How stagey are you? Sabrina Aloueche vs Gina Beck

Sabrina Aloueche

Sabrina's theatre credits include Scaramouche in We Will Rock You and Eponine in Les Misérables.

Gina Beck

Gina is best known for playing Glinda in Wicked. Her other theatre credits include Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera and Cosette in Les Misérables.

What was the last show you went to see?

I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change at The Arts Theatre about a month ago. I was feeling quite blue before I went in to watch it, and came out genuinely happy and inspired! 1

I actually went with Sabrina to see White Feather at The Union Theatre. I feel Sabrina was more stagey on this occasion as she tweeted a photo after of us with the show’s star Adam Pettigrew. 1

How many cast recordings do you own? Which is your favourite?

I was about to write "oh hundreds….!" but I don’t actually have that many! They’re mostly all stored lovingly up here. *taps head*.. and here. *hand on chest*.. But I’d say around 20 cast recordings? Is that bad?… I’m going to stagey hell aren’t I…1

Oo er.. I’ve a few but mainly inherited from other people.. If you were to ask how many I’ve ever bought.. I would certainly not be the stagiest… but that’s mainly cos I’m frugal 1

What is the stagiest picture on your phone?

It’s quite a new phone so only recent ones really… but here’s a candid shot. Gina [Beck] was telling me a stagey secret. We weren’t aware there was a picture being taken at the time. 1

Erm…. Have a bonus point for the stagiest pic EVER taken. 2

How many times have you seen Wicked?

I have genuinely lost count. 10? My friends keep getting parts in it. 1

It depends how you define "seen"… I’ve sat in the auditorium and watched Wicked 8 times. 1

Who would you invite to a dinner party (dead or alive)?

My mum cos she’s the coolest. And she can cook. Also I’d have David Bowie (dressed as The Goblin King please), Jeff Goldblum, Zooey Deschanel, Anne Boleyn (with head), my first dog Winter, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly and all of the original GhostBusters. 0 [This would be a dinner party of epic proportions, but not very stagey. We feel Judy and Gene would be in their own little stagey corner]

Alison Luff, Nikki Bohne, Jesse Johnson, Nick Adams, Kyle Brown, Emmy Raver Lampman, Al Silber and Ray Matsamura. 1

Who is the most famous person in your phone contacts?

Brian May and Gina Beck.

1

Andrew Garfield. 0 [SPIDERMAN!?]

Have you ever had your photo taken by Darren Bell?

Yes. I have been lucky enough to have been immortalised by ‘The Bell’ for many a concert! He’s great, and always gets my good side.1

I’m not entirely sure! Erm… Darren? 0 [You’d know if you had]

What is the stagiest thing that’s ever happened to you?

Les Mis 21st anniversary. When our entire cast was joined onstage by the original cast to sing "One Day More". It was incredible! And throughout the entire show I remember feeling such a buzz knowing they were watching us play the roles they used to play 20 years before! (turns out they were all up the road at Century Bar till "The Epilogue" but hey ho! Still amazing!) 1[Stagey and topical]

Les Mis 21st… the stage rotated and there was the original cast waving. We all ran off into the wings and Trevor Nunn hugged me! 1

What is your earliest theatrical memory?

Being told I was too tall to play Little Cosette. There were tears, and I remember feeling genuinely heartbroken at the rejection! I was 5 at the time. Still I went back and auditioned and got it two years later! 1 [Take that CamMack]

I played Little Miss Magic in my playgroup show at the village hall aged 4. 1 [aw]

What do you like to do after a show?

Go home, get into my Starlight Express PJ’s, fluffy Avenue Q slippers, WWRY Robe and have a tea in my Les Mis mug whilst watching The Tony Awards opening ceremony re-runs with my dog Darcey, named after Darcey Bussell. 1 [We think you’re lying, but we like your stagey imagination.]

Go home and eat crumpets and Marmite with a glass of milk. 0

And the winner is…

9/10

Sabrina wins this battle and joins Eva Noblezada and Jon Robyns in joint second place. Will anyone ever beat Lipkin?

8/10

Not a bad effort from Ms Beck, but for someone that's 'done the stagey triple' – Wicked, Les Mis and Phantom – we expected higher levels of staginess. Epic picture though.