Susan Boyle has proved that talent is more than about the way you look. As actress Elaine C Smith plays the superstar singer in the story of her life she tells Karen Price how she’s also been enjoying a taste of international stardom thanks to her new role
ACTRESS Elaine C Smith knows a thing or two about living in the spotlight thanks to her role in cult sitcom Rab C Nesbitt as well as a host of other TV and theatre shows.
But she recently received a taste of life as a global superstar, appearing on The Today Show in America, Sky News bulletins and even Georgian television.
“It was really weird, what had happened to Susan was happening to me. It was just remarkable,” she says.
Susan is of course Susan Boyle – the shy Scottish pub singer who became an international star in just a matter of weeks after appearing on Britain’s Got Talent.
Today Boyle has millions in the bank, chart-topping albums under her belt – and a new stage show dedicated to her incredible life story.
Smith is playing the part of Boyle in I Dreamed A Dream, and, during many performances, the singer herself appears in the finale.
When the musical opened earlier this year, Smith found herself making headlines around the world – just as Boyle did when she was discovered on the ITV1 series.
“We opened in Newcastle in March and the reaction’s been unbelievable,” she says. “We’ve got five-star reviews and I ended up on The Today Show in America. Sian Phillips, the great Welsh acting queen who I was in Calendar Girls with, texted me to say, ‘Darling, I’ve just seen you on Georgian television’.
“Cameron Mackintosh was on the phone, Andrew Lloyd Webber was on the phone – it’s just been amazing.”
Boyle wanted Smith to play her in the story of her life from the outset. And the two women seem to have struck up a bond since meeting.
“She’s lovely, really nice, warm and funny,” says Smith, who was born about 20 miles from Boyle’s home in Scotland. “She’s really enjoying doing the show, although it was very difficult for her initially when she watched it. All her family came and they were all in tears.”
The musical tells the story of Boyle’s life – from her humble beginnings to stardom.
Born into a large working class family in central Scotland in 1961, she shared a three-bedroomed council house with 10 while she was growing up.
Briefly deprived of oxygen during her birth, she had a learning disability which resulted in her being bullied as a child.
But Boyle, who found strength and solace in her faith, loved to sing and, following the death of her beloved mother, she auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent.
Around 10 million people watched on television as she sang I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables and judge Amanda Holden remarked upon the audience’s initially cynical attitude due to her appearance before they realised she had such a powerful voice.
Tens of millions of people went on to view the clip on YouTube and Boyle became an overnight sensation.
Smith was on stage in Calendar Girls when the programme was aired.
When she was told about the Scottish singing sensation, Smith joked that she would probably end up playing her in the story of her life.
“I went home and saw the audition and sat crying my eyes out,” says the actress. “That was the effect she had. It showed the type of world we’re living in. If you were blonde and gorgeous it didn’t matter if you didn’t have talent – you looked the right way. Susan was exactly the opposite. She made us all realise that talent matters more than lots of other things. It can’t only be about the way you look.”
Fast forward four years and Smith’s premonition has come true.
But when the ideas were initially mooted to dramatise the story of Boyle’s rise to fame, there was talk of a Hollywood movie.
“There was an article in the Radio Times and Susan said she wanted me to play her but I thought, ‘it won’t be me if it’s in Hollywood – it will be Michelle Pfeiffer with a bad Scottish accent’.”
However, it was decided to make the story a musical theatre piece with Smith as the leading lady.
The actress recalls the first time she met Boyle.
“At the end of our meeting, she put her arms around me and said she would be honoured if I played her.”
Her schedule allowing, Boyle joins Smith on stage for the finale of the production.
While there have been many reports over the years of tantrums and breakdowns, how does Smith think Boyle is now coping with stardom four years after her life-changing appearance on Britain’s Got Talent?
“She’s enjoying it much more than she did before, she’s more acclimatised to it. Imagine going from singing at karaoke to that? I think she’s coped amazingly.”
I Dreamed A Dream is at the New Theatre, Cardiff from Tuesday to May 26. For tickets, call the box office on 029 2087 8889 or visit www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
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