On Sunday 15th June, Hadley Fraser will be performing his first-ever solo concert at Cadogan Hall in London alongside special guest performers – his wife Rosalie Craig, Natalie May Paris and Maiya Quansah-Breed, as well as arranger/collaborator Sam Young. As a recording artist, Hadley released his new album Things That Come and Go earlier this year, with Maiya duetting with Hadley on a couple of songs. Currently, Hadley is playing Freddie Page in The Deep Blue Sea at Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End, with a cast including Tamsin Greig and Lisa Ambalavanar, having previously played the role in the Terrence Rattigan play at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2019. Last November, Hadley played Laurence Jamieson in the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels concert at The London Palladium opposite Ramin Karimloo as Freddy Benson, and they will be taking the production to Tokyo in August. Amongst Hadley’s extensive theatre career, his roles have seen him play Manny in the world premiere production of Opening Night at the Gielgud Theatre, Sam in 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Noël Coward Theatre, star as Frankenstein in the UK premiere of Young Frankenstein in Newcastle and the West End, and he has appeared in Les Misérables a number of times over the years, as Javert in the West End, Grantaire for The 25th Anniversary Concert at The O2 Arena, Marius in the West End – which marked Hadley’s West End debut, and he played an Army Officer in the 2012 feature film. Also having a screen career, Hadley plays the Good King in the new Disney live-action feature film Snow White, DCI John Fordham in the BBC series The Gold, and he co-starred in the live-screened production of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall as Raoul, whilst he was in the cast of Les Misérables. We spoke with Hadley about his upcoming concert at Cadogan Hall on Sunday 15th June, releasing his new album Things That Come and Go earlier this year, playing Freddie Page in The Deep Blue Sea at Theatre Royal Haymarket and his further projects including Les Misérables, Young Frankenstein and feature film Snow White.

What are you looking forward to most for performing your first-ever solo concert on Sunday 15th June at Cadogan Hall in London?

The chance to perform the songs from the album live is a tantalising one. They’re songs I love and love to sing, so I’m delighted to share that with an audience.

The concert will feature special guest performances from your wife Rosalie Craig, Natalie May Paris and Maiya Quansah-Breed, and you will also be joined by arranger/collaborator Sam Young; how does it feel to have them be involved with the show?

I’m honoured. Sam is an exceptionally talented young musician. I’m so proud to work together. The arrangements for the album were beyond what I’d hope for, entirely because of Sam. They’re fresh, contemporary feeling takes on standards. A tricky balance – but Sam finds it effortlessly. Maiya sang on the album on a couple of duets with me and sounded exquisite. She’s a rare talent, I think. Natalie has a voice from beyond the galaxy – we’ve performed tougher before but never duetted. Time to put that right. And Rosie… well, she’s my wife, so I guess I’m biased – but she’s the best in the business. Super-talented, super-lovely people. What a lucky man I am.

Can you tell us about the event and what can the audience expect from the evening?

It’ll be a great night. We’re assembling all the musicians from the album – what a treat – and there’ll be a good few moments of sheer joy and class. I can’t wait to share it all with the audience and sing with these wonderful, talented people.

How are you preparing for the 15th June and how has it been deciding the setlist?

The setlist by and large has taken care of itself – all the songs from Things That Come and Go, a few from previous albums and then the fun bit of selecting a handful of surprises. But there’ll be something for everyone – jazz, standards, musical theatre, show tunes, folk, acoustic. The lot. What a thrill!

Having performed at Cadogan Hall previously in musical concerts, what is the venue like to perform at?

Cadogan is a special venue – intimate and epic all at the same time, with an acoustic to die for. I’ve only fond memories of performing there and being in the audience.

You released your new album Things That Come and Go in February – and will be celebrating the release at your concert in June; how has it been seeing the fan response to your album and do you have a favourite song on the tracklist?

The response has been special. A few folks have been asking for an album for years – especially a physical release – so I’m delighted to have made good on a promise to do that. The tracklist reflects my musical taste to an extent (as much as 10 songs can represent anyone) – but I don’t have a favourite. That’s like asking to choose your favourite beer (whichever one is closest and coolest).

How long has the Things That Come and Go album been in the making and what has it been like to record?

The album was quite long in gestation for a number of reasons. Originally, it was planned as part of a bigger project, which still might see the light of day one day. But for now, it stands up to scrutiny, I think. Recording is always the best bit (other than the logistics). Being in the studio with an army of talent – that’s life-affirming.

