Hadley Fraser by Kerrie Nicholson

In a new series of blogs where you write a blog about your favourite performer. The next of these blogs comes from Kerrie who writes about her favourite performer Hadley Fraser.

When did you first discover your performer?

It’s actually thanks to another performer, Ramin Karimloo that I discovered Hadley. Ramin was on TV singing Music of the Night. I remember thinking ‘I like this guy’ so off I went to youtube, and I discovered Sheytoons, the band he and Hadley share. The rest, as they say, is history!


Have you seen them perform live if so in what shows?

Hadley is actually the only performer I’ve seen enough times to hit double figures, to date I have seen him: 5 times as Javert in Les Mis, as Sid Sorokin in the Pajama Game in Chichester, as Garry Kasparov in The Machine, 2 concerts of his own at the St James Theatre plus their ‘Fairytale of New York’ concert, and as Tullus Aufidius in Coriolanus opposite another hero of mine, Tom Hiddleston. Does that give you a sense of how AWESOME I think he is? ;)

How would you describe them to your fellow theatre fans?

Insanely talented and just quite simply a pretty awesome human being. Being a fan of his has brought into my life those who I’m proud to call my closest friends, and for that I’ll always be grateful to him.


Favourite performance?

I think Hadley is an incredibly versatile performer; he can turn his hand to anything and I’m sure to love it. If I had to single one out, I’d go with Aufidius in Coriolanus. I love Shakespeare, this play in particular and it was just amazing to see him perform something so different- he bought to it real tenacity and between him, Tom and Mark Gatiss, I was glued to the action and almost didn’t breathe for the entirety of the play. I was a very proud Hadley fan that afternoon!


Favourite song you've heard them perform?

Musical wise, it has to be ‘Hey There’ from The Pajama Game. I got to sit front row watching him sing this, and I was completely and utterly transfixed- I’ve never had goosebumps quite like it before.
‘Again’ with composing genius Scott Alan also onstage accompanying on piano was pretty immense, as was Hadley’s rendition of ‘Hard Times’, a Ray Charles song at his most recent two concerts.

Have you met them?

Oh yes – Many a time! He’s a joy, and I love him to bits. I love seeing his smile when he sees me; he’s always been so kind & thoughtful to me, as he is with all his fans. His hugs are among the best I’ve ever had at a stage door!




What show would you like to see them in?

I’d love to see him as Billy in Carousel, Adam in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, or as Bill Hickok in Calamity Jane. These musicals have some of my favourite songs for the leading man, and I think Hadley would MORE than do them justice!