Roger Allam, the man behind Javert in Les Misérables, the suave Tory MP Peter Mannion from The Thick of It, and the lovable husband in Joanna Lumley's Conversations from a Long Marriage, has spoken candidly about his career and personal life. In an interview with a journalist, Allam opened up about his experiences playing iconic characters, big paydays, and even singing badly in Elgar's Gerontius.
Allam admitted to being relieved when he had to sing poorly in The Choral, a film based on Alan Bennett's script, as it was a tenor solo that required endless practice and technical skill. As someone with a baritone voice, Allam hasn't sung professionally for about 15 years, making the experience even more daunting.
When asked about Elgar's level of 'gitacity,' referring to the composer's reported reaction to an amateur choral society rearranging and reimagining his work, Allam said he doesn't know if there's truth to Bennett's script. He speculated that Elgar might have been upset due to a disappointing first performance of Gerontius, but couldn't comment on his 'gitacity.'
The Choral also marks a return for Allam in the public eye as Javert, another iconic character from Les Misérables, which celebrated its 40th birthday. When asked about this, Allam shared that he was initially not free to participate, and later had to open up about his experience with the show. He acknowledged that some parts of it were problematic but praised its ability to stir emotions.
Regarding his acting career, Allam admitted to feeling uncomfortable being himself on television or participating in panel shows. However, when asked about playing DI Fred Thursday from Inspector Morse, he found a character more relatable, coming from a working-class background. This experience allowed him to tap into memories of his parents' generation and the lives of everyday people.
Allam also spoke about The Choral, tapping into themes that explore community, art, drama, and music. He ponders joining a choir or taking singing lessons, recognizing the potential for these pursuits to bring people together.
Throughout the interview, Roger Allam's candidness and self-awareness are evident, revealing an actor who has navigated various roles with ease while keeping himself grounded in reality.
Allam admitted to being relieved when he had to sing poorly in The Choral, a film based on Alan Bennett's script, as it was a tenor solo that required endless practice and technical skill. As someone with a baritone voice, Allam hasn't sung professionally for about 15 years, making the experience even more daunting.
When asked about Elgar's level of 'gitacity,' referring to the composer's reported reaction to an amateur choral society rearranging and reimagining his work, Allam said he doesn't know if there's truth to Bennett's script. He speculated that Elgar might have been upset due to a disappointing first performance of Gerontius, but couldn't comment on his 'gitacity.'
The Choral also marks a return for Allam in the public eye as Javert, another iconic character from Les Misérables, which celebrated its 40th birthday. When asked about this, Allam shared that he was initially not free to participate, and later had to open up about his experience with the show. He acknowledged that some parts of it were problematic but praised its ability to stir emotions.
Regarding his acting career, Allam admitted to feeling uncomfortable being himself on television or participating in panel shows. However, when asked about playing DI Fred Thursday from Inspector Morse, he found a character more relatable, coming from a working-class background. This experience allowed him to tap into memories of his parents' generation and the lives of everyday people.
Allam also spoke about The Choral, tapping into themes that explore community, art, drama, and music. He ponders joining a choir or taking singing lessons, recognizing the potential for these pursuits to bring people together.
Throughout the interview, Roger Allam's candidness and self-awareness are evident, revealing an actor who has navigated various roles with ease while keeping himself grounded in reality.
! I mean, can you believe he's been playing iconic characters like Javert for 40 years? That's insane! And to be honest, it's kinda inspiring that he's not afraid to poke fun at himself, like singing badly in The Choral 
. He's so humble and down-to-earth, you can tell he's still got a heart of gold 
.
. It's all about finding your niche and being true to yourself, you know? And I'm totally here for his newfound interest in choir-ing and singing lessons 
! Who knows, maybe we'll see him belting out Elgar's Gerontius at a musical extravaganza someday 
.
Peter Mannion was so funny! Anyway, back to this Roger Allam guy... I'm not surprised he's been keeping a low profile after all those iconic roles. I bet he's still got that suave and charming vibe going on, just like Javert in Les Misérables. 
It's cool how he's acknowledging his past struggles with singing, though - we've all been there, right? 
I'm loving this old-school theatre vibe that's coming back with The Choral! I mean, Elgar's music is timeless, but can you imagine having to sing badly in a movie? 
Roger Allam's experience must've been super daunting with his baritone voice 
. I'm also glad he talked about feeling uncomfortable on TV and panel shows - that's something many of us can relate to 
. And hey, who knows, maybe we'll see him singing in a choir or taking singing lessons soon? 
. He's had such iconic roles like Javert and DI Thursday, but it's the behind-the-scenes stuff that I find really interesting. Like how he used to sing badly and had to learn Elgar's Gerontius from scratch... sounds super daunting! 
he's just so down to earth you know? like he's not afraid to admit when he's been out of his comfort zone and that takes a lot of courage 
, especially considering his iconic roles like javert where you'd think he'd be super confident but nope! he was actually really vulnerable about it which i think is so admirable 
?
I'm loving this new interview with Roger Allam, it's so refreshing to see him be himself, you know? He's like, totally not afraid to poke fun at his singing abilities or admit when he's uncomfortable on screen 
He's got this effortless charm that makes you want to watch him in everything. Plus, his insights into the world of theatre and music are really insightful – it's like he's giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the industry without being too preachy 
.
. Plus, I'd love to see some actual sources for his claims about Elgar's level of 'gitacity'... seems like a pretty unsubstantiated rumor to me 
.
I gotta say, it's amazing how some guys can just switch between playing these iconic characters like it's nothing 
. He's not afraid to admit when he's uncomfortable or made mistakes, which takes a lot of courage 
.
! It takes a lot of courage to share your experiences, especially about singing badly 
. It's also beautiful to see him connect with the themes of community, art, drama, and music