Manilow magic (From The Northern Echo)

Manilow magic

2:25pm Thursday 20th November 2008

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Chesney Hawkes tells Viv Hardwick that Barry Manilow actually discussed coming to see tribute show, Can’t Smile Without You, at Darlington.

PUBLICITY for Can’t Smile Without You, the tribute to Barry Manilow endorsed by the great performer himself, arrived in Darlington minus the important news of who was to play the central role.

Chesney Hawkes, 37, reveals that casting went on for a long time before he won the role of Tony in the show which runs November 24-29 at the Civic Theatre. “I came along late in the day is the answer to that really. Two weeks before they started rehearsals I got the job, so they must have been panicking and all of a sudden they got desperate,” he jokes about being chosen by producer/director Bill Kenwright.

“Speaking to Bill about it, he said he was such a massive Manilow fan that he was really picky about the lead part because he sees the character as emotive and in touch with the lyrics. That’s what the fans love about Barry. There are a lot of performers out there who are great singers but maybe don’t have the connection and emotion for this role. Perhaps, that’s what I’ve got,” says Hawkes, who jests that the size of his nose was also in his favour.

So is he a big Manilow fan himself and has he managed to meet the US showbiz legend yet?

“I did know a lot of his songs and my auntie was a huge fan and I remember being mesmerised by a VHS of him live. I’m playing all the piano pieces in the show and that’s so massive that my head hurts when I think back to the rehearsals. There are three key changes for every song, it’s not plonky-plonky stuff. Musically, I’ve kind of studied him now and I have a lot of respect for him.

He’s a great songwriter, so I guess you can say that I’m now a fan.

“We’ve spoken on the phone and emailed each other and he sent me a bottle of champagne on opening night with a note saying ‘sorry about the key changes’ and he also said I’ve got the right kind of voice. We also spoke after the press night and he was just lovely. He was chatty and he very much endorses the show and he says he is coming to see it. He was supposed to be at Liverpool but he was delayed in Vegas. I said to him ‘when are you going to come over and see us’ and he’s like ‘well, I’ve got some shows in December, where are you before that?’. I said we’re in a place called Darlington and Bill said ‘don’t invite him to Darlington’.

“I thought Darlington would love him, but Bill is happier with inviting him when the show goes to the West End which is a bit glitzier. He’s not got anything against Darlington.”

Kenwright is talking about a further tour next year before, possibly, negotiating a West End run.

HAWKES points out that the touring musical’s story of a pop singer fighting his way back from serious injury in New York has nothing to do with Manilow.

Only the memorable songs, like Can’t Live Without You, pepper the performance.

“The main issue is about my character losing his memory and how he manages to get it back to remember his loved ones and his music,” he says.

Having achieved almost instant fame with the film Buddy’s Song and the soundtrack single, The One And Only, Hawkes has been in constant demand on the student circuit and as a songwriter with Tricky, Caprice and Tears For Fears. Among his many bizarre claims to fame is organising Iceland’s annual Songfusion song-writing contest; a MySpace site shared with comedian Tony Hawks, where the pair tried to write hit songs, and a successful spell in Nashville, plus writing material for the Pop Idol winners in Germany, Austria, Australia, and Korea.

He surfaced on TV in 2005 to compete in C4’s The Games and ITV’s sad revival roadshow, Hit Me Baby One More Time.

Currently, he’s just finished the tongue-in-cheek titled album, Another Fine Mess – “I’m actually quite proud of what is a diverse, 16-track release”.

So is there anything he’s taken on that’s not a little off-the-wall?

“Well I do like to give myself a challenge. I have to say that talk of me living as a tramp at one point is completely false and I think that’s been added to my entry in Wikipedia, but I have been asked about that quite a few times. But everything else is true.

“My day job is that I write songs for other artists and if I’m not on the road I’m in my studio.

I’ve had to put that all on hold for this tour. This show was a challenge and I like a challenge and I saw it was an opportunity not to miss and this is a new audience for me. If it runs and runs, I’ll cross those bridges…”

Chertsey, Surrey-based Hawkes reveals that he’s continued to compose songs on tour using a guitar, keyboard, laptop and microphone.

“I’m actually enjoying the touring life, although the worst part is being away from my three young children. They are seven, five and two and it’s all down to my poor, long-suffering wife.”

■ Can’t Smile Without You, Darlington Civic Theatre, November 24-29. Box Office: 01325-486555

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