You are currently in the West End cast of The Deep Blue Sea as Freddie Page, which is running at Theatre Royal Haymarket until Saturday 21st June, how is the run going so far and what is it like taking on the role of Freddie Page?

Yeah – pretty special this one. I played Freddie about six or so years ago, so returning to him and the play again in London in a new production is a thrill. It’s one of my favourite plays – perfectly written and structured. The conflict compresses and builds so effortlessly. And it was written in the pub about a five-minute walk from the house where I grew up – The Stag and Hounds in Binfield, Berkshire. So it has an extra-special resonance for me.

How has it been returning to the show, having played the character at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2019, and what are you enjoying most about performing in the Terence Rattigan play?

Rattigan’s reputation is rightly being revised as the years go on. There’s such an elegant power to his work. His characters have these incredibly rich inner lives, compressed by the expectations of an all-too-structured society. Freddie, Hester and the rest of the characters in The Deep Blue Sea contend with this conflict all the way through. It’s fantastically rich material to get our teeth into.

In November, you performed in the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels concert at The London Palladium as Laurence Jamieson opposite Ramin Karimloo as Freddy Benson, can you tell us about this?

Ramin and I had long been keen on doing a full show together again. We’ve done a fair few concerts over recent years, so when Scoundrels came on the scene, we were very keen. It’s such a fun show to begin with – great laughs, super score – and we were joined by some of our favourite collaborators and friends that it turned into a real joy. So looking forward to taking the production out to Tokyo in August.

How was your time playing Manny in the world premiere production of Opening Night at the Gielgud Theatre?

I’ve been a fan of Rufus Wainwright’s for many years, so to work with Rufus was a long-held dream come true. He’s such a terrific songwriter. There were so many lovely people on that show, and despite it perhaps not quite living up to expectations, I look back on it fondly for many reasons.

How did you find the experience performing as Sam in 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Noël Coward Theatre, and was there anything that drew you to the production?

There wasn’t anything not to be drawn to with 2:22! It’s such a terrific script to start with – Danny Robins is a hell of a writer – add in Matthew Dunster’s direction, a terrific cast and the necessity of getting back to live performance after a year or so of lockdowns and social distancing, and you had a recipe for a great show. It’s no surprise to see the show still going strong around the world!

You starred as Frankenstein in the UK premiere of Young Frankenstein in Newcastle and the West End, how was this?

A privilege. To work with Mel Brooks, Susan Stroman, Ross Noble, Lesley Joseph – all of whom I’ve admired and grown to love as friends – was a thrill. It was so much fun every performance, and the audience really came along with us on that. Not overthinking anything – just how funny and entertaining can we make this night.

What are some of your favourite memories from working on Les Misérables over the years – as Javert in the West End, Grantaire in The 25th Anniversary Concert at The O2 Arena, Marius for your West End debut and an Army Officer in the 2012 feature film?

Les Mis has a special place in my life – as it does for so many. It’s a masterpiece of storytelling and musical composition. There are too many moments to be ultra specific. But a lot of my friends I met on that show, and it’s been something of a staging post in my professional career thus far.

On screen, your credits have included playing Good King in the new Disney Snow White film, DCI John Fordham in the BBC series The Gold, and you also co-starred in the live-screened The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall as Raoul, can you tell us about some of these projects, and about your favourite highlights from your acting career in general?

Well, that’s a lot to go into. I’ve loved my time on Snow White. It was a happy set and to sit in the cinema with my eight-year-old daughter and watch her watching me on screen was pretty special. The Gold too was a really fun project. Proper cobs and robbers with 80s moustaches and old cars. Loved it. Phantom was a blur, to be honest. I was playing Javert in Les Mis while we rehearsed – so I don’t remember being quite that busy. But what a thrill to be part of that event.

Where does your love of performing come from and how did you get started in the industry?

I’ve no idea where it comes from. I love stories, telling them, listening to them, watching them. Hope that never goes away. My entry into the industry really came about due to some excellent music and drama teachers over the years. I was so fortunate to work with some committed and brilliant teachers – at school, university and at music college.

What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch, and how do you like to spend your free time?

Oh goodness – that’s hard to narrow down. A couple of my favourite shows from the last year or so include Nottingham Playhouse’s searingly wonderful play Punch (which came to the Young Vic and is headed to Broadway) and Fiddler on the Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre – what a moving production that was.

My free time? With my hands in the soil and the Test match in my ears.

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