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Back with my wedding car
Conrad Astley6/ 1/2006
One of the new year's biggest theatrical draws is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, coming to the Palace in March. The big budget production boasts well-loved songs, hi-tech special effects including a flying car, and of course its star Brian Conley. He spoke to Conrad Astley at the show's launch.
CHITTY Chitty Bang Bang's famous flying car, as used in the
original film, is guaranteed to be a real crowd pleaser when it
makes its appearance in Manchester.
But for entertainer Brian Conley, stepping into the shoes of
Caractacus Potts, the car will bring back memories of more than
just an old film.
Brian, who had loved the movie long before anyone had suggested
putting it on the stage, had booked Chitty as the wedding car for
his marriage to wife Anne-Marie 10 years ago.
"You used to be able to hire the car for weddings and we'd always
been big fans," he said. "I don't know if it's life imitating art
or the other way around.
"There's such a wonderful reaction the car gets, and it's a big
thrill getting into it, because you know that, technically,
something could go wrong.
"The first time I got into it I thought if this turns the wrong
way, it'll fall into the audience. But, of course, they know what
they're doing with it."
If wedding memories weren't enough to tempt Brian to accept the
role of the eccentric inventor, played in the film by Dick Van
Dyke, there was one other factor that meant he couldn't turn it
down - his kids.
"It's the perfect show for kids, and I took them to see it when
Jason Donovan was playing Caractacus," he said. "They screamed
`daddy, you've got to do this' and they made my mind up for
me."
Brian said he was looking forward to his three-month stay in
Manchester - close to his heart as it was where he filmed Channel 4
series The Grimleys, and is home to close friends comic John
Thomson and Coronation Street star Bradley Walsh.
But he explained he had to turn down the chance of making the city
his permanent home.
"A couple of years ago I was offered a part in Coronation Street,"
he said. "I wasn't sure whether I wanted the pressure of being on
TV four times a week, and there was a lot of other things in the
pipeline at the time.
"It's a certain level of fame which I don't envy. I had a taste of
it when I turned down three years of EastEnders, and the News of
the World were camped outside my house."
And he added these weren't the only shows he turned down to avoid
becoming too famous.
"I've been offered I'm A Celebrity and shows like that," he said.
"But the reason I haven't taken them is because I think you
wouldn't be in the real world at all.
"The people who make these show have got their own agenda. People
get sucked into it, but in 24 hours you could be made to look
whatever way they want you to.
"That level of fame has never interested me. There's a certain
number of people who know what I look like, people know I'm an
entertainer but I don't want that level of fame, I still want to be
able to go to Sainsbury's with my kids."
The London-born actor, who started his career as a holiday camp
entertainer, may be known to many as a panto favourite, but he
jokes the only thing he hasn't done is read the news.
As well as appearing in sit-coms, and hosting chat shows and game
shows, he has attemp- ted to broaden his horizons away from light
entertainment - with mixed results.
He played a cameo role in the film Unconditional Love with Kathy
Bates, appeared opposite Christian Bale in Equilibrium, and even
played the lead role in the thriller Circus, appearing as a
sadistic criminal alongside John Hannah and Eddie Izzard.
But although the film was critically panned, Brian said he came out
of the experience unscathed.
"The problem was more that the film was bad. I think people
realised that and I came out of it quite well.
"It was too complicated. I was in it and I didn't know what was
supposed to be going on.
"But I've got no plans to become the next Robert De Niro."
Tickets are now on sale for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which comes to the Palace Theatre on March 20 and runs until June 10.
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