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Globe and Mail
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Ramin Karimloo returns to the Pirate King in Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Ramin Karimloo's first paycheque from his debut musical theatre acting job came with a surprise bonus: printed on the pay stub were the words, 'US Pirate King.' The confused young Canadian called his agent, and that's how he found out he'd not only been cast as a swashbuckling ensemble member in Pirates of Penzance, he was also the understudy for the lead. 'I said, 'Wait, that means they could put me on as Pirate King at any moment?'' Karimloo recalled. 'I don't want that pressure!' Karimloo got the cheque for that Regent's Park production of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in 2001, shortly after moving to London. 'Ignorance was bliss. I didn't realize what a prestigious job that was,' the actor said, a bit wistfully. Both director Ian Talbot and Pirate King actor Gary Wilmot have since been named to the Order of the British Empire. And Karimloo? He's a big-name musical-theatre star. However, 'I've always said I would love to do Pirate King again,' he said. Karimloo, 46, finally has the opportunity to do so in a revamped version of the show, christened Pirates! The Penzance Musical, on Broadway this spring. On May 1, Pirates! received a Tony Award nomination for best Broadway revival. The day the nominees were announced, Karimloo spoke with The Globe and Mail about acting opposite David Hyde Pierce, travelling as an Iranian-Canadian and how to stay fit when your job involves shirtless sword fighting. You're excellent in Pirates! So sorry to hear you didn't earn your second Tony nomination for acting. I don't care about any of that stuff. When I was nominated before [for Jean Valjean in the revival of Les Misérables] I didn't even know I was nominated until my friend told me, and I didn't want to go to the Tony Awards. Are you one of those anti-awards people? I'm not anti-awards. I'm not anti-anything, but I grew up in Peterborough, Ont. When I dreamt of being an actor, I never thought about awards. It wasn't part of my culture. It's got to be about the work and nothing else. I'm only trying to be better than yesterday, every day. In interviews, your colleagues have been talking about how special the cast of Pirates! is, and how well you work together. Is that accurate? Some shows have highs and lows. This one doesn't. It sounds cliché, but it's the first time I've felt like everyone is a family, and everyone is having a blast. My kids [now 17 and 20] saw Pirates!, and they said they like it more than anything else I've ever done, because they were like, 'It's great to see you having so much fun.' I saw Pirates! at the tail end of your opening week, and was amazed at the energy level. The dancing is just phenomenal. I'm doing things I should not be doing at my age. It's brilliant. I said to [choreographer Warren Carlyle], 'If you had a magic wand to wave, what would you want me to do?' And then he made you try doing a backflip off a plank. Yeah. And every night I'm like, 'Let's see if this works.' I think back to my days in Peterborough. Just no fear of anything. We'd jump off bridges or do whatever. I was stupid and 16. Now I'm dumb and 46, but thankfully, it's worked out. Physical fitness is part of your brand, though, even if the backflip is new. When I started Pirates! rehearsals, I knew quickly I had to up my endurance, so I would get up early and do my weights because I enjoy that, but I added a 10K running program. I didn't want this show to wipe me out. You've also played Gleb in Anastasia and Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl. Do you worry at all about being typecast as rogue because of your ethnic background? I don't think of my ethnicity because I never have, and it's funny how the world is now wanting to make being Iranian a talking point. What I do like is that I see more Iranians and Middle Easterns come up to me at stage door. They see a path for themselves, and that's great. Some Iranian-born Canadians have reported issues trying to enter the U.S. Have you run into any problems? No. We've never had any issues, and my mom just came to America. Usually when I come through, they see my Green Card and say, 'Welcome home.' I get more questions when I come back to Canada. But honestly, that stuff doesn't bother me. My brother's a Toronto cop. These people have to do their jobs. What jobs are next for you after Pirates closes on July 27? The day we finish our Sunday matinee, I go straight to the airport to do Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in Japan. And then I want to take a little break. Any chance you'll be back in Canada to do a show anytime soon? I would love to, but I want it to be Canadian content. I don't want to come back to Toronto as Jean Valjean again. I have a script right now that's pretty great, but everything's still under wraps. You'll have to wait and see. This interview has been condensed and edited.
Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
90s sitcom legend admits he's ‘not against' returning for show reboot – despite failing to rejoin cast
The original series ran for 11 years between 1993 and 2004 hyde & seek 90s sitcom legend admits he's 'not against' returning for show reboot – despite failing to rejoin cast Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A US icon has thrilled fans and given hope for a future TV reunion with his former castmates. The actor starred in the multiple Emmy-award winning show - but failed to rejoin his fellow stars on a recent reboot. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 The Emmy-award winning show was cancelled after its 2023 reboot Credit: Getty 4 David Hyde Pierce - aka Niles - could be up for rejoining the show Credit: Getty Frasier star David Hyde Pierce - aka Niles - refrained from joining the 2023 revival - but hasn't shot down the chance of another appearance. Speaking about his latest venture in Broadway's Pirates! The Penzance Musical, he shared: "I did not think it would hinge on my participation. "I thought it should move on from what we were doing," he told Variety. "When Frasier happened, he didn't bring the gang from Cheers. It was successful because they made it something different. Read more on TV MOVING ON Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford cutting final ties amid divorce battle "Creatively, I thought, I have nothing else. I don't think I'm going to be much fun or be that enthusiastic about returning." David said about a possible return: "If there was a reason for me to appear, I'm not against it at all." The 2023 revival introduced son Freddy, played by Jack Cutmore-Scott and introduced Only Fools star Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan Cornwall in the sitcom. Although the recent revival was axed by Paramount+ after two seasons, Kelsey admitted he still wanted to find a new space for the show. Kelsey previously told the New York Post: "There's a better home for it. We'll end up somewhere where people are passionate about it. "Ted [Danson] and I might visit actually something together. Nicholas Lyndhurst features as Frasier's best friend Alan Cornwall in iconic sitcom's reboot "We've been talking about a couple ideas. Maybe on Frasier. We don't know. "As long as it's still a relevant relationship, it will still be relevant for the show,' he added. "[Sam] and Frasier got along pretty well, discovered some things together about life. They could still do that." The Cheers spin-off ran between 1993 and 2004 and followed the lives of Frasier, his brother Niles and their dad Martin (John). David Hyde Pierce played Niles alongside Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, John Mahoney and Peri Gilpin for 11 seasons. Cast members also included Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle and Bebe Neuwirth as Lilith Sternin. Sadly, John, who played Martin Crane, died back in 2018 aged 77. 4 The Cheers spin-off ran between 1993 and 2004 Credit: Getty
