In the spotlight today is Andrew Brinded who pens the musical score for the show, Election Idol. “Britain Demands a Leader with Talent” and so politics and the X-Factor battle it out for your votes, and YES they certainly count! On from the 12th to the 23rd May, Election Idol is on at the Brighthelm Church and Community Centre. So let’s learn more about Andrew and learn more about Election Idol…
1. What inspired you to become a musician, writer and entertainer?
My parents!
2. What’s your show about and what should the public expect from your show at the 2009 Brighton Festival Fringe?
Election Idol is a hilarious and satirical look at what happens when the worlds of politics and the X-Factor collide. With Parliament in peril, the desperate parties hire personalities Sharon Osbourne, Shilpa Shetty and Matt Lucas to represent them in a glitzy TV competition. However, when the celebrities start thinking for themselves, things get out of control fast!
You, the studio audience, must vote in this live final to decide the fate of the nation.
Election Idol is the so-crazy-it-just-might-happen brainchild of Andrew Brinded, William Christopherson and Tamara Samuels, all graduates of the renowned Musical Theatre Writing program at New York’s Tisch School of the Arts. With various productions, concerts and cabarets in New York, London, Chicago, Toronto and Montreal under their belts, this is their first joint collaboration. It is directed by Luke Sheppard, director of the acclaimed Edinburgh hit Jet Set Go!, soon running at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London.
3. What was the last Fringe or Festival you performed at and what was it like?
I’m a Fringe Virgin!
4. What are your funniest and worst experiences performing in front of an audience?
It would have to be when I was 15 and playing Dame Widow Twankey in the pantomime Aladdin. We couldn’t work out why ever time I walked on stage the sound system would pick up this crackling noise. We later figured out that my double-d bra filled with polystyrene was causing the interference.
5. What’s the best and worst advice you have ever been given? And did you follow it?
The best advice I have been given is to reach for the stars; the worst advice I have been given is to never aim high because then you never fail.
6. What are you most proud of and what dreams or goals would you like to fulfill?
I am most proud of Election Idol. It’s taken a lot of time, effort and work to get this show on at the Brighton Fringe Festival and it would be a dream come true to see this show have a life after the Fringe Festival.
7. Which three famous people would you invite to dinner and why [dead celebrities included]? And what culinary dish would you prepare?
I would prepare a chocolate mousse for David Beckham, Baz Luhrmann and Stephen Fry.
8. What is the best book or books you have read and why?
I do enjoy reading all the books written by Gregory Maguire. I think the idea of taking popular stories and characters and discovering how those popular characters became who they are is truly fascinating and original idea.
9. Tell us 5 interesting and unknown facts about yourself?
I used to be an Aerobics instructor.
My first job was 8 hours on the fry station at McDonalds.
I am addicted to cocktail sausages.
I really wanted to be a Spice Girl when Geri left the group.
I’ve applied twice to audition for the X-Factor but never had the guts to attend audition.
10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
I would selfishly go back in time and ensure that the BBC kept copies of the original Doctor Who TV series.
Tags: Andrew Brinded, bad politicians, british politics, democracy, Election Idol, MPs expenses, X-Factor