Daniel Evans
Daniel Evans would seem to have none of the daunting personal and artistic issues that plague the two men named George that he portrays in Sunday in the Park with George. After all, the 34-year-old British stage star is on a career high with his performance in the new staging, which won him his second Olivier Award last year when it played London's West End. After earning a slew of rave reviews which, no, he hasn't read following the show's opening at Studio 54 last month, Evans is now a sure-thing nominee for Broadway's top theater awards. This will come as a surprise to none of his peers in the U.K., where Evans has established himself as a chameleon of a performer, bouncing between high-profile musicals Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel and classical credits with ease. Broadway.com recently sat down with this likable Broadway newcomer to discuss the journey of Sunday, the art of clog dancing and the Hollywood hunk who almost stole his big moment.
Congratulations on your great reviews—especially from Ben Brantley in The New York Times. But then again, he already loved it in London, right?
Thank you. Yes, Mr. Brantley reviewed us at [the Menier] Chocolate Factory, but that was when we first did the thing two and a half years ago. It feels very different now, especially here. Every space we've done the show—even the Wyndham's Theatre in the West End—has a special thing about it.
What's special about doing it on Broadway at Studio 54?
The expanse is special because the piece has big ideas and having the literal space for them to just breathe and get out there is terrific. And I think the set looks more elegant here because we have the height and we can put high things in. At the Chocolate Factory, things had to slide in from the wings and normally it was cast members pulling them in so hopefully, we have a bit more grace now in terms of the visual aspects. On the other hand, Studio 54 has its challenges because you're playing to 10 times the amount of people that we had at the Chocolate Factory.
Does that affect your work?
It has to because you have to get it out there. You have to think of those people up in the back row that probably feel like they're in a different zip code! My fear coming here is that we could lose the intimacy that we had at the Chocolate Factory—which has six rows of seats—because that was a glorious thing about it, being so small and true.
Really? [Laughs.] I think that's probably nice, isn't it? That's probably quite good!
What's it like dealing with the facial hair and wig that you wear in Act One?
Oh, my skin is… Actually, it's calmed down today because we had 48 hours off, but my skin hates the glue. It's glued on in Act One, but I'm really thrilled with how it looks because it's very different than what we had in London. It feels closer to what he looked like and it really links me. There's something a bit leonine about the look here.
Does it help you get inside the head of Georges Seurat?
It's like putting on a costume. These 19th century costumes…when you put them on, you have to stand in a certain way. They encourage you to stand tall and that's really lovely, especially when you're doing a period piece. And it pays dividends in Act Two when I can take everything off. In London, I had my own beard and kept the beard in Act Two obviously. Here, I shower during the interval and come out a different person.
How was the opening night party?
It was really wonderful but my face was aching from smiling for photographs! I had never been to an opening night party that big.
Did you have friends and family in from London?
Yes, my partner was here, my parents were here, a few others that I've worked with in London had come. Some of the original cast members from the London production were also here. It was nice to have their support although I didn't get to talk to them at all at the party. Not at all, literally!
I'm sure they were fine just enjoying your big success!
Yes, they were fine. They were drinking away!
What's Stephen Sondheim like?
Oh, where do I start?
Did he come see the show at the Chocolate Factory?
He was there, in the back row. We all knew that he and [librettist James] Lapine might come see it but they said they wouldn't tell the cast when they were there. Of course I went in this one Sunday and everybody's running around and suddenly the Chocolate Factory's been tarted up and there are reserved signs on two seats in the back row and you think, "Hmm. I wonder what's happening today." It's like the day the New York Times critic came to see the show on Broadway. The entire production team was running around like headless chickens. They try and hide it from you but they can't.
They're not very good actors. That's your job!
Yes, that's why we do what we do. Even if they'd managed to hide it from us at the Chocolate Factory that day, I still would have come out and said my first line—"White, a blank page or canvas"— and seen Stephen Sondheim in row six, with James Lapine next to him! But he was so generous with his time afterwards. He gave us some notes and then when we transferred to the Wyndham's on the West End, he came to work with us during previews, which was glorious, and then he worked with us again here and threw us a party at his house and he came to the final preview just to wish me good luck. It doesn't really get much better.
Had you met him when you starred in Merrily We Roll Along, too?
Yeah, he worked with us during Merrily at the Donmar. Both times I've had one-on-one sessions with him, going through his songs.
He worked with you on "Franklin Shepard, Inc."?
Oh my God. He took me through miniscule moments behind every single line, syllable, hand gesture. He can be fabulously strict and I love that. It's often about the lyrics and the intention behind them and if you're acting, that's fantastic information.
