Features

My Top 5 Showtunes: Audrey Brisson

The actress tells us the musical numbers she couldn’t live without

Ben Hewis

Ben Hewis

| London | Off-West End |

27 May 2017

Audrey Brisson in La Strada
Audrey Brisson in La Strada
© Robert Day

Audrey Brisson's recent theatre credits include The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic) and The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Kneehigh). She is currently starring in the UK tour of La Strada which runs at The Other Palace from 30 May to 8 July.

We caught up with Audrey and asked her: "If you were stranded on a desert island which five showtunes could you not live without?"


1. "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" from My Fair Lady

I remember being on tour with Cirque du Soleil and being taught this song by our wonderful guardian. I have such strong memories of this time and the friendships I developed.

2. The Phantom of the Opera

I couldn't pick just one song from The Phantom of the Opera. The entire show brings me back to yet another Cirque du Soleil tour memory. I used to listen to the original cast recording whilst travelling from city to city. When I later saw the show for the first time in San Francisco, I remember singing all the songs and my father having to remind me to be quiet in the audience.

3. "Frank Mills" from Hair

Or any song from the show really… I grew up watching the film, and so did my father. I love the simplicity of the song, I find it very moving. When the revival came to the West End in 2010, I went four times. It was the first and last time I experienced the sense of being a groupie. Little fun fact: the composer Galt Macdermot is from Montreal, as am I.

4. "F*ck You Talk" from Jerry Springer the Opera

I played Baby Jane in our drama school production at Central School of Speech and Drama and I remember standing backstage and listening to the fantastic skills of the voices. It is an utterly silly show with a stunning score. Regardless of the topic of the show, I truly believe the music to be a masterpiece.

5. "No One Knows Who I Am" from Jekyll and Hyde

Another simple yet beautiful song. I sang It for the first time when I was 16 and to this day I find myself humming it.


La Strada runs at The Other Palace from 30 May to 8 July.

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