Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite snaps - this week it's West End star Elaine Paige, 72
West End star Elaine Paige, 72, (pictured) shared the stories behind a selection of her favourite photographs
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1950: tour phượng hoàng cổ trấn Here I am with my older sister Marion. We lived above a greengrocer's in Barnet, north London. My mother Irene was a milliner and terribly creative, while my father Eric encouraged my love of music. I failed my 11-plus and viewed myself as rather plain, but Dad told me to believe in myself. He paid for me to go to the Aida Foster theatre school, where I finally felt I belonged. It was only on stage that I felt sure of myself.
1978: Evita changed my life completely. This is me with the musical's late, legendary director Harold Prince. I was in awe of the man and I couldn't believe I'd landed this role working alongside him. He told me to think of the song Don't Cry For Me Argentina as a political speech, saying, ‘When you're up there on the balcony, pick out one or two people in the audience and stare into their eyes.' I don't know how many thousands of times I must have sung that song but that's still exactly what I do. I hear his voice in my head even now.
1981: My mother always said it's good luck if a black cat crosses your path, and the night before I found out I got the part in Cats this old, bedraggled black cat crossed me in my driveway. The next morning I got a call from the producer, Cameron Mackintosh, telling me Judi Dench had snapped her Achilles tendon and I'd got her part. Singing Memory became a bit of a feat of memory in itself because the lyrics changed every night of the ten previews. I only had four days to learn the role too, so I was absolutely terrified. That's me in the middle - I still have the outfit in storage.
1988: I was the first person to record an album of Queen songs other than the band themselves - nobody dared because they were so popular. Freddie Mercury got very involved. He'd come to the studio, lie on a sofa and listen. One time he walked into the recording booth and joined in, saying, ‘This is how you do it, darling!' Getting to know him was very special. This is a wonderful photo of us all. Brian May and his wife Anita Dobson are still dear friends.
1989: The Queen Mother was a great Cole Porter fan and I was very excited when she asked to come and see me in the show Anything Goes on her 89th birthday. Unfortunately I got cramp as I sank into a low curtsy and she had to help me back onto my feet. There was a stunned silence from everyone in the Royal Box. After a pause, the Queen Mother looked at me and said, ‘I thought that kind of thing only happened at my age!'
1996: This is me with my parents, who saw me in every production I ever did. I flew them to New York on Concorde for my debut in Sunset Boulevard. It had taken me nearly 20 years to get to Broadway. The audience welcomed me with an embarrassingly generous standing ovation. My first line in the show was, ‘Why are you so late?' and it felt as if I was asking myself that question. Various people visited my dressing room including actress Elaine Stritch, who rasped, ‘You can't be Elaine Paige, she's a star. You're far too short to be a star!'
2006: Cliff Richard is famous for his colourful jackets at Wimbledon. He's a good friend and I've played tennis with him many times, especially at his charity events, like the one we're pictured at here. Once I partnered former Wimbledon champ Virginia Wade and was man of the match! There were thousands watching - scarier than an opening night. I'd have loved to be a pro tennis player - if I were taller and could see over the net.
2019: Here I am with James Corden, who was hosting the Tony Awards in New York. I suggested we sing together that night and we did an adapted version of Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better. Sadly I haven't won a Tony myself. I won an Olivier award and someone said to me, ‘Oh my God, once you've won one of those it's all downhill', and I probably concur with that! The listeners of my BBC2 radio show love our annual Tony Awards show, as it is a real celebration of musical theatre.
As told to Roz Lewis. Elaine Paige On Sunday, from 1-3pm every week on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. For more information about Elaine, visit elainepaige.com
West End star Elaine Paige, 72, (pictured) shared the stories behind a selection of her favourite photographs
RELATED ARTICLES
Previous
1
Next
No mask for Maxima! Netherlands queen is all smiles in a... Bombshell off-duty! Candid snaps of Marilyn Monroe...
Share this article
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1950: tour phượng hoàng cổ trấn Here I am with my older sister Marion. We lived above a greengrocer's in Barnet, north London. My mother Irene was a milliner and terribly creative, while my father Eric encouraged my love of music. I failed my 11-plus and viewed myself as rather plain, but Dad told me to believe in myself. He paid for me to go to the Aida Foster theatre school, where I finally felt I belonged. It was only on stage that I felt sure of myself.
1978: Evita changed my life completely. This is me with the musical's late, legendary director Harold Prince. I was in awe of the man and I couldn't believe I'd landed this role working alongside him. He told me to think of the song Don't Cry For Me Argentina as a political speech, saying, ‘When you're up there on the balcony, pick out one or two people in the audience and stare into their eyes.' I don't know how many thousands of times I must have sung that song but that's still exactly what I do. I hear his voice in my head even now.
1981: My mother always said it's good luck if a black cat crosses your path, and the night before I found out I got the part in Cats this old, bedraggled black cat crossed me in my driveway. The next morning I got a call from the producer, Cameron Mackintosh, telling me Judi Dench had snapped her Achilles tendon and I'd got her part. Singing Memory became a bit of a feat of memory in itself because the lyrics changed every night of the ten previews. I only had four days to learn the role too, so I was absolutely terrified. That's me in the middle - I still have the outfit in storage.
1988: I was the first person to record an album of Queen songs other than the band themselves - nobody dared because they were so popular. Freddie Mercury got very involved. He'd come to the studio, lie on a sofa and listen. One time he walked into the recording booth and joined in, saying, ‘This is how you do it, darling!' Getting to know him was very special. This is a wonderful photo of us all. Brian May and his wife Anita Dobson are still dear friends.
1989: The Queen Mother was a great Cole Porter fan and I was very excited when she asked to come and see me in the show Anything Goes on her 89th birthday. Unfortunately I got cramp as I sank into a low curtsy and she had to help me back onto my feet. There was a stunned silence from everyone in the Royal Box. After a pause, the Queen Mother looked at me and said, ‘I thought that kind of thing only happened at my age!'
1996: This is me with my parents, who saw me in every production I ever did. I flew them to New York on Concorde for my debut in Sunset Boulevard. It had taken me nearly 20 years to get to Broadway. The audience welcomed me with an embarrassingly generous standing ovation. My first line in the show was, ‘Why are you so late?' and it felt as if I was asking myself that question. Various people visited my dressing room including actress Elaine Stritch, who rasped, ‘You can't be Elaine Paige, she's a star. You're far too short to be a star!'
2006: Cliff Richard is famous for his colourful jackets at Wimbledon. He's a good friend and I've played tennis with him many times, especially at his charity events, like the one we're pictured at here. Once I partnered former Wimbledon champ Virginia Wade and was man of the match! There were thousands watching - scarier than an opening night. I'd have loved to be a pro tennis player - if I were taller and could see over the net.
2019: Here I am with James Corden, who was hosting the Tony Awards in New York. I suggested we sing together that night and we did an adapted version of Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better. Sadly I haven't won a Tony myself. I won an Olivier award and someone said to me, ‘Oh my God, once you've won one of those it's all downhill', and I probably concur with that! The listeners of my BBC2 radio show love our annual Tony Awards show, as it is a real celebration of musical theatre.
As told to Roz Lewis. Elaine Paige On Sunday, from 1-3pm every week on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. For more information about Elaine, visit elainepaige.com
