Louie Spence was the main attraction at Drusilla’s Park when he stopped off to launch Aladdin, this year’s pantomime at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings. The Dancing on Ice judge, dancer, West End theatre performer and TV personality will star as the Slave of the Ring in the spectacular production, which opens on Friday 12th December.
After a photocall in the Eden’s Eye Maze, I walked across the park with Louie before settling down to ask him a few questions about the show, his success, and life in the public eye.
I’ve just walked back through the park with you, and seen how you constantly interact with the public. Are you ever “off duty”?
Yes of course I’m sometimes off duty. When I’m at home, or in my own private time when I’m just heading to the supermarket, obviously I’m not going to spend all my time chatting to people but, when I’m walking though Drusilla’s Park in a pink leotard and some epaulettes that are the size of Joan Collin’s shoulder pads, I’m gonna say hello to people and make it fun.
I’m here to promote our pantomime and, as I love panto and love talking to people and I love to make them smile, that’s what I do. It doesn’t cost anything and, let’s face it, there’s a lot not to smile about at the moment so, if you can make someone smile and have a laugh, you should.
How is it when you go to the supermarket, do you get stopped a lot?
Oh yes, I’m always getting grabbed between the meat and veg!
Oh err, look at me, I’ve started already!
People are always stopping me to ask for photos, but some of them ask stuff like “Go on, lift your leg up” or “Do the splits for me” and, of course, it’s not really appropriate to do that but it’s part and parcel of the job and I just count myself so fortunate to be in the position I am in.
You have done so much, even before you gained international fame on TV.
I had a fabulous career as a professional dancer and I never expected anything to happen when I started at Pineapple Dance, I just thought that it was my next step in life and I absolutely loved working there. I had already toured the world with Take That on the Never Forget tour in 1995, I know it was that year because that was when Robbie left. Then I did the Spiceworld tour in 1998, and that was when Geri left – now, I’m not saying that it’s anything to do with me, but they do seem to break up as soon as I get involved.
But seriously, everything that I get to do now is a bonus. I know, from the point of view of the industry as a dancer, how hard it is to “make it” in any form and to think that, from a reality show where, really, I was just a high-kicking lisping homosexual, look what’s happened to me.
But that’s great because, when I was young, that wasn’t accepted on TV.
It was the same with me, there was just Larry Grayson with his “Shut that door” and John Inman in Are You Being Served, but even they weren’t openly out. They never actually said that they were gay and the changes for us have been amazing. Now we can get married and have children, although that is such a huge commitment.
There is a side of me that’s a big worrier and I don’t know if I could cope with the worry of having a child although people say that you get used to it. My partner is very “maternal” and I would love to have a child too, but it frightens the life out of me.
And difficult, when you’re doing a pantomime with such a punishing schedule.
Actually, it’s not so punishing this year as we have an unusually short run, which is why people need to get out and get their tickets as soon as possible – to make sure they can come – because it’s not lasting that long this year but, having said that, it is still a punishing schedule.
Not everybody is cut out for it because pantomime is something that you have to give 100% to every single show. You have to commit and you can’t have an off day. I think it takes a special kind of performer to make a panto magical and I know, from doing it the last four years, I’ve always had really good reviews and always broken box office records and I’m really looking forward to doing the same at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings, this year.
What is it about you that appeals to such a varied cross-section of the public?
You know I ask myself that question all the time because when I first came into the public eye I used to walk down the street and I’d get builders shouting out “Alright mate, my wife loves you mate” and they’d stop and put their arms round me and ask for photos.
I think it could be my working class upbringing. I was bought up on a council estate, my dad had a tyre depot and my mum was a cleaner and I think, because back in those days we all used to play outside all the time, I spent ages interacting with all sorts of people, and liking all sorts of people.
I think people find me “a character” and I think that I’m fortunate that I can make people laugh. I’ve never encountered any real malice in my life. I’ve never had any gay slurs shouted at me in the in the street whatever. I’ve had a few twitter trolls, but who hasn’t, and I think that, if you can make people laugh, it makes them feel good and that helps to capture a big audience.
And finally, when you are “off duty”, what do you do?
These days I usually sit at home, watching TV. I love TV and I watch all kinds of it with my dog Lola. She’s a miniature Schnauzer and of course, as a gay couple, she is our substitute child until we take the plunge and have a real child. So, the real me is on the sofa, watching TV with my family….doing the splits!
Aladdin runs from Friday 12th December until Sunday 28th December (except Mondays and Christmas Day) at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings with two performances each day. Tickets are already selling fast through the box office on 01424 462288 and online at www.whiterocktheatre.org.uk