Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
Loretta Hope on the ups and downs of Roger McGough’s Money-Go-Round
Boop boop! Make way, make way because the fabulous Mr Toad is coming to Edinburgh! Following a spectacular appearance at Glastonbury’s Kidzfield, Roger McGough’s Money-Go-Round, an adaptation of his recent book for children, is heading north for the Fringe. We were delighted to get the opportunity to speak with actress Loretta Hope of Jam Jar Theatrical Productions about what we can expect in this brand new show.
Hi Loretta. So tell us a bit about the play. It’s an adaptation of Roger’s book, with characters based on The Wind in the Willows, is that right?
Yes! There are all the creatures you’d expect if you’re familiar with Wind in the Willows; from water to woodland. It’s a heart-warming piece. Mr Toad checks in at Lavender Mole’s Treehouse Hotel with a shiny coin, and the story follows the coin as one character pays another what they owe and so on until the coin might just go full circle. Each type of creature lives a completely different sort of life to the next and yet they’re all connected and share something. There’s a focus on the relationships between these characters and the innate generosity of spirit within us. Then when the coin comes into it, we see how chasing or obsessing over money can take over us. It’s an energetic musical with fun surprises tucked into nooks and crannies and you never know just what is around the corner!
Money-Go-Round played at the OSO Arts Centre in Barnes last year (2022) and is back this year with some new cast members (I’m one of them!), some exciting developments and a tour!
What roles do you play, and which is your favourite?
The main roles that I play are Jan Stoat, an agile, window-washing painter-decorator, and Carlotta Otter who’s a DIY specialist in the Neighbourwood. Alongside the rest of the cast I also multi-role through an array of different woodland creatures in ensemble moments.
My favourite role has to be Jan Stoat. She’s warm, friendly, quirky and hardworking. With her comes the opportunity to make a dream of mine come true – blending circus /aerial acrobatics with musical theatre. Unbelievably, I get the chance to do both in the same show AND at one point *at the same time* singing in the air! This brings to life Jan’s animal agility and window-washing antics in a way that’s so exciting for me, and hopefully the audience too! It’s fantastic! The journey from audition to production has been a wonderful one, with discussions on how to incorporate aerial in the first place, what apparatus to work on… and it has involved the fabrication of a custom-made piece of kit, the extension of a song and more. Fast forward a few months and we’ve had the chance to perform this aspect of the musical on stages at Glastonbury Festival and in Jersey too.
Roger McGough is an iconic writer, one of my all-time heroes and a fellow scouser. Have you enjoyed performing his material?
Absolutely. The family theatre I enjoy the most is this kind; the sort that doesn’t patronise the younger audience members. This script skips along with frivolity in a way that has appeal for both children and an adult’s inner child. I love the pace, the poetry, the word play. It’s charming and warm yet there are different layers to the story to be found and thought about. It was really wonderful to have Roger with us all for the first full-cast read through too; it’s always good to have a writer’s feedback and blessing when you’re bringing their work to life!
And what has it been like working with the rest of the cast and creatives at Jam Jar?
Just wonderful, but then I got the feeling it would be the during audition rounds. It’s a really well put together group of lovely people. Everybody is so fantastic, so good at what they do. Our rehearsal period was quite intensely focussed on the work and getting the show on its feet. I’d say we properly bonded as a team at Glastonbury (more about that in a mo). Each cast member is ace and we look after each other, on stage and off. Jonny Danciger, our Director, is a joy to work with. I love his imagination and creativity. Musical Director Steve Halliwell is great, as is his ability to bring us together musically. The songs are fun, the styles diversely reflecting the characters in them so well. Emma Turner’s set is just beautiful: it’s clever and creative and versatile. Jamie Rycroft, our producer, has been on tour everywhere with us and I don’t know how we’d manage without him! From a cast perspective, things appear to run so smoothly, and it’s definitely down to Jonny and Jamie’s dream team! We also had Joanna Vymeris in as circus consultant pre-production and during rehearsal with me as a second brain for creation/ choreo on the aerial side of things, which was a real privilege.
Tell us a bit about how you found Glastonbury and how the show was received.
Our first tour stop was Glastonbury Festival – possibly the best ever setting for getting to know a cast and production team properly. We had so much time to be ourselves and connect as a group. Then we’d be in the Kidzfield on their Big Top stage connecting with young audiences and their adults and it was just ace. I was at Glastonbury in 2003 AS a kid and have pictures of me in the Kidzfield. Knowing what theatre and live entertainment meant to me as a child and then to be there as an artist bringing live performance to a stage was…a happening, a marvel I hadn’t dreamt of. It was surreal! We had great feedback from the staff at Kidzfield and the audiences were brilliant. There was one show where the children were so invested they were practically on the stage, screaming “Liar! Liar!” at Toad! There was a parent who stands out, too. They told us how their child sat still and immersed from start to finish – something of a rarity – as a testament to the show. In a noisy chaotic setting like Glastonbury, that is something. Yes, the feedback was just fantastic.
Are you having to tailor your performance for the new venue at the Assembly Rooms?
Yes. Working in a setting where the aerial isn’t possible isn’t necessarily a bad thing – we’ve reshaped the aerial moments to keep them colourful and exciting in a different way, but we still get Jan Stoat’s agile, multitasking madness! The first iteration of Money-Go-Round at the OSO in Barnes last year didn’t have aerial, but Jan’s Stoat’s onstage moments don’t rely on it. The beauty of having both ground and aerial versions means the musical can reach all communities as we tour without being limited to those whose venues have the facility to rig aerial apparatus.
And there’s live music in the show too?
Yes! Sometimes I can’t get over the combined skill level of this cast. Really, everyone is so awesome. The live music elements are all seen onstage as they’re performed by the cast. I’m not a musician myself, so this doesn’t include me. I love multidisciplinary work as those productions are such a melting pot of skills and experience. It’s really inspiring to share the stage with the people I do.
Are there plans to go elsewhere after Edinburgh?
There are. We’re looking to tour the show across the UK next year, and have a few places locked in already, ranging from Coventry to Yeovil. And there’s lots of exciting venues coming to see the show while we’re performing at the Edinburgh Fringe so we’re excited to announce even more down the line!
Thanks very much to Loretta for taking the time out of her busy day to chat with us.
Roger McGough’s Money-Go-Round plays from 3-21 Aug at Assembly Rooms, Ballroom at 11.55am.
Further details and how to book can be found here.
