Interview: Darren Day to appear in Chicago at Sunderland Empire

With All That Jazz - Darren Day to appear in Chicago

Chicago

Sunderland Empire

Monday 4 – Saturday 9 August 2025

West End and TV star, Darren Day, returns to the UK and Ireland tour of Chicago as Billy Flynn, coming to Sunderland Empire from Monday 4 – Saturday 9 August 2025. We caught up with Darren to chat all about life on the road, his relationship with fame, and all that jazz.

You’re no stranger to Chicago and the role of notorious lawyer, Billy Flynn. What drew you back? I just love the role; I’d wanted to play Billy Flynn for so long. I remember going for an initial meeting years ago and being told I didn’t look old enough, so that was the only negative when I was finally being offered the role - I now look old enough! When I got cast as Joseph in 1993 my manager called me, and I’ll never forget him saying, “the Dreamcoat is yours, mate”, and I hadn’t had a moment like that for a role since, but when my manager called and went, “hello Billy” I was honestly so excited. Billy Flynn had always been in my bucket list of roles to play, and having played it – this will now be my third time stepping into his shoes - it’s definitely in my top three. I’d be drawn back to this role every day of the week. Also, it’s the only show, for me, that doesn’t have any costume changes! It’s fantastic – I stay in a tux for the whole thing! [Laughs]

Has your interpretation of the character changed at all? With musical theatre you’re doing eight shows a week, week after week, month after month, so you want to play with it a little bit and explore new ways of doing things – taking risks sometimes even. Many of Billy’s scenes are with Roxie, so I’m excited to see what happens with my co-star Janette [Manrara]. I think it’ll be different this time around.

Chicago is the longest running American musical in Broadway and West End history. Why do you think the production stands the test of time? The word that sums up Chicago is iconic. It’s iconic theatre. It’s timeless. It never looks old, it always looks and feels new. It’s a really special show to be a part of. You’ve tackled some iconic stage roles — from Joseph to Jesus and now Billy. Do you have a favourite, or one that challenged you the most? I’ve been very lucky with the roles that I’ve played, there’s been a variety from one end of the spectrum to the other – I went from playing Joseph to the Cliff Richard role in Summer Holiday and then to Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show. Playing Billy Bigelow in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel was such a different role, and different style of classical singing. Back in the early days, when I was signed to Simon Cowell’s RCA records, my voice was naturally kind of poppy, and I’d riff a little bit. The musical director of Carousel would constantly pull me up on it. That was a challenge, but I loved it.

Darren Day

Theatre demands such discipline. How do you prepare both mentally and physically for a big tour like this, and has that routine changed over the years? I was singing in clubs and helping mates out on the building site, and then I rocked up and auditioned at the Palladium for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and it changed my life – I was being put with singing teachers, I had a humidifier in my dressing room, I’d be steaming my voice, and being very disciplined. I was doing that from 1993 – 1997, and then I started to party… What’s interesting is that I’ve now gone completely full circle – even last night I was steaming - I’m like I was at the beginning. To be honest, for the last three months, being back in theatre has all felt magical again, like how it did all those years ago. I’m very disciplined now. I’ve got to get my eight hours of sleep, and I go to the gym - self-care is important. My life is so different now.

You've had such a varied career, from musical theatre to TV and reality shows. Looking back, how do you think your relationship with fame has changed over time? I auditioned for Joseph in March of 1993, and the following week I was given the gig. Six weeks later, I’d been on every single television interview show that existed, I’d been on the cover of a big teen magazine, Smash Hits – my life had completely changed. Simon Cowell came backstage and offered me a three-year deal with RCA Records, and Nigel Lythgoe offered me my own show on Saturday night TV for three years. I was never one of the people who wanted to get into the industry to be famous – I wanted to sing; I wanted to perform. The press were calling me the ‘new Jason Donovan’ and the ‘Cliff Richard of the 90s’, but these labels came with a lot of pressure to behave yourself. In 1997 I stopped behaving myself and then the whole fame thing took a turn for me, and then it was tough, really tough. But I’m more philosophical about it now - having children changes your perspective about everything. My kids still google ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ and the different things I’ve done – some of the things I don’t want to remember – but they think it’s quite cool. The other day my little boy said, “Dad, I now realise how famous you were, because Ant and Dec came on to your Saturday night show, as your guests! I didn’t know you were that famous!” [Laughs].

Is there a dream role you’ve yet to play, or something you’d love to try that might surprise people? I would love to play The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. It’s such an iconic role, and I can remember so vividly when Michael Crawford was in it. When I do stage shows I sing ‘Music of the Night’, and I love singing that song. I’m not sure if the voice would handle it now, but I’d love to give it a go. When the spotlight’s off and the show’s wrapped for the night, how do you unwind — what’s a perfect post-show evening for you these days? A lot of the time I go to the gym. My life is boring [Laughs]. If people who read about me in the 90s saw my life now, they’d be shocked. I’m back at the hotel with a bar of chocolate and Netflix. One way I unwind is playing snooker. I was a pro snooker player, playing professionally in my teens. I haven’t played for years, but I’m finding it very therapeutic, and it helps me wind down. I bought myself a new cue recently.

Finally, is there a piece of advice you’ve received or that you would pass on to anyone hoping to go into the creative industry? When young people ask for my advice it’s very flattering. It’s such a different industry now, but as cliché as it is, I say go for your dreams. I went to the London Palladium to watch Morecambe and Wise with my grandad when I was 5-years old, and even then, I knew I wanted to play that theatre one day. I played Joseph in a school play, which I loved, and went to Jason Donovan’s opening night of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1991 and thought “it’d be my dream to have the role in this show”. Two years later, there I was opening in the role. The little jigsaw puzzles of life had led to that moment. Dream big, because it can happen – it happened for me.

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Tickets:

Chicago will bring the razzle-dazzle to Sunderland Empire’s stage from Monday 4 – Saturday 9 August 2025. Tickets available online now at ATGTickets.com/ Sunderland *