Tag Archives: y: various

mischief managed

I was browsing through the Dear Evan Hansen programme, and as usual paid close attention to Rupert’s bio. What new treasure might I unearth here…? Wait, what! “Koala Singing” in the television credits? What on earth is that…?!

A quick Google turned up no reasonable results, so I asked The Man Himself at the stage door – and Rupert confessed to occasionally including a made-up credit in his bio as a shout-out to one of his friends or family members. He said he hadn’t done it for a while now, but of course once I got back home to Oz I fished out my old theatre programmes.

This is what I found:

  • Memories of Prague” listed under theatre credits in the High Society programme.
  • Singing with Molly” listed under theatre credits in the Philanderer programme.
  • Koala Singing” listed under television credits in the Dear Evan Hansen (West End) programme.

There are a couple of entries in the Company programme for which I don’t have any further details. One is for a legit production (Feeding Time at the Battersea Arts Centre) and the other might be true (Three’s a Crowd at Shepherd Churchill Hall). However, the three productions listed above seem to be fakes, so I decided to leave the two Company listings on my “more research needed” page.

Well played, Rupert!

school years

We already knew that Rupert attended Pangbourne College in Berkshire during the academic years 1991-96, with mentions of his skills in (field) hockey and acting. Delightfully, though, the College has now digitised its annual magazine, The Log, and made it publicly available online – and so we are gifted with some more lovely details about our favourite young man.

If these magazines only provided a few dry facts, I would probably not cross the line and share them here. However, there are a couple of absolutely adorable anecdotes included – and while Rupert earned himself a negative remark or two early on, the whole story ends very happily indeed.

So, in the hopes that no one will mind too much, I hereby present the relevant excerpts.


1991-92, age 13

[The following “Young” may or may not be our Rupert, but chances are that he would have been in the Chapel Choir, and it does feel rather irresistibly like him! There was another student as well as a teacher or housemaster named Young, hence the need for disambiguation.]

The Italian Jobby

What a wonderful idea; combine a choir and brass group tour with a little culture in the company of some Lower Sixth Art Historians. Seduced by thoughts of Vivaldi, Gabrielli and Purcell blending with Botticelli, Brunelleschi and Michelangelo, a troupe of some 47 musicians, culture vultures and camp followers set off for Dover and parts foreign. …

The electric keyboard sounded more like a harpsichord as the evening progressed with La P doing her stuff and McVittie, Young (the thin, beardless, musical variety) and Gummer were in equally fine voice. It was especially good to hear Simpson finally being supported by the tenors he had abused, cajoled and at last convinced to open their mouths when singing and not just when eating.

Volti Subito

[That pseudonym is divine in this context. It’s a musical direction meaning “turn the page quickly”.]

The Rugby Club, U 14 ‘B’ XV

After such a successful and enjoyable season it would be more fitting to look back at the players involved with the glory of a happily balanced side than to reflect on the highlights of autumn. …

Now looking forward we see a pack seething with spirit, keen to block, keen to drive, and always keen for ball. In the front row we had a specialist hooker in C. Young (we will not mention fine-outs) who was propped up by two valiant players in R. Young, the captain, and Davidson, both of whom would have preferred to play in the back row. They were very obviously worried about looking like a familiar Scottish biologist but were reassured when told that it took years to end up like him and that one term would do them no harm. …

This [a miracle transformation] is actually true of the whole side. After they had got down to basics and learnt how good discipline can be effective they became a stylishly professional side which deserved the success it enjoyed.

Well played!

T.J.C.R. / P.G.S. 

Continue reading school years

still researching…

This is a list of Rupert’s work that we’re still researching – things we’ve heard about or seen glimpses of, but don’t have enough confirmed details about to post. If you can help us with more information and links or images, we’d very much appreciate it!

film

  • The Ministry, a film by Ben Kent, featuring Rupert and Jasmine Hemsley – the team who brought us Helen and Ben!
  • Rupert filmed something in England in November 2013 for a project to be released in 2014 … though we still don’t know what! And he didn’t seem all that certain that he wouldn’t end up on the cutting room floor. {sad face}
  • Rupert filmed a movie in the US in 2015. No further details yet, but this was mentioned in an interview, and he mentions ‘a new comedy-drama’ in another interview.
  • Rupert was off on a new work project as of early December 2016, though we don’t know what! Perhaps the Bet Victor ad…?

theatre

  • Feeding Time at the BAC (Battersea Arts Centre), as listed in the Company programme. This is perhaps the production which ran from 22 November to 11 December 2005. Listing for the production on UK Theatre Web. I can’t find a full cast list, but other actors have referenced the production on their CVs.
  • Three’s a Crowd at Shepherd Churchill Hall, as listed in the Company programme. This might be one of Rupert’s joke listings, but there’s a “Broadway revue” with this title that dates back to 1930. The Hall is real enough, and can be found at Harrow school. So perhaps this is one of his early / amateur efforts…?
  • Rupert possibly? probably? hopefully! appeared in performances of The Show Must Go On! concert at the Palace Theatre on 13-15 November 2020 and 20-24 January 2021. This is a collection of cast performances from various West End shows, including Dear Evan Hansen, with profits going to Acting For Others and The Fleabag Support Fund. With no specific cast lists, I’m left with more questions than answers! More info and ticket sales here.

As I said above, any help would be awesome!