Type: Music Feature
Date Added: Thursday, July 06, 2006
Arts - Michael Falzon
From emulating Freddie Mercury in We Will Rock You to showing up the government in The Wharf Revue, Michael Falzon spreads his talents wide. Just ask Tony Blair, who had the pleasure of a serenade from the Sydney star. 3D went after our own one-on-one.
Did you have to learn a whole new discipline to survive the run of We Will Rock You?
And then some! Hardcore singing such as Freddie Mercury performed does require a healthy dose of respect. When I started rehearsals Brian May (Queen guitarist and rock legend) told me to "just emulate what Freddie did on all the albums" - easier said then done! The hardest part was having to perform what is essentially a rock concert eight times a week. I had to train my voice up to the task and even stop singing some other vocal styles altogether. Curiously, it all rests on the two minuscule muscles that are your vocal chords and you have to put them under intense strain to sing Queen material. So although the songs were rock, my lifestyle was not...early nights and no alcohol. That's right, no alcohol. Freddie would be turning in his grave.
Just how surreal was it performing live onstage with Queen after inhabiting the role for so long?
It kinda felt just that - surreal. Yet it was comfortable too, as I had already sung so many of their songs hundreds of times over the last year or so. The really fun part was having two rock gods on stage to sing with! Brian and Roger have always been very supportive of my coming into their show, so this was an opportunity to finally have the chance to perform with them.
Ha ha! Maybe, but for altogether different reasons. On the few occasions I've met our PM he has always shown quite a sense of humour, but after the political satire I'm currently wrapped up in, would he call upon me again? On the off chance, I'd certainly be honoured, but probably wouldn't choose a piece from The Wharf Revue.
How different was the experience of working on The Wharf Revue to touring We Will Rock You?
Different in every way imaginable, except perhaps for the genius behind the writing. Going from Ben Elton to The Wharf Revue team has that same manic and supremely clever tone underlying every scene. The music in The Wharf Revue is a little lighter and drawn from many genres, which makes it enjoyable. I still get a couple of ‘money’ notes! It's a wonderful experience working with such a small group of actors as opposed to a cast of forty in a big show. In an intimate theatre, you always feel that you are reaching everyone individually.
You have an album in the works. What can we expect from your debut?
The 64,000-dollar question (not a lot of money, but it was in the fifties...so I'm told). I still have a few tracks to go, but having been influenced by so many artists it's difficult to pinpoint one particular ‘sound’. In the works are: a pisstake on the rise of a rockstar, a rock-ballad for my mum (or indeed anyone's mum), the prerequisite more pop-oriented love song (in this case, for my fiancée), and a ballad about a broken man who doesn't really know why he is loved.
WHO: Michael Falzon
WHAT: Performs in The Wharf Revue at Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 2
WHEN: Till 29 July
MORE: www.sydneytheatre.com.au or www.michaelfalzon.com
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