West End Motown Star David Albury on Getting into the Groove of Playing Smokey Robinson

David Albury has gained attention in the verbatim musical Committee… at the Donmar and as Fleetwood in Michael Blakemore’s British stage debut of The Life and is now making his proper West End debut as Smokey Robinson in Motown: The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Broadway.com caught up with the smart and charming performer early one recent evening prior to show time for a chat.

How did you come to be part of this production?
I actually first auditioned for this show when it came around originally about three years ago but was unsuccessful the first few times. They brought over [Tony nominee] Charl Brown from Broadway and then Obioma Ugoala, who’s now in Hamilton. But I did always think I would play this role someday. Call it blind faith or youthful exuberance, I believed that one day I would do this role but I didn’t think it would be my West End debut.

How did it feel to join as a take-over?
This is the first time I’ve joined an already established production, apart from when I did The Lion King on a U.K. tour but that was essentially a new company. I’m so different to both the guys who preceded me, who are both very tall and have huge presence not just because of their size. Luckily, though I saw them both play the role, [associate director] Tara Wilkinson said she wanted me to strip it right back so that I could deliver how I understood Smokey Robinson and what I’d found out about him. I was encouraged to bring a new stamp. Since I joined last September, the cast has largely changed again—we're on Motown 3.0 as the current cast is called.

In what way do you connect with the part?
I feel as if the timbre of my voice—the range—is very well suited to the role. I also have loved discovering the way Smokey comes across in interviews: his self-awareness and interest and passion. I love to write songs and music myself, so there are a lot of parallels.

So, Smokey’s sound comes naturally to you?
In all honesty when I first auditioned for the show, it was right at the peak of my register, but as the weeks have gone on, it has settled down wonderfully. Just today we had [Motown founder] Berry Gordy’s right-hand man, Michael Lovesmith, come in and do some work with us, and he encouraged a bit more freedom so as to give a little bit more of what the audience wants. Within the blueprint of what is a challenging sing, I feel as if I can take Smokey’s passion to a new place.

What are the expectations surrounding a show like this?
It’s funny with this one: we’re not just a tribute show because we’re telling a story, but it’s not just a song cycle either. I think people are coming to hear the music of artists they’ve seen previously or listen to people they’ve heard, so there has to be an element of capturing the essence of what that vocal performance was like.

How did you first become aware of Smokey Robinson?
I was fortunate enough to have a father who, despite not working in the music industry, became known as Britain’s first black gospel DJ under the alias Sam Scott. In fact, he’s not black or American—he was born in Birmingham and my mum is Ghanaian—but he would put on this faux-American voice and was always very interested in black music; there were always Motown tracks playing throughout our house.

You mention your predecessor in this part moving on from Motown to Hamilton: is that show on your wish list as well?
Well, it’s a foolish performer who wants to remain in the industry and doesn’t keep one eye on what’s out there, so I try and keep my finger on what’s going on. Obviously, Hamilton is a great piece and revolutionary for our times and is maybe something I’d go for.

Is there a separate appeal, as well, to originating something next time out?
That’s the thing: I’m also very excited about new works and someone maybe taking the Hamilton style and applying it to stories about British nation-hood or stories that are close to home. It would be nice to do a show where I wasn’t using an American accent [laughs].

On that front, was the American aspect of Motown comparatively easy, especially following on from The Life?
I find when I’m getting into characters that I try to surround myself a lot more with the trappings, so I have been listening to a lot of American news programs and stuff like that. And as we all know, America has such a good history of developing new musicals that we sort of have an infrastructure built around it.

You’re reflective enough to make me wonder whether performing was always the career for you?
I actually did a philosophy degree in Leeds, just to make sure I’d given myself the full range of academic experience. I thought at the time I might be a lawyer or a consultant. As an actor, I think the philosophy training lends itself to focused thinking on any number of chosen issues, and it’s certainly helped me to think critically and according to the principles one holds. [Albury trained as an actor at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama.]

Are you going to be able to get away to see your colleagues from The Life, Sharon D. Clarke and T’Shan Williams, in Caroline, or Change up at the Hampstead Theatre?
On longer contracts like this, we get holiday days, which is when I saw Hamilton the other week. But luckily Caroline, or Change has Wednesday matinees, when we are dark, so I have booked for April 18.

And I have to ask whether this show has made you think of a nickname for yourself, given that Smokey Robinson’s actual first name was William?
It’s funny you saying that! I’ve had a fair few nicknames in my life. My mum always used to call me DK which was an amalgam of my first two names and that stuck for a little and some people call me D. But hopefully by the time I’ve achieved the status of Smokey Robinson, one will naturally suggest itself—hopefully something favorable.