Andy Howells chats to Sam Kane who is currently directing and starring in the pantomime Cinderella at The New Theatre, Cardiff.
Actor, Sam Kane is having a busy pantomime season. Not only is he currently starring as an Ugly Sister in Cinderella at Cardiff New Theatre but he’s also directing the production as well.
“Its the first time I’m in that dual role,” Sam tells Andy,“ in fact I made my directional debut at The New Theatre in the millennium year with Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs .”
“Its weird this year. As I have to pay a bit more attention to myself than I normally do, because I’m a joker and a comic anyway. I was actually down to play Buttons this year but you know what? I kind of fancy been next to my best mate in a frock, I love it!”
Sam Kane’s “Best mate in a frock”, his wife, the actress, Linda Lusardi, who also stars in Cinderella at Cardiff’s New Theatre. Picture: Andy Howells.
When Sam refers to his “best mate in a frock”, he is of course talking about his wife, the actress, Linda Lusardi who plays The Fairy Godmother. The pair met in pantomime at Darlington, 20 years ago and have since married and had two children.
“I was the handsome prince that year and she was Snow White. Its a fairy-tale. 20 years and its still going on. We are blissfully married and have two amazing kids, its just an odd job to be in for normal people!”
Sam who hails from Liverpool has always had show-business in his blood. Sam continues:
” I always wanted to be a performer. I wanted to be a singer when I was a kid and I was into pop music. I suppose
“I was extrovert without knowing it. I had a lot of brothers, I had to be heard, so was always in front of an audience. Anyway I finished school went to a college, went to a drama school and knew that’s what I wanted to be.”
Cinderella cast members, Lee Mead, Linda Lusardi, Gareth Thomas, Andy Jones and Holly Bluett. Photo: Andy Howells
On stage, Sam has starred in musicals such as South Pacific and Seven Brides and Seven Brothers, while on television there was a regular role as lovable hairdresser Peter Phelan on the Channel 4 soap opera, Brookside, of which he played as a cast regular for nearly three years.
More recently Sam has appeared in a new film Vendetta which starred Danny Dyer and also directed the new stage play Kiss Me Honey Honey at the Edinburgh Festival. This was a huge success and went on to win a Fringe First Award.
“I was thrilled to bits,” says Sam of the play, “we’re going back next year with another great writer and the same actors and really looking forward to it.”
In the meantime, Sam is currently acting and directing in Cinderella alongside his wife Linda, Gareth Thomas,Lee Mead, Andy Jones, Mike Doyle, and Holly Bluett. For Sam it’s a dream cast.
“What we have right here is an old style theatre bill where there’s a lot of people who can do the job on stage whether they be celebrities from television, stage or sport. We’ve got the whole gamut on one bill and everyone’s got an amazing ability or personality.
“ That is the star of the show. Cinderella’s the best pantomime I’ve done.”
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Cinderella runs at The New Theatre until January 18, 2015.
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A version of this interview by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on January 2, 2015
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This interview was added to the archive on August 23, 2019.