As in the Evening Standard magazine, Hot Tickets

11-17 February 2000

Jason Priestley makes his West End stage debut in the jazz musical Side Man: "It's every actor's dream to play in the West End. I haven't done a play for about ten years but I love the immediacy, the instant response. There are no second chances …"

JASON PRIESTLEY on SIDE MAN

"I'm really looking forward to making my London stage debut with Warren Leight's play, Side Man. It's every actor's dream to play in the West End, you know? And for American actors the opportunities are few and far between, so it's great.

Ughhh, hang on a sec. I'm just about to jump on a plane to Canada and I'm dealing with a missing passport fiasco. I lost my passport - it got stolen out of my coat last night. Oh God, got to rustle one up pretty quick.

But this is a brilliant part in a brilliant play and that's reason enough to do it. It follows a group of jazz musicians from the Fifties all the way to the Eighties - and there is a lot of music.

I'm a huge jazz fan. There is something about jazz which is very American, but hopefully English audiences will enjoy it too. The play has been a huge hit on Broadway and the cast - including Edie Falco, who just won another Golden Globe for The Sopranos - is unbelievable.

I try to pick projects that are interesting, with good people, and hope it works out, y'know. I enjoy the theatre, but I haven't done a play for about ten years - the last was in Vancouver, I think. I love the immediacy, the instant response. And the fact that there are no second chances. I dig that. I don't get too nervous although I'm sure that on opening night, I'll be a basket case."

Side Man previewing from Thursday, 17 February, and opens Monday, 28 February at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue.