LPT: Hello Brendan, we’re delighted to have this chat with you about your role in THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE. Firstly, could you give us the story in a nutshell?

BM: Hey! It's based on the Shakespearian comedy 'The Comedy of Errors' and like many of the Bard's comedic works there are twins and mistaken identity, scorned and confused lovers, clowns, a journey, fools and noblemen behaving badly. Two pairs of twins in search of each other confuse their wives by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. To raise the danger stakes a little bit, it is illegal to come from the city of Syracuse, punishable by death. Needless to say, Syracuse is the home town of the twins and so it's thin ice for the siblings trying to reconnect their family tree whilst their confused wives and lovers are pulling at their sleeves.
 

LPT: As if that isn’t confusing enough, we see that in this version of the musical (produced by Alces) you’re playing both the Dromios. How are you managing to differentiate between them?
 

BM: Our director Mark Giesser and I made the clear choice to really play the caricature nature of each twin. They are close to cartoonish and veeeery different people. It's always a challenge to multi-role let alone play your own brother so you have to play the furthest type from yourself and then counter that by playing the opposite both physically and vocally. Not giving anything away too drastically but Nathan Lane and Fran Drescher have so far been the inspiration for my approach to the Dromio twins with a little touch of Beetlejuice and Betty Boop!
 

LPT: Is that the hardest part of the role for you?
 

Character comedy is very much my bag but a huge thing to consider when approaching 'The Boys from Syracuse' is that it is a farce. A farce is fast, furious, high energy and relentless. You can't rest for twenty minutes until your next scene, you never leave and the body is pushed to the max. You have to be on your A-Game and never drop the ball. So I think the importance of looking after myself physically and mentally, keeping my stamina up to maintain each show week is just as much a challenge as getting into the mindset of the character and hitting those comedy beats. Time to start putting in those hours in the gym, getting those power naps in and getting that healthy regime into play.
 

LPT: We’re quite curious about the audition process. Were you feeling confident?
 

BM: Are you ever really confident with an audition process? You really never know what a creative team is thinking and even if you smash an audition out of the park with your talent, that doesn't necessarily mean you fit into the jigsaw. Sometimes by no fault of your own, you just spoil the picture. The audition process for 'The Boys from Syracuse' was just as fast and furious as the show. I was inspired to audition by one of my closest pals and their involvement in the show. Saying that, I still had to prove my suitability in the jigsaw. I reached out to the director Mark, whilst I was performing in New York. He was supportive from the offset and made it clear that he liked my vibe. After watching me sing online, he called me in to read when I was back in London. After two recall auditions and making some very bold character choices (with the permission of Mark Giesser who encouraged the idea of playing) I got the very welcome news that they wanted me for Dromio. 
 

LPT: Please could you tell us what you will be bringing to the role as a result of your past experiences, as a professional actor or in your personal life. 
 

BM: I'm hoping to take risks, be bold and bring a fresh modern vibe with a strong sense of silly fun to Dromio. He is a playful, cheeky chappy but it can be very easy to play into the vulnerability of the role making him a bit of a 'Patsy' or 'Baldric'. I think both the Dromio brothers are a lot more brazen and audacious than some previous productions suggest. The clown is constantly evolving and a Dromio in 2024 is going to be different to an interpretation from the 1970s. I think with a role like Dromio, a character actor shouldn't be afraid to make ugly choices for the enhancement of comedy and that's what I intend to do. Whilst I was playing in New York I managed to catch Jinkx Monsoon as Audrey in 'Little Shop of Horrors' and she was a huge inspiration behind my approach to Dromio and acting in general. Playing the role for the community I'm a part of, the LGBTQ+ community, and then letting the character embrace the platform they have been allowed.
 

LPT: Please also tell us about your former experience as a singer / musician and how this will affect your interpretation. 
 

BM: I trained as a musical theatre actor at the Royal Academy of Music before my eleven year career with the crossover band 'Gregorian' took off, touring arenas of the world, selling millions of albums, reaching the top of the classical charts and recently coming back from a huge US tour (including a stint on Broadway). I have also played a number of roles in UK tours as an actor creating leading characters in musicals like Guy in 'Guy: A New Musical' and Dumbledore in 'Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody' to name a few. At this stage, where we are talking about the music, it would be rude not to acknowledge the brilliance of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz (Larry) Hart who penned the musical originally. There is a strong wit in the musical language behind the show and a lot of the cast are from classical singing backgrounds so it's the perfect opportunity to harness the legit and sometimes classical sound that the score requires. Benjamin Levy, our musical director, who orchestrates and arranges the score, also knows my voice like the back of his hand so loving measures have been taken to make sure the musical elements are showcased in the best possible way across the board. It's a banquet of talent putting this show together, both on and off the stage. 

LPT: We've seen that you’re also a director. Are there strict dividing lines between your roles as actor/singer and director or do they feed into each other?
 

BM: The only thing that comes into play as an actor/ singer who directs is the importance to ask the right questions and have the productive conversations to get you into the common ground. I'm not there to tread on toes creatively. As an actor I'm there to build a character and tell a story. The director is the construction worker behind the whole world of the production guiding it and building it. You have to respect that. I'm in love with the director's process though and I really enjoy discussing, playing and developing ideas but within the appropriate boundaries. There's nothing like a director giving you an artistic journey that inspires you, so I love being directed. I think having directing experience enhances my respect for the craft and informs me of the right conversations to have.

LPT: Which is your favourite musical number in the show and why?
 

BM: 'Falling in Love with Love' is my favourite. Larry Hart was a complicated man with a lot of demons but he used them to create some of the most masterful and witty lyrics in musical theatre. Without him we wouldn't have 'Funny Valentine' or 'Blue Moon'. Like Sondheim, there is a brutal honesty and weight to his lyrics that I think are captured well in 'Falling in Love with Love'. A difficult man and a nightmare to collaborate with apparently but he sure knew how to pen a good torch song!
 

LPT: We’d also be interested to ask you a couple of technical questions, starting with: Singers often abstain from smoking and alcohol. What precautions do you take to keep your voice in fine fettle? Is it tough to keep to the regime? 
 

BM: I don't smoke for a start and I'm an avid fan of a humidifier so you'll find one in every room in my house. They are always on! But aside from using my nebulizer, steaming, hydrating, warming up and cooling down, I keep things pretty easy for myself. I try not to overuse my voice and I have to be aware of how it's feeling. But other than that I try to keep it real and I don't deny myself the odd glass of red after the odd performance. The other thing is milk and dairy... I love it! Saying that, I still have sessions with vocal coaches and I do my best to keep myself on my game. There's no time for playing at it. Your voice box is your tool box and 'The Boys from Syracuse' is not an easy sing! 

LPT: Are there any songs in the show which are particularly challenging for you personally?
 

BM: I think playing two brothers with very different vocal styles is going to bring a challenge to EVERY number. I feel like it's going to be my own personal version of 'The Rise and Fall of Little Voice' where one second you are impersonating Judy Garland and the next you're Shirley Bassey. A very distinct voice for each icon and both Dromios are distinct in their own way. So with each musical number, a different approach will be needed depending on the brother I am at the time. 
 

LPT: Finally, please tell us what you are most looking forward to sharing with an audience.
 

BM: Laughter! It's like cat nip to me! Both Dromio brothers are funny clowns. They are drag! They are chaos and carnage but adorable in their well meaning. I'm really looking forward to hearing people laugh and sharing comedy with the audience. It's bonkers, fun and it's going to keep people guessing about the moment when and if the brothers will meet. If they do... then how? The surprise is coming and it's a cracker.