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Australian Philip Quast is a familiar face and voice in musical and “straight” theatre, TV and film in the UK as well as Australia. Resident in London for nearly 17 years, he plays Peron in Michael Grandage’s revival of Evita.
What brought you to London?
I trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney and first came to the UK in 1986 for a Channel 4 job – but it was doing Javert in the Australian production of Les Misérables which was the turning point. Afterwards Cameron Mackintosh invited me to do it in London. I was part of the world diaspora of actors in shows like Les Misérables and Cats.
What have you done beyond musical work?
A lot – I’ve actually spent most of the last year working in Australia. So I’m glad of a stable year on Evita so I can spend some time with my wife of 30 years and three sons. In Sydney I had a role in Howard Davis’ The Cherry Orchard, among other jobs. And I worked with Nick Hytner in Stuff Happens at the National last year. Of course, I’ve done a lot of classics too and TV jobs such as Holby City, Midsomer Murders and Inspector Morse.
It seems a very eclectic mix.
That’s the only way to be taken seriously. There is still a perception that you don’t have to act in musical theatre and it can certainly make you lazy, although working with outstanding directors like Trevor Nunn and Adrian Noble reminds you what a lot of good acting really does have to go into musical theatre.
What advice do you have for singer/actors starting out?
Get trained as an actor – although ironically, if a singer is good enough he or she won’t. It will be music training on, for instance, Royal Academy’s musical theatre course.
Is it getting harder for beginners?
I’m not sure. But too many drama schools are opening up and there’s too much teaching by people who have had no practical theatre experience for a very long time. And there are even fewer television drama opportunities as reality TV takes over.
Do you teach?
Yes, I do guest sessions sometimes, which I love. I’m pretty tough with the students but I think I learn more than I teach. Teaching shows you how little you know. It’s humbling.
What are you going to do next?
I don’t know yet. I’ve been lucky and have rarely been out of work, and then only from choice. I shall look round for something quite different toward the end of this year. Meanwhile I like to achieve and learn. So I’m using spare time between Evita commitments to learn guitar, study painting and write more.
© The Stage Newspaper Limited
Huge thanks to Carol for sending the interview.
