Beauty and the Beast’s Maurice, Rodney Dobson, answers some candid everyday questions …
The state of my hair right now is…
Pinned under a wig, which makes me look like crazy old Maurice’ (Belle’s father) and also makes me feel like crazy old Maurice too! Pins in my scalp make me crazy!
The state of my heart right now is…
Full. Jackson Head (Gaston) just returned from paternity leave. His wife Katharine gave birth to their first child and baby Ava is now in the world.
The state of my underwear draw is…
Fun because I play underwear bingo. I have socks matching most of my underwear, so each day I grab my socks and jocks randomly and if they match…bingo!
The best accessory I ever bought was…
Noise-cancelling headphones that shut out the crazy noises this world generates. They stop randoms from talking to you and keep your ears warm.
The most famous person I’ve met is…
Hugh Jackman (the original Australian Gaston). We worked together in the mid-90s when no one knew which one of us was going to become a superstar. He has been quoted as saying, “Rodney Dobson is the naughtiest actor I have ever worked with”.
My best on-stage stuff up was when…
Maurice’s invention on Beauty and the Beast, which I normally ride in on, broke down. I pushed it around instead, barking madly how happy I was that ‘it’s working’. If you believe it’s true, then it is true. Right?
Back in high school, I was…
Lazy. Music lessons got me out of academic classes and drama classes had very little homework. By the end of high school music and drama were the only two things I was good at, so I signed up for a Music Theatre course.
If I could have one superpower, it would be…
Something silly like never needing to use the bathroom or always being allowed to go to the front of a queue. Either that or solve world hunger.
The best thing about theatre is…
Taking a bow at the end of your working day. It’s a great way to knock off. What other job gives you that?
The worst thing about theatre is…
Nothing. It’s like dress-up day on Play School every day. People bring snacks, we sing songs, do puzzles…and then people applaud you!
Rodney Dobson as Maurice with other Beauty and the Beast cast members
I’m shit scared of…
Onstage muck-ups. Live theatre is so much fun except for when things go wrong, leaving you floundering. It’s fun for everyone else though!
People don’t know that I once…
Accidentally snubbed Dannii Minogue. It was the opening night of the Full Monty Musical where I played the fat guy Dave. At the after-party, people were demanding my time and I wanted to find my family. Dannii was a special guest and her PA grabbed me and took me to meet her. The only problem was, I didn’t know it was her and brushed her off pretty rudely. Moments later I saw her up on the bandstand rocking out with the band. Oopsie!
Being in Beauty and the Beast is…
The best. It’s a show that makes so many people happy. We see all kinds in the audience – old, young, couples on dates. People even dress up as Belle. Strangely no one dresses up as Maurice (consider yourself challenged).
I feel sad when…
Belle marries her prince at the end of the show – because I always play that I’m sad her mother was not alive to share the moment. Aww.
My autobiography would be called…
Rodney Reckons! A collection of random meaningless ideas and theories.
The song that makes me smile and want to dance is…
Fireball by Pitbull ft. John Ryan. Shooting a Fireball at the same time helps.
My all-time favourite TV character is…
Gilligan. I wasted a lot of my youth guffawing at TV sitcom repeats. Gilligan’s Island never let me down.
The campest thing in my house is…
A floral summer shirt (it’s pretty awesome). I need to lift my game in this area, although my matching socks and jocks are pretty camp too.
My gay friends are…
Going to give me shit for being in this mag before them and roll their eyes dramatically at all my answers!
Beauty and the Beast is playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne
For more visit: beautyandthebeastmusical.com.au
Follow Rodney on Instagram @rodney_dobson_
