'I believe in romance'
When I meet Gillian Lynne CBE, world famous choreographer of CATS and Phantom of the Opera, at her London home, she perches expectantly on the chimney fender in her well-appointed living room, like a bird about to take off.
Recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 Olivier Awards in April, Gillian Lynne is the Grand Dame not just of the West End, but of a glittering film and television career spanning seven decades.
Not one to rest on her laurels, she next appears in Channel 4’s documentary The Sound of Musicals about the history of the West End and how it evolved as the theatrical capital of the world. You might also have seen her in the recent Fabulous Fashionistas, the Channel 4 documentary which looked at stylish women in their 80s. Then there’s the possibility she’s going to produce a DVD for the mature generation and she’s also starting work on reviving a ballet, Miracle in the Gorbals, for Birmingham Royal Ballet next year.
Even though she’s enjoyed enormous success directing film and television, theatre is where Gillian started. Not for her the current fashion of reality tv. I ask her about the latest series of Strictly. 'It’s fantastic that it’s made people aware of dance but it’s just not my taste. I’ve been in dance all my life - I know the real thing - how we train people and it’s all a bit false.'
Tragically, Gillian Lynne lost her mother in a car crash at the tender age of 13, a cataclysmic event which propelled her to aspire to the theatrical tour de force she’s become. Her mother encouraged her dancing, instilling a discipline and determination which Gillian has never lost.
Those formative years are described in her autobiography, A Dancer in War Time, which ends when she’s only 20, with her performance as the Fairy of the Enchanted Garden when Covent Garden re-opened to great acclaim in 1946 after the war had ended. The book’s done so well that 'there are people wanting to film it which is very exciting - I just hope I can stay alive!' she laughs.
Time, two false hips and metal pins in her right foot have not diminished that early childhood determination. Each morning she works out for 40 minutes in her bedroom. 'It’s hard work now at 87 but it’s essential' she explains, 'I don’t need a lot of space, I work on each muscle.'
Immaculately groomed and pencil slim, I ask her what she eats? 'Oh miserable, miserable!' she laughs. 'I’m one of those dreary people who are gluten free. It’s such a bore. You can’t even have a croissant – and we have a home in France.' As if on cue, ‘we’ is explained by the entrance of Gillian’s beloved husband, Peter, who has supported and encouraged her through all her endeavours.
'I don’t mix carbohydrates and protein,' she continues, 'I usually have just a baked potato in its jacket. I don’t have desserts anymore and I don’t eat fruit after 6 o’clock at night because it’s hard on the digestion.' Gillian’s own confession that years ago she could be greedy is hard to imagine, especially given the austerity of the war years.
Technical standards among dancers everywhere are now so high that I wonder how the British compare to other parts of the world - particularly New York, where she’s worked since 1964. 'There is a slight difference in attitude,' she says, 'it’s not stricter but it’s more ambitious because if you think about it you have to fight your way across a massive country to get to Broadway.'
'No one abroad would ever look at their watch during a rehearsal,' she continues mischievously. 'If I see that [she indicates taking a sneaky glimpse at her wrist] I go on another 20 minutes just to be dreadful!'
Gillian’s pioneering work mixing ballet, jazz and words started when she worked with Dudley Moore on a show for the Edinburgh Fringe in 1963 called Collages. After that she thought and moved differently, which helped when it came to the mixture of dance styles she used to choreograph CATS. Yet there was a downside: 'CATS ruined my hips - it had to be unusual, it had to be extraordinary, it had to be riveting,' so Gillian used her own body to experiment with the moves.
Gillian was already in her 50s when she produced CATS but 'when I think of myself at 52 I was like a young girl compared to a lot of 52 year olds and I had enormous stamina.'
Offers to work in television poured in and Gillian directed all kinds of shows, including The Muppets. Working with cameras was a particular pleasure. 'I love directing cameras. You have to be spatially aware and choreographers are natural at this. I’ve always had a wonderful rapport with my cameramen. I wrote very extensive scripts and I always know what I want!'
Without a moment’s hesitation she describes her favourite dancing role as the Black Queen in Checkmate. 'That was a wonderful role, very dramatic – well, it’s a bad woman and I love dancing bad women.'
Talking to Gillian I get a strong sense of toughness underneath the charm. I don’t doubt she can be formidable when she chooses, but as I take my leave she recalls being at the 10,000th performance of Phantom on Broadway, when she was asked to give the celebration speech in place of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh who couldn’t be there.
A member of the audience asked her what she thought made Phantom such a worldwide hit. 'It’s because Phantom is truly romantic” she answered to an enraptured audience. 'I’m quite ancient but I believe in romance and I can tell you, having got to my age, if you don’t have romance in your life you don’t get through.'
