INTERVIEW | Holly Anne Hull, The Phantom of the Opera

Interviews

6 May

A household name in London’s West End, The Phantom of the Opera has been adored by fans for over 35 years now. It’s a staple musical which has received global success not just in the UK, so what is it like playing one of the leading roles in the show with huge a history embedded in it?

Jacqueline caught up with Holly Anne Hull who is currently treading the boards as Christine Daaé.

You were first announced to be playing Christine for the 2020 Phantom UK tour, and now in 2023, you have become Phantom’s principal Christine in London. Can you please tell us a bit about your journey with the show?

My journey with Phantom has been a wild ride. I was offered the role of Christine on the tour in 2020 and it was a very long and intense audition and rehearsal process. So, by the time we got to our opening night, it was this huge celebration! To have that disappear when covid hit was hard and of course a shock. During lockdown, I came to terms with the fact that I’d probably not get the chance to be in the show again, so when I got a call asking if I would like to be the alternate in London it was crazy, and I jumped at the chance to be the alternate. For those that don’t know, the alternate is basically someone who does one or two shows a week, so I did that for eighteen months and then I was recently offered the principal in London which I started doing in January. I would say it has been a rollercoaster, but that is the way theatre works (with or without covid) – it is a rollercoaster. But it has been three years of my life, which is crazy!

How did it feel when you were first offered the role, knowing that you were becoming such a key part of the Phantom dynasty?

When I first got the call to say I was playing Christine on the tour, I was in Les Mis at the time doing the concert. I was in my dressing room, I think we were in tech or rehearsal or something, I was in my barricade outfit when my agent rang. I couldn’t believe it. In fact, I still can’t believe it, it is something I have dreamed of for my entire life. Then I called my family, my grandparents who were over in Canada and just cried for ages, and my partner – it was a very special moment, and it is a memory I will have with me for the rest of my life.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see you as Christine in London twice so far- you were absolutely incredible, especially during the Final Lair scene! Do you draw inspiration from any former Christine’s when performing the role?

Thank you so much! I am literally obsessed with the final lair – it is one of my favourites as well. I have been a fan of Phantom since I can remember and it has been a dream show, and a dream role for me. I’d only seen it three times before joining the production – twice in London, once in Toronto – but I have watched the Royal Albert Hall version with Sierra probably ten times.

I am definitely one of those people who has watched compilations of every ‘Think Of Me’ and things like that, and actually, my real fan-girling of other Christine’s has come since I have been playing the role because I realise how hard it is! I am a huge fan of literally every single Christine because it is a challenging role and I have huge respect for anyone who has played it.

Phantom is a particularly complex show to be a part of, can you tell us a bit about any of the challenges you’ve faced?

I think the hardest thing I find with the show is how emotional it is, and what a heavy show it is for Christine. When I’m not on stage I try to be as light-hearted and playful with everyone as I possibly can, otherwise you can get caught up with how emotional the show is.

Do you know how many performances of Phantom you’ve done so far? Which of those have been the most memorable?

Yes – I have been counting! My friend Shan Ako is in Hamilton, and she counts her shows, and I remember she was counting her shows in Les Mis and I remember really, really wishing I had done the same. Because I think I would have been on over a thousand shows with Les Mis but I will never know as I didn’t count them! So, I promised myself with Phantom that I would count them. So, today is the 28 April and I am on 220 shows. I would say my most memorable show was my last show with Killian Donnelly. It was the most incredible night. He was my first Phantom, and we started this journey together.

Throughout the show, Christine wears some beautifully designed costumes. Which of these is your favourite?

Oh my goodness, I am in love with every single Christine dress. I think they are literally the most beautiful things on this earth. My favourite is the blue ‘manager’s dress’. I just remember my first fitting with it, and it was the one that felt like holy-moly I am playing Christine! I have loved it ever since.

As well as performing in Phantom, you are part of the group Remember Monday. How did that group form, and what is it like doing that alongside performing in Phantom full-time?

We met in sixth form when we were 17 years old. We were all in the same performing arts class. I asked Lauren, who is currently Miss Honey in Matilda, if she wanted to sing a song with me, as I thought it would sound cool with some harmony, and then Charlotte, who is the other member of our band, overheard us and came knocking on our door saying, “Hey guys, by any do you need a bass?” and that is literally how it was formed. It has been over ten years and I still love the band more than anything on this planet.

It is tough juggling the band with Phantom, as Christine is a demanding role. It is very difficult to sing anything else, and obviously singing with a country pop band is a very different style. We make it work; we always do. I’ve gone on international tours and the girls have come out and flown to wherever I am in the world, and I do the same for them so it is definitely something that will keep going forever.

If you could play any role in the show other than Christine, who would you want to play and why?

That is such a difficult question. I’m going to be really obvious and say The Phantom. I know that’s probably what everyone says but there are so many reasons. The tech side of it is so incredible, there are some things I genuinely don’t know how he does it and it’s one of the most magical things on this earth. I feel like some of the stuff he does must be so cool, and I’d love to have a go. Also, I would love to have the makeup done, I have actually said to a few of the wigs people “Can I please have the Phantom makeup done?” because then I could say I have done it – it's a bucket list for me.

If you could meet Christine and ask her one question, which question would you ask?

Oh my gosh, this is a really good question. I think I would just ask her if she is okay! I feel like I’d be like, lets just have a cup of tea and let’s chat this out before you act irrationally. Just girl to girl gossip. I would want to ask her a few things, but I’d just first want to ask if she is ok.

Can you sum up your time in Phantom so far using a lyric from the show?

This is so cliché, but I am going to say “Christine, I love you”. Because I love her.