Disney princess to serial killer: Lea Salonga takes on Sweeney Todd musical
Lea Salonga is best known for acting and singing every bit some of the most iconic sweet young things to grace the phase and the big screen – from Aladdin's Princess Jasmine and Mulan in the Disney movies to Miss Saigon'southward Kim and Les Miserables' Eponine in the blockbuster musicals.
But the Filipino vocaliser and actress will be stepping into a whole new (non to mention ghastly) world for her next part – a serial killer's cohort with a penchant for making pies out of man flesh.
Afterwards this year, Salonga will be playing Mrs Lovett in the gruesomely fun musical Sweeney Todd, which volition exist staged in Singapore after its run in Manila. Presented here by Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT), the Stephen Sondheim classic will be shown from Nov 28 to Dec eight at Marina Bay Sands.
"This is i of my favourite Sondheim musicals and at present that I'k 48 years old, it seems to be the correct point in my life to do this item bear witness," said the actress-singer, who was in town to promote the show. "It'southward part of the fun of getting older – stuff like this gets dropped on your lap."
RETURNING TO SINGAPORE
It will exist a take a chance for fans to finally see Salonga this year, after ii cancelled shows at the Esplanade in February following a freak accident, where she suffered a broken leg during a vacation in Japan.
"I'm non wearing a caryatid so that says a lot. By the time I come up here information technology'll be even meliorate. With physical therapy and working out over again, things will come back to normal," said Salonga, who's very keen to sink her teeth into this Sondheim musical – which volition be a mode of coming full circle in Singapore after also doing Into The Woods with SRT more than than 25 years ago.
Showtime staged in 1979, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Hairdresser Of Fleet Street tells the story of a barber who goes on a killing spree in his barbershop, aided past a pie maker who makes baked goods out of the former'due south victims. In 2007, a film version directed by Tim Burton was released, starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
"I've seen the (stage) production at least ii, three times in different places and each time, it's not the grisly-ness of it that hits me – it'due south all the human interaction. It's not seeing blood or watching him impale people – information technology's how dark certain people'due south desires can exist. The darker part of humanity is the interesting affair. The rest of it is just spectacle," she said.
ON ALADDIN AND SINGING SPEECHLESS
It might exist a surprising turn for those who however associate Salonga with cheery Disney princesses and tragic young women, just playing a darker, older role at this indicate in her life and career is something that simply comes with the territory – and her trademark vocalism.
"I've sung Miss Saigon, I've sung Jasmine and Mulan and it's primarily known as a very vivid, celestial, pretty tone. At present I sound like a well taken care of 48-year-old I guess. And in certain aspects my vocalism has go stronger and more resilient," she said.
As for her Disney side, when asked what she idea of the recent live action version of Aladdin and the upcoming one for Mulan, Salonga was excited to see both – and hopefully she'll have time to do and then.
"I have not seen (Aladdin) yet – life got too busy. Information technology'll probably stop upward coming out on home video first before I end up seeing it, which is perfectly fine, then I tin can see it at abode and I'm sure I'm gonna love information technology," she said.
Wouldn't it be difficult to watch some other person take on a office she's known for?
"You take to take yourself out of it. Because what this new person volition bring into information technology is completely different. One piece of advice that I was given equally far equally the new version of Aladdin was to watch it while forgetting that the get-go one ever happened, which is very hard," she admitted.
That said, there's one vocal from the recent Aladdin that she'd like to try her mitt at singing – Speechless.
"I would like to add together that to my repertoire. When I heard the song, I immediately got up. Naomi Scott was such a beautiful interpreter. There are many concerts coming so it'll happen at some betoken," she said.
TOLERANCE LEVEL FOR HORROR AND FOOD
For at present, information technology's all most the sinister Mrs Lovett and a macabre musical with lots and lots of claret. Which might take getting used to when it comes to someone whose tolerance level for gruesome stuff isn't that high.
"I don't call up I could ever lookout whatever of the SAW movies because my tolerance level for that is, ugh, that's but gratis at this point. I'chiliad not into gratuitous blood or violence," she said. "I mean, I did love Nightmare On Elm Street, I think I saw most of them. But after watching The Ring, that kind of turned me off from horror movies completely! Whenever I pass this very big television set that my husband and I used to accept, information technology'south like, I can't. I tin can't do horror."
And we're sure her character's culinary predilections are enough to brand her squeamish, too?
"Not really. I'thousand Filipino," she said with a express joy. "I'll eat almost everything – I do eat balut and dinuguan (pork blood stew). Then my tolerance level for that kind of stuff is pretty loftier."
But then she gives that picture-perfect Disney Princess smile with only a hint of the sinister, of course.
"Merely I describe the line at human meat."
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Flee Street runs from November 28 to Dec 8 at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands. Tickets are on sale now at Sistic.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/lea-salonga-sweeney-todd-singapore-manila-257066
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