Aussies Abroad: Bonnie Page
Bonnie Page is an Aussie Musical Theatre Performer based in London. From her international debut at Universal Studios Singapore, to starting her Jersey Boys journey on the high seas, Bonnie has worked extensively abroad. She took some time from her busy schedule as Swing/Dance Captain on the West End production of Jersey Boys to chat with us about her amazing career overseas.
First of all, whereabouts in Australia are you from?
Well, I was born in Victoria, lived on the Mornington Peninsula, and then I moved to the Gold Coast [and] finished school, from probably the age of 10. Then I studied in Ballarat. So, I’ve kind of been to and fro a little bit, but most of my family is on the Gold Coast.
When and how did you start performing for the very first time?
I have always been performing, my whole life. My mom used to get embarrassed by me. In the supermarket, I’d be singing to the butcher or the person in the line.
I probably got really into it [at] school, I went to All Saints Anglican School, which is quite a big school for arts on the Gold Coast. Actually, I started playing violin before I did anything else, I was in grade two, and [then] choir, music extension and drums. Johnny Young Talent School was a big thing when I was younger, they had Young Talent Time [on tv], and I started dancing [there]…. I was seven or eight maybe. Then [I] started singing lessons.
I really have never done anything else, I felt really grateful that when my friends were trying to figure out what to do after school, there was never a question that I was gonna study musical theatre. The goal was always to make the West End, but I didn’t really think it would be possible from Australia. I couldn’t be more grateful that… I have managed to achieve what I set out to do.
What have you found to be similar and/or different about working in the UK as opposed to Australia?
In ways it’s quite similar, in ways quite different, I think because the West End is a bigger hub for musical theatre. There are countless shows at any one time, you’ve got long running shows and then you’ve got shows that’ll just go into a short season. Whereas in Australia you’ve got a few going at any one time, but they’re normally long running shows. So, I feel like in Australia they’ve got their different challenges, but it’s harder to break into it because people will be using this cast and then as that show’s finishing, another show’s starting and half that cast will go into this [new] cast.
Whereas in the [UK], I feel [there’s] probably more competition, but there’s more job opportunities… the ratio is better. Also, if you’re at home, I feel if you’re not right for that particular show or you are not well, or you don’t get an audition, there’s only a few big ones that’ll really come around. There’s more scope to create opportunities for yourself as well over here.
You’ve been performing in Jersey Boys on and off since 2018. Can you talk about your history with the show and all the different roles that you’ve played?
So [my new agent signed me] on the Friday, on the Monday I got a call saying ‘can you go in tomorrow? I’ve got a cancelled slot for a Jersey Boys audition’ and I said yes. But I was, working as a TA in a high school and I was doing hallway duty, so I’m trying to learn this Lorraine script and telling kids to stop running around at lunchtime. Then I went home, picked a couple of songs that I thought would kind of work, to then go in for the audition the next day. I went in, I sang, I did the scenes and by the time I walked to the Lyric [Theatre] from Pineapple [Dance Studio], I had an audition call back for the next day. So I did the rest of the week of auditions and then booked Jersey Boys.
So, I did that and played Lorraine originally, first time round, that was mid 2018, and then I came off the ship, early 2019. They offered me the contract again straight away, but I needed a break, [to] see what I could get on land, and had very little success getting in the audition room for anything. I did reasonably well with SIX auditions, but that was the only thing I got in the room for. So then when they asked me again to come back for [Cast] 5.0, I thought ‘why not’? Because I knew I wasn’t done with the show, and I loved it. So, I went and started another contract [as Lorraine and Dance Captain], because if I’m going back, I want to move to the next level, do something else in the show and maybe that will help me later on.
[It was] 2nd of January 2020. We did rehearsals and then went on the ship and then Covid hit. We thought we were going home for a couple of weeks and then [I was] stuck there for a year and a half. I am really close with Danny Austin [Jersey Boys Associate Choreographer] and I messaged him [about] going back to the ship. But [he] thought I was messaging [him] about the Town [West End] Production, announced that day and Danny said to ‘send me your stuff and I’ll forward it to Jill [Green Casting for] the role of swing’. I didn’t think I fit into Mary or Francine at all… but was absolutely willing to give it a try. So, then I did all of my auditions on Zoom and self-tapes from home. I find it quite ironic that I moved to London to try and make the West End, yet I ended up booking my first West End gig from Australia.
