UNITED KINGDOM: SIR CLIFF RICHARD LAUNCHES NEW THREE MILLION POUND MUSICAL "HEATHCLIFF" DESPITE BEING CALLED "TOO NICE AND OLD" TO PLAY THE LEAD ROLE

Record ID: 516819

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SIR CLIFF RICHARD LAUNCHES NEW THREE MILLION POUND MUSICAL "HEATHCLIFF" DESPITE BEING CALLED "TOO NICE AND OLD" TO PLAY THE LEAD ROLE
  • Date: 3rd March 1996
  • Summary: RICHARD SAYS THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE THE PRESS HAS BEEN FANTASTIC. FOR YEARS YOU HAVE TOLD ME THAT I DO NOT LOOK MY AGE. AND LOOKING IN THE MIRROR NOW I RECKON AT 55 I AM THE PERFECT PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY TO PLAY THE 38 YEAR OLD. (ENGLISH)
  • Embargoed: 18th March 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM AND UNIDENTIFIED
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAATFK316I1L4D2PZNOGVGX78NJ
  • Story Text: Britian's Sir Cliff Richard, dubbed the Peter Pan of Pop, dismissed criticism that he is "too nice and too old" to play the title role in his new 3 million pound sterling musical Heathcliff.
    Launching the show on Sunday (March 3) 55-year-old Sir Cliff said: "We all have demons inside us, I don't know why people worry about whether I can be bad. It's much harder to be good.
    "People say I'm a goody-two shoes who can't sing anything other than Living Doll, well that's not true." Heathcliff is only 38 when he dies in Emily Bronte's classic tale of obsessive love, but Sir Cliff said: "For years people have been telling me how young I look. I am the most perfect person in this country to play a 38-year-old. Age is a non-problem." He also introduced his "unknown" co-star, Helen Hobson, who played the role of Cathy.
    Sir Cliff admitted he'd never heard of the 30-year-old Aspects of Love singer when she auditioned two years ago, but was amazed by her voice. She was chosen among hundreds of amateur and professional hopefuls who auditioned for the part.
    Helen's West End appearances also include Les Miserables.
    Sir Tim Rice, who wrote the Heathcliff lyrics, urged people to give Cliff Richard a chance in the role as the dastardly Heathcliff from Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
    The four-month, four-venue tour opens in Birmingham for three weeks from October 16.
    It goes to the Edinburgh Playhouse, the Manchester Palace and finishes at the Hammersmith Apollo next February.
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