Stepping Out charts the lives of seven women and one man who, once a week, try to tap their troubles away in a dance class. Fame beckons when the group is asked to take part in a charity gala but there’s only one problem…they’ve all got two left feet. Over the course of several months of rehearsal, we get to know the group with all their quirks and neuroses; Perfectionist Vera, gobby Maxine, uptight Andy, bubbly Sylvia, shy Dorothy, eager Lynne, cheerful Rose – and not forgetting Geoffrey!
Stepping Out won the Evening Standard Comedy of the Year Award, 1984 and was also made into a musical which became a film in 1991, starring Julie Walters and Liza Minnelli. Prior to the show’s West End return in March, we took a moment out of their pre-London tour with two of the stars of this wonderful, heart-warming comedy – Angela Griffin (Waterloo Road, One Man Two Guv’nors) and Tracy-Ann Oberman (Eastenders, New Tricks):
Hi Tracy-Ann. Did you have to take any special dance classes for Stepping Out or could you tap already?
I’ve never danced a step of tap in my life. I was in a play at Royal Exchange Manchester and a lovely tap teacher called Daniel came and showed me a few basic moves pre rehearsal.
If you could “step out” on a date with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
Mel Brookes – so we could re-enact scenes from Young Frankenstein, The Producers and Blazing Saddles. Love that man!
Which dancer do you most admire?
Matthew Bourne. Oh and Isadora Duncan (the scarf thing).
The show was written in 1984 with only one man to seven women in the class – do you think plays like Stepping Out and shows like Strictly have changed that?
Yes. It’s become Postmodern mainstream and almost cool! Look at Aljaž Škorjanec on Strictly. Who wouldn’t want to be him!?
Do you have any superstitions when performing?
None it’s a load of twaddle.
If Stepping Out was a cake, what kind of cake would it be?
Paris-Brest.
If you could master one skill that you don’t have already, what would it be?
To sleep for eight hours solid. And wake up refreshed.
Hi Angela! Did you have to take any special dance classes for Stepping Out or could you tap already?
I wasn’t able to tap, so i booked my daughters dance teacher to give me 6 hours of lessons before we started rehearsing and hired a community centre hall to practise in.
If you could “step out” on a date with anyone, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
I would step out with my husband at this moment in time, because I’ve barely seen him whilst being on tour… but if he was busy I’d give Ryan Gosling a tinkle.
Stepping Out was written in 1984 with only one man to seven women in the class – do you think plays like Stepping Out and shows like Strictly have changed that?
I still think that women dominate when it comes to local dance classes.
During rehearsals, lots of things go wrong. What’s been your own worst on-stage disaster?
I’ve had so many!!! I’ve smashed glasses, had my chicken fillet boobs come flying out…. and a classic on this tour is when I came off stage and thought it was a costume change, only to realise when I was half dressed that my cue line had just been said on stage and I had to run on (very late) dressed in the wrong costume.
Do you have any superstitions when performing?
I try not to.
If Stepping Out was a cake, what kind of cake would it be?
Gin cake!
If you could master one skill that you don’t have already, what would it be?
I would love to speak another language.
Book tickets today for Stepping Out at the Vaudeville Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
404 Strand
London WC2R 0NH
From 1st March 2017 to 18th June 2017
Cast Includes AMANDA HOLDEN | ANGELA GRIFFIN | TRACY-ANN OBERMAN | TAMZIN OUTHWAITE | NICOLA STEPHENSON
Please note: Amanda Holden will not appear from 29 May – 3 June.
Running time: TBC
Can’t get enough of the West End’s biggest stars? Read our interview with West End heartthrob Michael Xavier.
