Kevin Clifton talks to Su Carroll about his role in the smash hit musical Strictly Ballroom 


Thirty years ago Australian writer and director Baz Luhrmann kick-started his phenomenal film career with Strictly Ballroom - the beguiling story of Scott Hastings, a talented, arrogant and rebellious young ballroom dancer. When Scott’s radical dance moves see him fall out of favour with the Australian Federation, he finds himself dancing with Fran, a beginner with no moves at all. Inspired by one another, this unlikely pair gather the courage to defy both convention and their families – and discover that, to be winners, the steps don’t need to be strictly ballroom.

It’s a funny and charming film and it captivated Kevin Clifton when he first saw it at the age of ten. His parents, Keith and Judy, had been World Champions themselves and were teaching others to dance. Kevin trained hard and entered competitions, partnering his sister Joanne in the early days. When he retired from competitions in 2007 he was ranked seventh in the world.

Most people know him from his popular performances on Strictly Come Dancing, finally winning the Glitterball in 2018 with Stacey Dooley, now his partner in real life and expecting their first child.

‘This is a show I’ve wanted to do since I was ten,’ says Kevin. ‘I thought the film had been made for me and Scott Hastings became my hero. I started copying him and I’d go a bit rogue in competitions. I’d get told off by my coaches but the audiences loved it. I told my mum and dad that when they put it on the stage, I was going to play Scott Hastings.

‘I’ve just turned 40 and this is definitely worth waiting for. It was number one on my bucket list and I am literally living my dream. When I was doing Strictly Come Dancing, I was paying my homage to Strictly Ballroom by slipping in little references here and there, like in the paso doble.

‘Strictly Ballroom is a full-on show, you can feel the energy,’ he says. ‘It is completely over the top – well it did come from a Baz Luhrmann film! It’s set in 1990 and it’s all glitz and glamour. It’s not like today when all the guys are wearing black. Here it looks like everyone is wearing a Christmas tree!’

The musical is directed by Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood with choreography by Craig and Strictly Come Dancing’s Creative Director, Jason Gilkison. It includes hits Love is in the Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and Time After Time as well as some new songs.

If you wondered how much this production was meant to be, Kevin says there are lots of coincidences in play.

‘Craig comes from Australia and he told us in rehearsals that he knows the film inside out. And I’ve been working with Jason, who’s also Australian, for years. Baz Luhrmann had been to see him in competitions before he made the film and he based the character of Scott Hastings a little bit on Jason. I worked with Jason in 2008 on Burn The Floor and he became my mentor. It feels like everything was meant to be. We both had a little cry before the curtain went up on opening night.’

As for Craig, Kevin had only known him as a Strictly judge. ‘You’d spend the whole week working on a dance with someone, then show it to him on a Saturday night and he would say “well, that was rubbish”. I thought, is that what it’s going to be like working with him as a director? So in the first week of rehearsals, we did a dance and he said “that was rubbish – do it again!”

Joining Kevin is EastEnders actress Maisie Smith who is making her musical theatre debut as Fran. Kevin and Maisie were previous champions of the Strictly Come Dancing Children in Need Special in 2019. ‘Maisie is so good in this,’ he says. ‘We danced together on the Strictly special and she was brilliant, but audiences have been surprised by her amazing vocals. Strictly Ballroom is eight shows a week. It takes a lot of energy. You just have to throw yourself into it.’
 

Strictly Ballroom is at the Theatre Royal Plymouth January 30-February 4. Book online at theatreroyal.com.