Gillian stars in The Sound of Musicals on Channel 4at 9pm on Tuesday 3 December.
Recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 Olivier Awards in April, Gillian Lynne is the Grand Dame not just of the West End, but of a glittering film and television career spanning seven decades.
Not one to rest on her laurels, she next appears in Channel 4’s documentary The Sound of Musicals about the history of the West End and how it evolved as the theatrical capital of the world. You might also have seen her in the recent Fabulous Fashionistas, the Channel 4 documentary which looked at stylish women in their 80s. Then there’s the possibility she’s going to produce a DVD for the mature generation and she’s also starting work on reviving a ballet, Miracle in the Gorbals, for Birmingham Royal Ballet next year.
Even though she’s enjoyed enormous success directing film and television, theatre is where Gillian started. Not for her the current fashion of reality tv. I ask her about the latest series of Strictly. 'It’s fantastic that it’s made people aware of dance but it’s just not my taste. I’ve been in dance all my life - I know the real thing - how we train people and it’s all a bit false.'
Tragically, Gillian Lynne lost her mother in a car crash at the tender age of 13, a cataclysmic event which propelled her to aspire to the theatrical tour de force she’s become. Her mother encouraged her dancing, instilling a discipline and determination which Gillian has never lost.
Those formative years are described in her autobiography, A Dancer in War Time, which ends when she’s only 20, with her performance as the Fairy of the Enchanted Garden when Covent Garden re-opened to great acclaim in 1946 after the war had ended. The book’s done so well that 'there are people wanting to film it which is very exciting - I just hope I can stay alive!' she laughs.
Time, two false hips and metal pins in her right foot have not diminished that early childhood determination. Each morning she works out for 40 minutes in her bedroom. 'It’s hard work now at 87 but it’s essential' she explains, 'I don’t need a lot of space, I work on each muscle.'
Immaculately groomed and pencil slim, I ask her what she eats? 'Oh miserable, miserable!' she laughs. 'I’m one of those dreary people who are gluten free. It’s such a bore. You can’t even have a croissant – and we have a home in France.' As if on cue, ‘we’ is explained by the entrance of Gillian’s beloved husband, Peter, who has supported and encouraged her through all her endeavours.
'I don’t mix carbohydrates and protein,' she continues, 'I usually have just a baked potato in its jacket. I don’t have desserts anymore and I don’t eat fruit after 6 o’clock at night because it’s hard on the digestion.' Gillian’s own confession that years ago she could be greedy is hard to imagine, especially given the austerity of the war years.
Technical standards among dancers everywhere are now so high that I wonder how the British compare to other parts of the world - particularly New York, where she’s worked since 1964. 'There is a slight difference in attitude,' she says, 'it’s not stricter but it’s more ambitious because if you think about it you have to fight your way across a massive country to get to Broadway.'
'No one abroad would ever look at their watch during a rehearsal,' she continues mischievously. 'If I see that [she indicates taking a sneaky glimpse at her wrist] I go on another 20 minutes just to be dreadful!'
Gillian’s pioneering work mixing ballet, jazz and words started when she worked with Dudley Moore on a show for the Edinburgh Fringe in 1963 called Collages. After that she thought and moved differently, which helped when it came to the mixture of dance styles she used to choreograph CATS. Yet there was a downside: 'CATS ruined my hips - it had to be unusual, it had to be extraordinary, it had to be riveting,' so Gillian used her own body to experiment with the moves.
Gillian was already in her 50s when she produced CATS but 'when I think of myself at 52 I was like a young girl compared to a lot of 52 year olds and I had enormous stamina.'
Offers to work in television poured in and Gillian directed all kinds of shows, including The Muppets. Working with cameras was a particular pleasure. 'I love directing cameras. You have to be spatially aware and choreographers are natural at this. I’ve always had a wonderful rapport with my cameramen. I wrote very extensive scripts and I always know what I want!'
Without a moment’s hesitation she describes her favourite dancing role as the Black Queen in Checkmate. 'That was a wonderful role, very dramatic – well, it’s a bad woman and I love dancing bad women.'
Talking to Gillian I get a strong sense of toughness underneath the charm. I don’t doubt she can be formidable when she chooses, but as I take my leave she recalls being at the 10,000th performance of Phantom on Broadway, when she was asked to give the celebration speech in place of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh who couldn’t be there.
A member of the audience asked her what she thought made Phantom such a worldwide hit. 'It’s because Phantom is truly romantic” she answered to an enraptured audience. 'I’m quite ancient but I believe in romance and I can tell you, having got to my age, if you don’t have romance in your life you don’t get through.'
Gillian stars in The Sound of Musicals on Channel 4at 9pm on Tuesday 3 December.