Interview: Angus Reid & Jim Woods // Guys and Dolls
You've met our Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide. Let us now introduce you to Nathan's Right (and Left) Hand Men, Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Benny Southstreet, played by Jim Woods and Angus Reid (respectively).
Describe Nicely and Benny in three words?
Jim (Nicely): Hungry, handsome, deluded
Angus (Benny): Right Hand Man
What similarities and differences have you found between you and your characters?
Jim: Hungry, handsome, deluded...
Angus: Using that answer twice in a row is totally cheating. My answer - I'm a terrible gambler!
What is your favourite thing about your character?
Jim: Nicely gets to sing, in my honest opinion, the best 3 songs in the show. And Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat to me is one of the best songs in any show! What's not to love.
Angus: Put quite simply, I get to eat strudel on stage every single night.
What is your favourite part of rehearsing Guys and Dolls so far?
Angus: It's a no-brainer. Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat, hands down the best number.
Jim: Why thank you ! Other than the brilliant musical numbers, I am absolutely loving baiting Lieutenant Brannigan.
What is it like being in a double act?
Angus: It's great. It definitely makes it a lot easier having someone there to bounce off of all the time.
Jim: I'm in a double act?
Angus: Hey! I take back my previous answer. Who said anything about a double act? No double act here.
What has been the biggest challenge of the show so far?
Angus: I've been in the show before, so re-learning the harmonies is definitely a challenge. So is trying to learn all the verses, and make sure I can remember when I sing or when Jim sings in Guys and Dolls.
Jim: I've also done the show before, quite a few times, and played Nicely previously. So I'm having to unlearn my bad habits and work on a fresh take on a character I think I know really well. Also, being built for comfort rather than speed, our illustrious choreographer Marion Baird is attempting, once again, to get both of my feet moving in the same direction occasionally. Not a feat taken on by the faint of heart.
Nathan lies to Adelaide a lot. What is the biggest lie you have ever told?
Jim: 'Of course I can hit that B flat...'
Angus: No comment! And I never lie...
What is the most outrageous or outlandish excuse you've given to get out of doing something?
Jim: Apart from the usual 'my sister ate my homework' excuses while at school, I'm now old and grumpy enough to just say 'I'm not bloody doing it', or 'what part of no did you not understand?'
Angus: Once, to get out of work, I said I was rehearsing for a show. There was no show. I made it up entirely. I'd like to say I feel bad about it...
Finally, why should people come to see the show?
Jim: What's not to love? At Scottish Youth Theatre, you are almost on stage in the middle of one of the best shows ever written, performed by a small but perfectly formed GMT cast. Sell your granny, pawn your dug, and get a ticket to not just see this show, but experience it up close and personal.
Angus: And for the hilarious double act of Benny and Nicely, obviously!
Tickets are still available to catch Jim and Angus in Guys and Dolls, 2-6 May in the Brian Cox Studio, Scottish Youth Theatre. Don't delay, book here today!
