Bobby Crush as Liberace. Not such a stretch for the highly-regarded London pianist, now his third turn as the celebrity in Liberace, Live from Heaven at the Leicester Square Theatre. Crush took an intermission from his performance, hailed as “full-blooded and affectionate,” to chat with GayCities about Liberace the man, the closeted performer–and where to hang out in two of the camp icon’s favorite cities, London and Las Vegas.
GC: You would seem made for this role–gay man, musician, performer…
This is actually my third Liberace project. The first was a play called Liberace’s Suit, which I did five years ago at the Jermyn Street Theatre. It was a dramatisation of the court case that Liberace took against the Daily Mirror in the 1950’s. The next Liberace show was a recreation of his old nightclub act with a live band, singers and dancers …. which brings us to the new show. The playwright and director Julian Woolford has come up with a one-man show called Liberace, Live from Heaven, which charts Liberace’s ascent to Heaven after his early death in 1987.
GC: The name of your show is sooo appropriately over the top! Was Liberace actually a good musician and performer or just great camp?
He was spectacular in both areas. A lot of people just remember him for the outrageous outfits but he was a gifted, classically trained pianist who played with some of the finest orchestras in the world.
GC: What would it have been like to actually be him, this icon who never really revealed himself publicly as gay yet was gayer than, well, than a three dollar bill, as we say in the US? Can you imagine, since you came out in 2007?
I nearly met him once. Early in my career, just after I got my initial TV break, my publicist at the time approached Liberace’s publicist to see if we could set up a photo shoot along the lines of The Old Trooper Meets The New Boy. He was coming over to do some concerts at the Palladium. Apparently, he was up for it but unfortunately, as he flew into London for his concerts, I flew out to Australia to do my first work over there, so it never materialised.
GC: The gay aspect of his life must have been difficult. Things were very different back then and his audience was middle-aged women who might have found it hard to accept.
My own “coming out” was a lot easier although even I would have thought twice about coming out in the 70’s, when attitudes were not as relaxed as they are now.
GC: Much like Sir Elton John, who came out early. Why do performers still think they can’t be openly gay, even in this day and age? Hollywood is full of closet cases, though the closet in England appears less strong.
I can understand it, to an extent–actors not being open. They think it will cancel them out when it comes to “romantic leads” and that they’ll no longer be “believable.” In 2009 it really shouldn’t be a big deal. Young people seem to be quite accepting of the whole gay thing with openly gay pop stars, gay storylines in soaps, civil partnerships, etc. Hopefully, we’ve turned a corner.
GC: Liberace played all over the world, but was a huge hit in Vegas.
Yes, I visited the Liberace Museum in Vegas in preparation for my first role. It’s wild! I loved viewing the costumes and the cars and. when the volunteers got to hear that I was a famous pianist from England, I was invited to play Liberace’s mirrored piano, which was quite a thrill. Liberace, along with the Rat Pack, was the person who really put Las Vegas on the map as a centre for entertainment.
GC: What do you think of Las Vegas? Where do you stay? Where do you go out there?
I only started going about five years ago. When I fly to the States, it’s nearly always to New York so I can see the new shows on Broadway but I was desperate to see Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme at the Stardust Hotel, LV, so that prompted my first visit. They were sensational … one of the best acts I’ve ever seen. I stayed at the Flamingo Hotel but I’ve been back a couple of times since then and stayed at the MGM Grand and the Bellagio. I go and see a show every night and so far have seen Barry Manilow, The Pointer Sisters, Celine Dion and Gladys Knight, as well as countless Cirque de Soleil shows and the like. I love it!
GC: Wow! Sounds like fun… How ’bout London. Where do you like to hang out there, say, before & after your show? Where should a visitor to your show get a hotel? Do you have a favorite?
Well, I live in London so I’m not really one for staying in hotels here. Dinner after the show is often at Joe Allen’s in Exeter Street or the Ivy, which has long been a favourite. I’ve just become a member of the Groucho Club so if I’m just going for drinks, perhaps there. My show is at the Leicester Square Theatre and friends who came down from Birmingham to see it last week stayed at the Soho Hotel in Richmond Mews, which they absolutely loved.
GC: Where should your audience go to really enjoy London. Any inside tips?
It’s an old cliche but go and stand on Waterloo Bridge for a while and take in the stunning view from both sides … especially effective at night!
GC: Anything else you’d like to impart to visitors to London?
Yes, come and see Liberace, Live from Heaven at the Leicester Square Theatre! Audiences are loving it and we’re getting a lot of repeat business. It’s a fun night out, glorious costumes and a chance to hear some of Liberace’s greatest hits … you even get to vote whether he stays in Heaven or gets sent below!
