Five questions with Rachel Tucker

Rachel Tucker has starred in shows on both sides of the pond, from Wicked and Come From Away, to We Will Rock You, Sunset Boulevard, and Hadestown.

Best known for donning that famous witch’s hat in Wicked, Rachel Tucker is currently performing in new musical The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum, alongside talent including Amber Davies, Corbin Bleu, Frances Mayli McCann, and Jamie Muscato.

Who do you play in The Great Gatsby?

I play the fabulous Myrtle Wilson, who is a larger than life woman. I’ve loved getting to find out who she is. She is a big, blonde bombshell from the heart of Queens, so I knew I had to make her lovely but loud. She tells it like it is, which is very me! She’s an honest – apart from the affair – woman who just wants a bit more in life. She loves her husband George but is tempted by the American dream and prosperity.

The London Coliseum is such a historic venue. What has it been like performing there?

The Colossal Coliseum, that’s what it should be called. I am amazed every night at how many faces you see staring back at you! I had the opportunity to perform here once before when I played Grace O’Malley in the concert version of The Pirate Queen, which was another night to remember, but I’m loving having a run at the Coliseum. It really is like a whole village backstage.

What has it been like performing alongside co-stars Amber Davies, Corbin Bleu, Frances Mayli McCann, and Jamie Muscato?

Can’t stand any of them! It has probably been one of the funniest casts and the most talented group of singers/actors I have worked with. There’s such great respect between all of us. There’s not one performance, as individuals and as a cast, that we don’t show up. It really astounds me that we are able to do that for eight shows a week.

Your stage career has been incredibly varied – which shows mean the most to you?

That’s like picking your favourite child. I always jump to either Wicked or Come From Away. I think it’s because Wicked was such a long time in the making for me. It was a role I had my heart set on for five or six years, so when I got it I just didn’t want to let go. Come From Away was also career-defining because I was able to originate a role in the UK for the first time, and flex my muscles when it came to developing a show here. Even though it was a remount, it was still like a brand-new show and the experience was unforgettable. It was the hardest show I’ve had to learn, as there were so many moving parts, but it was so rewarding.

What makes the London theatre scene so special?

I moved away to train when I was 21, so I feel London is my home now. When I went to work on Broadway, it always felt like I was there only for work. I didn’t have a real sense of belonging the way I do here in London. Broadway is extremely important, prestigious, and fabulous, but I feel more integrated in the West End.

Book The Great Gatsby tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Rachel Tucker. Inset: Corbin Bleu, Tucker and Jon Robyns in The Great Gatsby. (Photo by Johan Persson)