So, I did the first cast of Trafalgar [as] swing/dance captain. I cover first cover for all three females, but then I have done split versions of the show where I’ve covered Hank, Crew, Barry, and Pesci and I also went and did that on tour too, which is bizarre. This time around, is the first time I’ve ever stayed in the one contract. This time I got to run the auditions and cast the show with them, be part of the creative team, and then also teach the show, which was amazing. So, that was a really good opportunity for me to branch out and go on a bit more of that side.
Can you tell me a little bit about some of your most exciting or memorable moment working abroad?
Probably the first time I stepped onto the stage here [at the Trafalgar Theatre], the very first time hearing that audience, and it was a great audience too. That roar in the finale! I was holding that final pose and I thought, ‘wow, I just danced on the West End, and those people are cheering’. That’s incredible. Probably that moment. It was one of those, oh, I’ve made it, I achieved my dream [moments].
Since you’ve experienced performing all over the world, what is it like working on shows in different languages, especially if you’re adjusting to different cultures?
You need a lot of trust in the people around you. For me, it’s just repetition, repetition, repetition, going over and over and over. It’s funny because [with] AIDA, we sang in German, we had phonetics lessons on how to pronounce what we were saying, and I knew the translation of that specifically. But we never had any sort of German lessons, so I couldn’t speak in German. But after a couple of years of working on that and hearing German all the time, I can understand quite a lot of German. I think you’ve just gotta immerse yourself and just throw yourself in.
[Also] working abroad gives you the opportunity to open your eyes to different cultures, different people. When I go home to Australia, I barely have any friends [there] anymore because all of my friends are scattered around the world. But the best part about that is no matter where I go, I’ve always got people that I can catch up with and see. My first job was in Singapore and that was amazing. I think as well, being willing to go abroad and do things abroad opens up so many more opportunities, you can just see more, explore more, meet more people.
So, having worked as a swing, emergency swing and dance captain all during the pandemic, can you tell us some of your best stories about keeping the show on?
Oh, there’s so many. The very first time we cut the show to do a male split [track] show; I think I had an hour to try and cut the show. Not just figuring out who’s dancing or doing which lines but making sure I comb through the full tracks really carefully so I haven’t missed a table or a chair or something. I had to be on for Barry for these lines in the court. The judge, that was so stressful the very first time I was coming on, I’ve never learnt lines for a show the day [of].
Also, I’d probably say when they called me to go up to the tour. I got the call at about nine 30 at night from one of our producers [asking if I] fancy coming up to Blackpool tomorrow. It was four and a half hours away on the train, they had a double show matinee, [and] they have none of my costumes or anything, obviously. So, I’ve got these massive bags walking out the front of the theatre and trying to hail a cab with all my costumes, and they were very heavy. Get home, try and fit them all into my suitcases with my wigs and everything, and then get on a train at 7:00 AM to go up to Blackpool to then learn the show. Because, although it’s the same show, the tracking is very different in our version and the stage is much bigger. Choreography is different, tracks are different. Timing’s really different. So, I just went, I had 20 minutes to learn it and I went on for Mary for a Double show. That was probably my biggest challenge to keep the show alive, was to get to go from town to tour.
Who are some people you’ve particularly enjoyed working with, outside the current cast of Jersey Boys?
Oh, there are too many names to pick. I will say Danny Austin is a huge mentor of mine and I wouldn’t be where I am now without him. He just has a way of getting the best out of people and he has a really nurturing way of teaching. But at the same time, you don’t wanna do anything wrong, cause you just want to do it right for Danny. So, I’d say Danny Austin’s a huge part of my journey.
So, what do you miss most about living in Australia?
Oh, the weather! Obviously, my family, I do miss my family. The older I get, the more difficult it is to leave, because I’m miss milestones with my family. I never really get homesick but leaving is hard.
What advice would you give to other Australian artists who want to work overseas in the UK or internationally?
Just go for it. There are a lot of roadblocks that’ll be thrown up at you. It is hard. It is expensive and it can be daunting, but you don’t know until you try and [it’s] better to [try].
UK Readers can catch Bonnie performing as a swing at some performances of the West End Production of Jersey Boys, currently booking until Sunday the 1st of October. Book your tickets at: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/jersey-boys/trafalgar-theatre/
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
