大象传媒

Ben didn鈥檛 win 大象传媒 One's 'Any Dream Will Do' but nevertheless he was offered another lead role as Link Larkin in the multi-award winning 'Hairspray', alongside musical supremo Michael Ball.

The Shaftesbury Theatre

大象传媒 Radio York鈥檚 Adam Tomlinson met up with Ben in his dressing room at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, home of 'Hairspray'. He asked Ben about his early days in Scarborough and how he got into acting, singing and dancing:

鈥淚 started when I was about ten. I actually followed my little brother to his first audition for the YMCA. He鈥檇 won a talent contest 鈥楽earch for a Star鈥� and I just went along with him to watch him, not really expecting to audition, but my Mum pushed me up there and I did it and from then on I never looked back.鈥�

Getting a place at the Italia Conti stage school made Ben realise that maybe he did have what it took to become a performer. The time he spent learning his craft at the YMCA theatre in Scarborough gave him a great start and Ben owes much to Chris Wilby and others at the theatre.

鈥淟ooking back it was a high standard of work we were producing. It was more than just an amateur theatre company, it was definitely a great place. We loved it and we all put on a good show at the end of it. It has such a good atmosphere and a well equipped theatre it made that dream of being on the West End more real because you felt a part of it already.听

鈥淭hey鈥檙e the people who gave me that spark and passion to want to do it.鈥�

Ben in 'Any Dream Will Do'

Then along came 大象传媒 One's 鈥楢ny Dream Will Do鈥� and the chance of a starring role in the West End revival of a huge show. Adam asked Ben what it was like being under the microscope week in and week out:

鈥淚t was petrifying, it was absolutely petrifying. It was such a big step, I鈥檇 come from the YMCA, I鈥檇 gone down to London, I鈥檇 started stage school which was a big step, and I was doing classes and it was all fine. Then this big massive roller coaster of a journey came along that threw everything up in the air.

鈥淚t was really hard, it was scary, it was emotional. After a few weeks of it, I really changed as a person and a performer, I had to toughen up a lot quicker and learn to take criticism and really work with it and not get upset by it. I think by the end of it, I was ready to leave.

鈥淚 was disappointed I didn鈥檛 win, but I鈥檇 already sat back and accepted the reality of the situation. Lee was always going to win, definitely when it got down to the last five or four. I鈥檇 already faced that fact and so leaving wasn鈥檛 as hard for me as it would have been if I鈥檇 left in the first few weeks. Lee deserved to win and he鈥檚 perfect for it.鈥�

Ben with his alter ego Link Larkin

Then came Ben鈥檚 big break with the offer of a role in 鈥楬airspray鈥�. Adam asked Ben how that came about:

David Grindrod the guy who cast 鈥楬airspray鈥� was the first person I saw for 鈥楢ny Dream Will Do鈥�, even before I saw the celebrity panel. He was always at the live shows and he came up to me the night I was out and said, 鈥橧鈥檝e got a script and I want you to come in on Monday and pick it up鈥�.

鈥淓verything was filmed and sent over to the Americans, who ultimately had the final word on it, it鈥檚 their show and their baby and they wanted to cast it.鈥�

The Americans kept Ben hanging on for a month, but eventually the call came to say he鈥檇 landed the part.

Award winning Ben James-Ellis

Does the lad from Scarborough take a reality check and pinch himself now and again, thinking is this really happening to me?

鈥淵es, looking round my dressing room, it鈥檚 not that nice a dressing room 鈥� it鈥檚 in the West End, but it鈥檚 the worst dressing room in the West End! Yes I do have to pinch myself. It鈥檚 a great show with a great cast. I鈥檝e reached what I dreamt of reaching, I鈥檓 here and I鈥檓 sat in my dressing room."

鈥淏oring reason, it鈥檚 just because of Equity and stage names, no one in the business is allowed to have the same name as anybody else and there was already a Ben Ellis down. My middle name is James so it was obvious to put it in as a double barrel.鈥�

Whatever his name, we鈥檙e sure the future is looking good for Ben and we鈥檒l keep an eye on him.