How would you like to take an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the magic of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory – with no less than Veruca Salt as your guide?
Actor Kazmin Borrer – who plays the horrible brat in the stunning musical now playing at His Majesty’s Theatre – stepped out of her spoilt character to be a gracious guide to the props and sets sitting in the wings of HMT for every show.
As well as showing us around backstage in this special video, Kazmin told us how much she is enjoying the two-week run of the hit show in Aberdeen.
“It’s been really fun. The audiences in Aberdeen are really responsive, so it’s nice for me to be back in Scotland,” said the Glagow-born actor.
Kazmin is having a ball as Veruca Salt at His Majesty’s Theatre
Kazmin is clearly having a ball as Veruca and her terrible “want it now” attitude – even though it is a million miles from her own personality.
“I’m not like Veruca at all, so I just have to channel all her horrible thoughts and just being really spoiled. I live in Surrey now and probably see a fair few Veruca Salts where I live, so maybe that’s where I get my inspiration,” she said.
“But it is actually nice to play the one who is not very nice. Playing the baddy is always fun. You never get bored being really horrible.”
A fan of the Johnny Depp film version of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Kamzin wanted to make the role of Veruca her own. She prepared by going back to the source material from the genius of Roald Dahl.
“When I got the audition, I reread the books to see what the original version of Veruca was like, because I was biased from the film version. I think the screen portrayals are very true to the original story, so it was kind of just take that basis then bring my own version to it.”
Kazmin’s transformation in the horrible Veruca Salt is remarkable
The transformation from brat to her charming self is quite remarkable – so much so that often she goes unrecognised while on tour.
“When I’m walking out the stage door, because I look quite different, people don’t realise it’s me. I also get loads of people saying ‘oh, you’re so different’. I take that as a compliment.”
Her role in the show – which sees poor but kind Charlie Bucket go on a journey of discovery with mysterious confectioner Willy Wonka – comes with physical demands.
Veruca – like the other distasteful urchins who join Charlie on the tour of Wonka’s chocolate factory – comes to a sticky end. In her case she ends up being battered and binned by a giant squirrel as a “bad nut”.
Kazmin said: “All the kids love what we call our ‘death scenes’ – although we don’t die. But I really enjoy getting hit by the squirrel, then going down the slide and into the bin.
“I have been bruised a few times, but it is so much fun and very satisfying.”
Before her demise, Veruca has some ballet moves – and as the daughter of two professional dancers with Scottish Ballet and doing ballet most of her life, it must have been nice for Kazmin to be back in a tutu.
Lots of ballet pressure for Kazmin in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
“I always thought that, but it was actually so much pressure, even though I don’t do the biggest ballet number,” said Kazmin, who was last in Aberdeen with the tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
“When my parents came along it was like ‘oh god, principal ballet dancer parents coming to watch you do a version of ballet’.”
Kazmin has a message for fans heading to see Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at His Majesty’s before the run ends on Saturday.
“My first message is that I promise I’m not as horrible as Veruca Salt, please come and say hi at the stage door,” she said.
“And just enjoy the show. It’s such a feel-good night and I think everyone at the moment needs some taking away from real life and this is the perfect show for that.”
For more information and tickets for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory visit aberdeenperformingarts.com
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