Euan Fistrovic Doidge on becoming Joseph
Ahead of the Melbourne premiere of the acclaimed London Palladium production Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, I caught up with Euan Fistrovic Doidge to find out more about this much-anticipated production.
Originally from New Zealand, Doidge moved to Australia in 2000. In 2011 he enrolled to study musical theatre at Patrick Studios, where he mastered his craft, and at the end of that year got his first lead role in a musical with Tim Lawson.
Can you tell me a little bit about the audition process?
Euan: I was actually originally not going to go in because I was doing Cruel Intentions and the tour was due to crossover with Joseph. But after finding out there wasn’t going to be a clash, I decided to try my luck. I sang Joseph’s big song, which is “Close Every Door”, that comes in towards the end of act one. I workshopped it with the Creative Team and Lawrence Connor, who I also worked with on Les Mis and it felt like destiny.
Joseph’s obviously been seen in many theatres and schools all around the world. What makes this new Australian production unique?
Euan: Well, it’s an all-Australian cast for starters, and that doesn’t happen so much in Australia with overseas productions. I think that is really exciting for the industry, and also for people to see Australian talent on the stage doing mainstage musicals. Also, it’s lots of people’s first show, so there’s a whole heap of new energy which is always exciting to see on stage. And you know, having Paulini in the production is another added thrill, I guess, for everyone. She’s such a beautiful storyteller. And I think people are going to be blown away by what Shane [Crawford] can do. There’s been a lot of opinions on Shane doing this production, but he’s auditioned like everyone else and he is an absolute legend of a guy. I think he does an incredible job at playing the Pharaoh. I think he’s going to wow Australian audiences for sure.
What role does celebrity casting play in mainstream musical theatre?
Euan: Well, for starters, it’s also an opportunity for musical theatre performers to work with Australian celebrities, which sometimes is next to impossible. For us to be alongside them every night is a bonus in itself. You know, we learn from them and they also learn from us, coming into a world that’s completely unknown. Australian audiences need familiarity, and having Australian celebrities in a musical is just that. And it’s what draws crowds and brings an excitement that I think we need here in Australia.
What role do you think revivals play in the current theatre landscape?
Euan: I think they play a huge role. We’re not Broadway and we’re not the West End. Australian audiences love something that they’re familiar with. We love productions that we’ve seen as children or that we’ve grown up seeing. I think it’s important to bring shows back to remind people of why they fell in love with theatre in the first place.
Do you think that the biblical stories explored in the show are still as relevant today as they were when the show was first staged?
Euan: Yes. But I think it has a different meaning now. I think that people can relate to it in various ways. The great thing about this production is that when they brought it back the first time at the London Palladium, it was around the time of Black Lives Matter. “Close Every Door” had a lot of weight, and I think that’s the beauty in the evolution of theatre, especially with this show – it can be relatable, no matter when it’s played.
Is there a theme in the show that you specifically relate to as a performer?
Euan: I think standing up for a bigger worldly idea is something that I think I definitely relate to, whether it be, something like Black Lives Matter or, being a person of colour, standing up for something that I believe in, that we are worthy of making change, whatever that may be. I’ve noticed that quite a bit, especially in the last few weeks of really getting into that song and finding that there’s much more weight and meaning to the show than I actually even thought originally. Forgiveness is definitely one that I can kind of relate to, feeling like the outsider and being unsure why people don’t like you.
Finally, why should audiences come and see this show?
Euan: Because it’s amazing and it’s full of life and heart. And it will make you think and feel things that I don’t expect.
