Prince Charming – Craig Chalmers
Nige Burton chats to Craig Chalmers during his hugely successful tour of ‘Joseph’
It was on one of the labyrinth of arterial passageways that snake around Blackpool’s Grand Theatre that I first met Craig Chalmers, the unassuming Scot who has been making the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Deamcoat his own in Bill Kenwright’s touring production of the show. Chalmers was on his way out to sign autographs for the army of adoring fans waiting eagerly at the stage door; this is a necessary part of the job, but one which he undertakes with real relish and appreciation.
“I’m very grateful to all my fans,” he says with a disarming, almost naive smile. “In almost three years of touring with Joseph they’ve been lovely for the most part – sometimes I have to pinch myself to realise that this is really happening, I try very hard not to take any of it for granted.”
Since Kenwright plucked him from BBC One’s Any Dream Will Do to headline the UK tour of the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber / Tim Rice musical, Craig’s stamina and prowess as a performer have come on in leaps and bounds. After a grounding on the Caledonian club circuit, the whole musical theatre arena was a sea change for the handsome twenty-eight year old singer.
“My mum and dad brought me and my brother up to have real sound values,” he tells me. “They were both so supportive with my career choice, even in the toughest of times, and never once told me to stop dreaming and get a ‘proper’ job.”
And the dream role of Joseph came just in time: “I’d decided to give it just one more year,” says Craig. “If nothing significant had happened in that time, I was going to forget the whole thing, but then along came the TV show.”
It’s lucky for the fans that it did. Chalmers puts every ounce of energy into each performance, breathing new life and vitality into a role which has been delighting audiences of all ages for decades.
“I try to put some humour and movement into the character,” he says. “I think I’ve managed to bring something fresh to the role – I certainly try to give my all in every single show.” Judging by the half hour spent signing programmes and posing for photos after each performance, it seems the fans agree wholeheartedly.
But the gruelling schedule of a touring show can take its toll on any company’s personal lives, and it’s no different for Craig. “My girlfriend Jen and I hardly get to see one another,” he tells me. “She is the most beautiful person, and so supportive of my career. She is very successful in her own job, but travels down to wherever I am every Saturday and stays for the two performances. We usually then head off to her place in Birmingham every Sunday so we get to spend the day together. It means a lot of driving, and it can be exhausting for both of us, but we are totally committed to making it work; we love each other very much and have the most fantastic relationship – she’s my soul mate.”
Family and personal life are important to Craig, and he enjoys very close relationships with his father and brother. His mum, Liz, tragically passed away at the beginning of the year aged just fifty-one, and life without mum has had a profound effect on the young star.
“We were so close,” says Craig, “and it was all so sudden. Mum had only been ill for about a month – none of us knew what had hit us.
“I’m just so glad I was able to show her the ring I’d bought for Jen before she died – at least she knew about the wedding; she was happy for me and knew that I’d found my someone special.”
Chalmers is completely grounded and balanced, despite his current success. It’s refreshing in such a young and talented performer so relatively new to the limelight.
“The success is great,” he tells me, “I absolutely love what I do, but it’s not the be all and end all; I know what’s important in my life, and that my future’s with Jen. If all this came to an end and I had to sweep the streets, I’d just be the best street sweeper I could – it wouldn’t matter as long as we are together and happy.”
But with his current role extended until July next year, the future’s looking bright for this multi-talented young Edinburghian. Formerly of the boy band No Reason, Craig was ultimately offered a deal with BKL records and released his debut album Dream On, on which he collaborated with some of his fellow contestants from Any Dream Will Do. The album achieved some considerable chart success in the spring of 2008, and still enjoys steady sales today. A second album of duets with fellow finalist Antony Hansen is due for release later this year, and will feature songs from the movies.
A criticism often levelled at new stars who have come through the ranks of television talent shows is that they’ve done it the easy way and may lack stamina. It’s a comment often made by stalwart performers who feel they’ve earned their celebrity stripes more traditionally. Chalmers disagrees: “There’s nothing easy about the path I’ve taken to my career,” he insists. “I know people think it’s a fast track to fame, but the years I spent working the club circuits took lots of hard work and determination.”
And stamina is certainly not something Craig lacks either; with only two shows off a week, and now even a couple of Sunday shows thrown in for good measure, there can be no doubting his commitment to the show or his career. “It can be immense hard work.” he tells me, “but I try to look after myself and keep fit, so it’s not too bad really.”
With the attitude, sheer talent, good looks and charm this artist possesses in spades, it can surely only be a matter of time before he makes a natural transfer to a major West End production. “That would be great,” he says with a self-effacing smile, “but I’m happy just to take one step at a time at the moment.”
And it’s precisely that refreshing humility that makes Craig Chalmers a real star – but watch this space: this guy’s destined for the big time.
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4 Responses to “Prince Charming – Craig Chalmers”
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lovely article
Craigs a wonderful person. A great Role model.
Craig I loved you in Joseph I seen you in Truro and Bath you are great
and sing lovely
Craig, I think you are amazing, I have loved Joseph for a long time now, and you and Ian H Watkins are by far the best Josephs I have seen. I live in Leeds and saw you at the Grand, my two daughters and son in law work there. I have a pic of you taken in the green room with my little Grandaughter at the Christmas meal that they did. You are so talented, and I will follow your career with interest. You have a great voice and you are also a very nice person when meeting your fans, of which I am proud to include myself.
I Love You Craig