Let's talk about the video projections of yourself in the show, which enable you to essentially play off your own image. How did you shoot it?
We shot it all against a green screen. We've filmed it three different times—once for the Chocolate Factory, one for the transfer to the Wyndham's and then we filmed it again here. We've managed to hopefully this time kind of hone it in and really make it polished.
I can't think of it either. Unless maybe Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers, where he plays his own twin. But onstage, probably not. It's like an egomaniac's dream, isn't it? Having so many versions of yourself around. Actually, filming it is quite fun because each one of them—we call them the "Fake Georges"—is very different. Number four is a terrible drunk.
Ha. Is he the one upstage left?
Yes, he ends up there. For people who come again and again to the show, you can watch that particular George as he gets more and more hammered!
When did you first get the itch to get up on stage?
I was taken by my grandmother to our local amateur theater in Wales. I think that's where it all really started.
Were you one of those kids that would get up on the table and dance for relatives?
Absolutely not. Not at home. I actually was very shy and I'd hate it if my parents would say, "Oh, go on and sing" at a party. I'd say, "Absolutely not, no way!"
But you got involved in something called the Urdd Eisteddfod, which is…what?!
In Wales, we have this sort of cultural festival that happens every year and it's a series of competitions of singing, reciting poems, clog dancing…
Do you clog dance?
[Laughs.] I did when I was 10.
What kind of dances would you do with your clogs?
I can't believe I'm talking about this! [Laughs.] You know, you can make noise. It's a step dance. It's not like tap dancing. Tap dancing is all about light, clog dancing is all about stamping.
More like riverdancing?
It's a bit closer to that. I was quite good at it but I never won!
So you were like Billy Elliot, but with big wooden clogs.
I was a bit like Billy Elliot. Oh my God, yes, I suppose I was!
You came to Broadway before with the Royal Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer's Night's Dream.
Yeah, that's right. Twelve years ago. I studied at the Guildhall School for three years but left early when I got a job at the RSC. I played the boy in Henry V, a really lovely part, and then Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Then I took over for Toby Stevens as Lysander and got to do the show on Broadway.
Have you been back to New York often in the past 12 years?
I did two workshops here. About four years ago I did a reading of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever with [director] Michael Mayer…
You mean the version where the female lead turned into a male?
Yes, I got to play the role of David Gamble, which was originally Daisy Gamble. It's fantastic. I hope it still happens. And before that, I did a reading with Christopher Ashley—an Alan Menken and David Spencer stage version of the film The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. And I've been back and forth since those jobs on holidays once or twice.
But this Broadway run will be your longest stretch in the city.
Yes and it's really exciting. I have an apartment on the 44th floor and I can see the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building from every window! Every time I look out, I'm reminded, as if I could ever forget, of where I am. I do think this is sort of a once in a lifetime experience. I really do.
I think the grass is always greener. You talk to American actors and they all want to go to the West End. They think London's it. I was in a cab the other day and I said, "Go to Studio 54" and the driver was like, "Oh, you're working there? You're on Broadway?! Wow!" You really get the notion that it means something here and that it's a big deal to get to Broadway. If you're in a cab in London, the guy would probably say, "Have you been on anything on TV that I've seen you in?" "I don't know, maybe Doctor Who?" "Oooh, Doctor Who? Great!" I'd be at the National Theatre or whatever and they couldn't give a shit!
Was it a given that you'd transfer to Broadway with the show?
No, I think they wanted Hugh Jackman.
Hugh Jackman? Really?
Yes, but I don't know. I think the show was always going to come and they always flirted with the idea of bringing Jenna [Russell] and I with it. We finally were able to do it because we exchanged visas with two actresses in Caroline, or Change, which was at the National two years ago.
Do you think there's a sort of resentment when actors come across the pond and take roles from local actors? Perhaps you feel it when Americans come to London. Were you nervous about that?
Really nervous! I've met actors who've come to see the show and come backstage and they can barely speak to me because… I don't know why, but I guess it's that they'd love to play it and I don't blame them. Who wouldn't want to play it? It's an amazing piece and an amazing part. I got to meet Michael Cerveris and I'm such a huge fan and he was just honest with me. He did it at the Ravinia Festival and he said, "I'd love to get another shot at it" and we both laughed. I realize that I'm in an enviable position and I don't take it for granted.
So, do you think Hugh Jackman would have made a good George?
Oh, God. I think Hugh Jackman would be a good anything, wouldn't he? [Laughs.]
