Oliver!: Spotlight on Patrick Munday

Next up in our Oliver! series, we have Patrick Munday, who audiences will no doubt remember for his incredible performance of the eccentric Mr Sowerberry.

My role in Oliver! was...
Mr. Sowerberry, the not so nice coffin maker that buys Oliver in the first act. He's quite the eccentric man. When I think of it he's like Willy Wonka with a dash of serial killer. I was also an ensemble member, which was just as rewarding as I got to pull a gun out at Bill Sikes. I am allowed to mention that right?

What was it like moving from the rehearsal studio to the theatre?
It was definitely nerve wracking as the studio was much smaller so spacing it all out was hard for me. We all had been used to working in a smaller space. The whole cast had to be totally switched on to make the adjustments.

What is the one thing you learnt that you can use for life?
Oh my, I can't really pinpoint one thing that I learned. I honestly learned so much as this is my first big HKYAF show. When I think about it I honestly think that being able to work with a large cast has made me better at working with others. That'll be something that I can use for the rest of my life. 

​What was your favourite scene and song?
My favourite scene would have to be Act One Scene 3. It's the scene where The Sowerberrys are first introduced. It was such a wonderful experience being on stage as my character. I really got to play every time and I enjoyed that thoroughly. My favourite song would most definitely be 'Consider Yourself'. As even though I'm an ensemble member I still get such a rush when performing it. It's a genuinely fun song. So much happens during the song, it never has any quiet moments. It's energetic and I love it.  

What are you going to miss the most?
I never thought that I'd form such close friends. Members of the cast have really become like family members to me. I'm going to miss that. Being able to perform with people that I have grown close to. But I'm sure it won't stop here! Most of us will be back again!

Funny memory?
The funniest memories I have all revolve around the specific dressing room that I was in. In this dressing room we had, Conor, Miguel, Dylan, Billy, Seb, Freddie and I. I'd say that we definitely had our crazy moments. But nothing got better than us belting out random tunes at the end of every show. 

What was your preparation ritual? 
I'd first take a gulp of some Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa. That stuff works like a charm. Then I would drink tons of water and massage my throat. I don't know why but it always calms me down. Then before entering as Mr. Sowerberry I'd jog in the wings to keep my energy up for entering the scene. 

Tell us something we don’t know about…
I'm sure this is common knowledge between people in the cast. But Conor is completely in love with World Of Warcraft. I went with him to buy a copy of the latest expansion. But it wasn't just an expansion. It was one of a few limited edition copies. 

What was the greatest challenge? 
Keeping my energy at a high level throughout the show was especially difficult. As when performing your energy should always stay at the same level. As I live far away it was always troublesome as I'd have to wake up earlier and lose some sleep. But that didn't keep me from performing.

What are your top three tips for giving a good performance?
My first tip would be to stay concentrated both on and off stage. You never know what's going to happen and you better be prepared for anything. My second tip would to critique your performance and evaluate what you did on stage. As it's so important to be able to improve every time you step out on stage. My third tip would be to rest. Without rest you'd never have the energy to perform. You'd burn yourself out!

What are you most passionate about?
I started off as a singer and an actor. Those are the areas of performing I'm most familiar with. I've always been passionate about that. But through Oliver! I've started attending Giselle's dance classes. It's totally awoken a new passion within me and I can't wait to move forward with dancing!

What is your vision for performing arts in HK?
As somebody who doesn't speak any Cantonese I would love to see theater aimed at a Hong Kong audience but in English. I do love imports that are brought in from overseas, but I just don't relate to it. I want to see more local theater projects that resonate with the people of Hong Kong. I do know that these things exist. But I really want to see them on a larger scale. I guess I'd like to see Hong Kong develop it's own equivalent to The West End and Broadway? 

If you had one superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation would be my superpower of choice, imagine all the things I could do! I'd never have to worry about travel time!

How do you think we can get more people involved in the arts?
I only discovered the arts in secondary school. So I think that all art in Hong Kong should be publicised a little more. As despite Hong Kong being such a small place not everything reaches everyone. 

If you could meet any artist for a day?
I'd love to meet Laurence Olivier.He had a plethora of roles under his belt, all executed beautifully. He made an impact on both theatre and film. I'd of course like to be as successful as him. But in all honesty I'd just think he'd be interesting to talk to and get advice from. 

What’s next, now that Oliver! is over?
More performing arts in any shape or form. The more experience I get the better I become!