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Interview: Rhonda Burchmore – The Aussie Queen Of Entertainment Is About To Make Adelaide Regal

Arts reviewer Ben Stefanoff interviews the absolutely wonderful Rhonda Burchmore about her career and upcoming visit to Adelaide next month to open the newly refurbished Regal Theatre

Whether you know her from regular appearances on Hey, Hey It’s Saturday or from sellout concert tours, musical theatre productions around the world, or even recently as part of Channel Ten’s I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, Rhonda Burchmore has been part of our lives for over thirty years.

I recently caught up with Rhonda to chat about her career and current projects she’s working on, as well as two upcoming performances here in Adelaide next month.

Like so many of us, the current COVID-19 pandemic is at the forefront of all our minds, and I was eager to hear how Rhonda was coping with the current lock-down in Victoria without her usually full performance schedule.

“It’s pretty rough up here in Victoria with all this crazy lock-down stuff. We have been like prisoners in our own homes,” she revealed. “It’s just been horrific, you know, but thank god I’ve got my fur babies to keep me company. As you can imagine too there is just no [knowing] when it’s going to be right again for us performing folk. I got out of the jungle earlier in the year, ‘cause I went over to South Africa to do that crazy celebrity show, then had the whole year absolutely chock-a-block, and now it’s all just gone. I thought I was in isolation over there, but it’s nothing compared to here.”

When you look back at Rhonda’s career, it’s expansive. She has performed just about everywhere and with just about everyone in the entertainment industry. From performing on the West End, Broadway and across Australia, it’s an impressive resume that certainly shows how much Rhonda is adored by so many, right across the world.

“It is amazing to think of the incredible people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with along the way in shows. I do pinch myself to think I worked with the likes of Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney and Anthony Newley — those types of absolute legends in the business. I also pinch myself that this is the first time in years I’ve not had work because of this COVID thing, so it’s been a good time to reflect.”

Currently, to fill the empty void in Rhonda’s performance schedule, she is releasing episodes of Rhonda’s Rewinds’ on her social media channels, looking back on her amazing career.

“This has come about because of lockdown and I thought I should start cleaning up. I found these VHS’s and wondered what was on them. I found my first performance on the Don Lane Show, my first performance on the Mike Walsh Show. So I put them together with a young guy up in North Queensland and so many people are enjoying that kind of nostalgic look back at how it used to be.”

“Sometimes I record over an hour of footage then we have to whittle it down to somewhere between twenty and thirty minutes, so it is hard. And I’ve jumped across so many genres, from The Pirate Movie to telly and musical theatre. So many people are loving seeing people like Don Lane, who is no longer with us, and rare footage that has never seen the light of day. It’s a really good therapeutic thing for me and I think a lot of people, in the business and young people, are enjoying seeing what it used to be and that we used to do this all live with dancers and big bands.”

Last week’s episode looked at Rhonda’s amazing friends she’s had the opportunity to perform with. This list is already expansive, with names such as Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Daryl Somers, Lara Mulcay, Don Lane and Trevor Ashley, but who would you love to perform with if given the chance?

“There’s a lot who are no longer with us that I’d love to have had the chance, like Judy Garland and those kind of gals. I’d love to do a duet some day with Delta Goodrem, or Kylie, or Kate Ceberano. I adore so many performers and there’s just so much talent. I would love to perform at some stage with Adelaide’s own Hugh Sheridan. He often messages me, ‘When are we going to do a show together?’ so I know he’s desperate to do something with me and I’d love to do something with him down the track.”

In recent years, Rhonda has teamed up with her bestie, Lara Mulcay, with whom she performed in the 2001 Australian production of Mamma Mia!. What was it like being able to collaborate with and tour with your best friend?

“Oh, it’s the best. There’s an amazing chemistry between the two of us and we love each other as pals so it makes it joyous to work with someone that you love and know that you’re going to get a great result. As you said, we have done the last 3 years together doing shows, which has been fabulous, one last year called Partners In Crime, and we are trying to get funding to do a sitcom, so who knows!”

One thing many Australians would agree upon is how genuine Rhonda always seems to be. Whether we are watching her on TV or live in concert, her genuine nature always shines through. Could this be the key to her highly successful career?

“Totally! I mean that really was obvious when I did go into the jungle. The reason I did that, in a nut shell, was that while I have certain people who love everything I’ve done over the years, there’s a whole lot of people — and producers — who want to pigeonhole you into one particular thing. So, it was great to actually go in there with, you know, me pinned as this leggy show-girl with all the makeup on, and to go in there stripped of makeup, stripped of everything, and for Australia to see what I’m really like. That was a great thing for me to do and to show people you can’t hide. The cameras are on 24-7; you are recorded and there is no way you can keep up that act if it’s not real. I was happy for Australia to see that and embrace that.”

Along with Rhonda’s Rewinds, Rhonda is still finding ways to perform and entertain. Recently she appeared on Big Night In With John Foreman, and as part of Here’s To The Ladies, a live streaming concert on Mothers’ Day. Rhonda is currently working with her musical director, Jack Earle, on a new album.

“I’m trying to create a big band Christmas album. If we can get it up, it will be a total Christmas miracle, especially to do it with 20-odd young musicians in lock-down, in Victoria. One day I woke up and was like ‘I can’t bear this’, and the boredom I guess, because I’m so active usually, so I thought ‘let’s look forward to something for Christmas.’ I’ve called it We Need a little Christmas’, aptly named from Mame. But it’s going to be sensational. It’s all big band swing, with the feel of Michael Bublé, but going back to Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, those huge artists. A real swinger of a Christmas. Let’s hope I can get that out.”

And for the creative types among us, there’s even a composition competition that could see you be part of this album.

“I thought it would be a great idea for all Australians to be able to write a song that I could record. We’ve had many, many entries already. I’m producing this with my MD, Jack Earle, and we’ve pitched our own money into this —that’s how passionate we are, and it’s more of a mental exercise to keep our spirits up, so we want to record a new Christmas song as part of this.”

For us lucky Adelaidians, we have the wonderful opportunity to see Rhonda return to the stage this coming October. For two performances only, Rhonda is headlining the re-opening of the Regal Theatre on October 16 and 17.

Is she excited to finally get back in front of a crowd?

“YESSSSS!!! TOTALLY!!! I’m so looking forward to it! And not only for the opening of this magnificent venue. It’s like getting out of jail and just to be able to do again what we do — I’m so looking forward to it.”

A Grand Night at the Regal with Rhonda Burchmore will be taking the audience on a musical journey back to a time of nostalgia and glamour.

“I wanted to go down that path for the elegance of the theatre, but I think also there are so many people who are desperate to hear inside goss about the jungle, so I think I’ll thread a few stories of that through and few more contemporary songs. The show is going to be in two halves, so I’ve got time for some costume changes. I just think it will be an intimate, lovely evening. Very up-close and personal, honest and full of wonderful songs and music.”

Rhonda Burchmore will be headlining the opening of the refurbished Regal Theatre on the evening of Friday 16 October and a further matinee performance on Saturday 17 October. The event will be hosted by Glam Adelaide’s Managing Director Kelly Noble and officially opened by South Australian Premiere Steven Marshall.

Tickets to A Grand Night at the Regal with Rhonda Burchmore are selling fast.

BOOKING LINK: https://www.trybooking.com/BKLWS

Interview by Ben Stefanoff

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