Mark on Music of the Night, Michael Crawford and Morricone

Here Mark answers our questions:

Q. What is your favourite song/album and why?

A. I have so many so it’s hard to pick. It depends on my mood really but I guess I’ll say Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera. It was the first big musical I saw when I was in London with my family when I was 15. I fell in love with it so when I hear the song it still gives me goosebumps.

Q. What is your favourite film and why?

A. Again so hard to choose. I’m such a movie fanatic. I love anything in the fantasy genre and I’m a huge Marvel fan but it’s hard to look past the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I just love the stories and love the way it was shot. There are movies I love like Schindler’s List but it’s hard to watch, whereas Lord of the Rings I could watch over and over.

Q. What is your favourite piece of classical music and why?

A. I’m a huge fan of movie soundtrack music. I’d say it’s my favourite genre. I love anything by Hans Zimmer, John Williams or James Horner to name just a few but my favourite classical piece would probably be Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone who recently passed away.

Q. Who is your favourite artist and why?

A. I’d have to say Michael Crawford. I’ve always been a huge fan since seeing Phantom of the Opera. I didn’t actually get to see him in it but I did see him in The Wizard of Oz which I really enjoyed. I love the career he has had from the TV comedy Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em to Hello Dolly and Phantom. I love the versatility in his career and I’d love a similar sort of career as his.

Q. What is your favourite play and why?

A. Again this is a difficult question. I’m quite a nostalgic person and most of the things I watched when I was younger have always stuck with me. I actually don’t watch a lot of plays (shame on me) but Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers is fantastic. The musical was also amazing!

Q. What is your favourite musical and why?

A. I’ve seen so many great musicals from Wicked to The Lion King. I’m not so into the modern musical but I love the soundtrack for Dear Evan Hansen. I’ve not seen it yet due to the COVID 19 epidemic. I’m going to stick with nostalgia and say Phantom of the Ppera. The music and the story still captivates me every time I see it.

Q. What is your most special moment in the arts and why?

A. I’ve played so many great roles in my time both professional and amateur. So I’m gonna cheat and say my favourite amateur role would be the title role in Jekyll and Hyde and my favourite professional role was the role I was playing when the coronavirus hit and that was Harry Bright in Mamma Mia on board one of the world’s largest cruise ships, the Allure of the Seas. It was extra special because I got to be on board with my partner Kylie from Australia who was an aerialist in the aqua show onboard.

Q. What classic just doesn’t ‘do it’ for you and why?

A. I have to say, although I appreciate the talent that goes into this show, I have never been a fan of the musical ‘Cats’. It just wasn’t for me.

Q. What have you been reading/watching/listening to/revisiting during the Coronavirus period?

A. Well, I watch a lot of movies and series and I really enjoyed watching Normal People. I thought it was a nice simple story and acted fantastically. I’ve been trying to keep fit and have taken up running and also learning the piano which I’ve always wanted to do.