Amelia Fox and Elliot Pieczarka-Copeland will be stepping into very big shoes indeed when they take to the stage for the latest production from the University of Chichester’s Triple Threat Company production.
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00:00 Good morning, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers. Now it's
00:06 always lovely to speak to the students from the University of Chichester, where the Triple
00:11 Threat Company, comprising third year's final year, are just about to do Sugar on the stage
00:17 at Worthings Pavilion Theatre. Now Sugar, as the title kind of suggests, is based on
00:22 Some Like It Hot. Now we have here Amelia and Elliot. Now Amelia, you are stepping into
00:29 the Marilyn Monroe shoes. What on earth is that like? That's quite some baggage to contend
00:35 with, isn't it?
00:36 Yeah, quite big shoes to fill. But obviously, I mean, it's a great experience and opportunity
00:43 that I'm getting. I mean, anyone would love to play the part of this role, I think. It's
00:50 a really kind of glamorous, playful, like, girly girl role, which is really different
00:59 for me, actually, because I've never done anything like that.
01:02 Oh, do you think that's why you were cast? That you were put in a different...
01:06 Yeah, probably. I think they were like, give her a challenge. So, I mean, yeah, so that's
01:12 fun. I'm excited for that. And it is a challenging role, but I'm...
01:15 And you went back to the film, didn't you? You looked at the film to prepare for this?
01:19 Yeah, I looked at the film. I've seen it twice now. And it's helped me a lot to really understand
01:25 her character and her mannerisms and everything.
01:29 And Elia, you too are stepping into some pretty big shoes. You are playing the Tony Curtis
01:36 role in this, aren't you?
01:37 Yes. Yeah, I've enjoyed the process so far. I think comparatively to Sugar and the Marilyn
01:45 Monroe character, I find that I can draw on some aspects of Tony Curtis's character from
01:50 the movie. But there's also some parallels, especially the Joe and Jerry, Tony Curtis
01:57 and Keith? No, not Keith Lemon. I can't remember.
02:03 Jacqueline!
02:04 Jacqueline!
02:05 Jacqueline!
02:06 Jacqueline!
02:07 Jacqueline!
02:08 Jacqueline!
02:09 I find that their roles are mashed together a little bit more from the movie towards the
02:14 musical. So their characters can be complementary in both.
02:22 That's terrific. And Amelia, what's the whole thing about, would you say? Is it just pure
02:28 good fun on the stage or is there a bit of a moral behind it?
02:32 I mean, obviously, that is the kind of the main thing for me that I'm just literally
02:37 having fun and working hard. And I think that's all that matters, really. As long as you are
02:45 having fun and working hard and making sure that you are the best, you know, the best
02:49 that you can be, that's kind of the best that can happen.
02:53 But Elliot, there's another layer, isn't there? You're not just performing to the people in
02:59 the audience, you are being marked by your tutors, by the lecturers. That's tough, isn't
03:05 it?
03:06 Yeah, we find that, we spoke about this earlier, we find that we don't notice that as much.
03:12 It's not any impact on how we play the characters as to how we're getting marked and whether
03:20 or not we get an amazing grade when we come out of it at the end. We find that the process
03:26 is where you learn the most.
03:28 I'm talking about process. Amelia, this is the third year, you're coming towards the
03:33 end of your time in Chichester. Do you feel that you've learned a great deal? Do you feel
03:38 that you are nearing readiness for the big wide world out there?
03:41 I hope so. No, definitely. I've learned so much. Yeah, a lot, a lot. Like I've done dance
03:50 styles that I've, what's the word? We've done dance styles that I've never done before.
03:56 So you're a different performer now to the Amelia who started in Chichester.
04:02 Yeah, definitely more confident. My singing has improved so much more. I'm doing different
04:09 styles as well. And now obviously this show, being in the show and getting like the lead
04:14 female, that's a pretty big experience. So yeah, it's very...
04:18 Fantastic. What about you, Elliot? Are you ready? What happens next?
04:24 Breach the big old wide open world.
04:27 And you're heading into an incredibly competitive business, aren't you?
04:33 Yes.
04:34 How will you cope with that?
04:37 I think take it as it comes. I think obviously we'll still be going to classes, especially
04:42 in Pineapple. There's plenty of dance classes to keep us ticking over. And there's always
04:48 improvement to find. Uni is the first big stepping stone I find. And approaching the
04:58 big wide open world, get it right that time, is daunting, but is the first three months
05:06 supposedly is where you learn the most of what we're getting ourselves into.
05:12 Yes. Sorry, it's who you have around you as well, like people supporting you, like your
05:20 friends and family. I think that's kind of the most important thing as well.
05:23 We've got a good base here, which is just a good family. So it's exciting to see what
05:30 we all do.
05:31 Yeah.
05:32 And I'm sure plenty of people will.
05:33 Congratulations on what you've done so far. Good luck with this show. And good luck with
05:38 the big wide world when it beckons.
05:39 Thank you.
05:40 Lovely to speak to you both. Thank you very much indeed.
05:44 Thank you.
05:45 Thank you.
05:46 Thank you.
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