classic songs to follow the course of love Afterwards, the agency called me to say said: ‘I can’t do this – I can’t spend my – all of whom had been pupils. The show Shopping! Seriously, from Queen and Aerosmith beautiful and romantic place and relationships, from innocence to matu- the situation in New York was terrible: they life waiting for something else to hap- raised more than £48,000 for a new sing- though, I’m not really one to Justin Bieber, so I’ve ever. rity, through the various ups and downs of were letting people go and other people pen. I am going to have to create this ing programme at Royal Brompton life. were deciding to leave the city. They said I myself’.” Hospital to help patients with respiratory The programme includes songs by Burt could still come over but it would be tough.” Solo concerts were not easy to problems. Bacharach, Cole Porter, John Lennon, Rather than dwelling on what could have come by for new performers but At Christmas, Peter did a new Jacques Brel, Joni Mitchell, Irving Berlin been, Peter saw it as an opportunity to pur- Peter took a chance and pitched concert at The Pheasantry in Linda Robson and Rogers and Hammerstein. sue another path: “It had happened, so what to a famous London cabaret club December called A Year to Christmas: loves to be Peter, 53, was a member of a choir in was I going to do about it?” called Pizza on the Park, then “It was another concept show about surrounded by his local church St Margaret’s, Barnhill, as After leaving drama school, Peter had located at Hyde Park Corner. a year in the life of somebody – her family. Picture: well as schools Eastern Primary and Grove taken singing lessons with world-famous “Some of the biggest stars from one Christmas to the next, Getty Images. Academy. He says: “Many of my friends teacher Ian Adam and was suddenly have played there – Liza going through the other seasons in – who I have not seen for 30 years – are gripped with a desire to return to it. Minnelli, Tony Bennett – I between.” coming to see my show in Dundee. “I decided I had to give this a shot went to the door at 11 o’clock About Love concerns relation- “I am hoping my choirmaster Alison now, so I went back to Ian and it was very in the morning and said: ‘I’d ships and Peter says while there is Fraser will be at the concert. She still lives strange – something took over. I wouldn’t like to sing here’. The ques- a bit of himself in the show, it is in Broughty Ferry and was my music say I became obsessed but I became so tion that followed was: ‘Who no way candid or self-indulgent: teacher at Eastern and Grove. She was the utterly focused on my training with him are you?’ and my response: “The way I see it is I am a vehicle best teacher I have ever known: enthusiastic that something took over inside of me and ‘Well, nobody’.” on stage and my job is tell the story and passionate. Her passion for her music I abandoned everything I was doing in my Peter had an idea for a of a song and, hopefully, people was astounding and it is still in my memory life. I just focused on working with him for show where all the songs will relate to that. I do talk about today.” the next seven years.” related to a theme. He had myself but I don’t mention names. Peter’s parents Jean and John will be in During this time, Peter practised for heard a song called Here’s To I’m not doing a psychotherapy ses- attendance, of course. The couple lived in four hours a day, seven days a week. He Life, which has been covered sion! Barnhill for years but have now relocated to describes Ian as an “extraordinary person”, by Barbara Streisand, and so he “I try to make a journey for the the Scottish Highlands. Peter’s older brother likening his enthusiasm to that of his child- thought about a concept show show with a beginning, middle and an Stuart is still in Broughty Ferry and he also hood singing teacher Alison Fraser. Origi- that looked back on life. end and it follows the ups and downs has extended family in and around the city. nally from the Black Isle in the Scottish Pizza in the Park was intrigued of young love, heartbreak and then the Despite his love of music and perfor- Highlands, Ian’s clients included Michael enough to offer him one night at the mature stage of love, when we become mance, Peter originally studied account- Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Elaine Paige club and he walked out terrified and more adult about it and are able to cope ancy in Dundee and completed an HNC but and Jason Donovan.

Load more