Jonathan Pryce Miss Saigon

TERRY WOGAN: Jonathan Pryce.

[MUSIC] [APPLAUSE]

TERRY WOGAN: We won't go into the story in any great length,

but in fact, yours is a pretty nasty part.

He's a nasty piece of work for the engineer.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Yeah, I'm her agent. Put it politely. [LAUGHTER]

TERRY WOGAN: But you also engineer

all the sexual release for the Marines in Saigon, as well, don't you?

JONATHAN PRYCE: Yes, I couldn't have put it more politely.

Yes, that's it. That's what I do.

I run a bar called Dreamland in Saigon.

She's my new star in the bar.

The story goes on from there. You've said the rest of the story.

TERRY WOGAN: You've had to have special makeup for all this.

You're not wearing it at the moment, obviously,

but you've had [OVERLAPPING]. It suits you.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Some blusher.

TERRY WOGAN: But you've got to get the eyes.

JONATHAN PRYCE: They don't go that way, Terry, they go this way.

TERRY WOGAN: You tell that to Prince Philip.

[LAUGHTER] LEA SALONGA: Prosthetics.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Prosthetics.

It's a very light latex which is a false lid.

TERRY WOGAN: I'd hate that. Does it not irritate and ...?

JONATHAN PRYCE: I'd rather be without them, but they're quite comfortable.

The great thing about them, no acting is required once you've got those on,

you just stand there and it all happens.

TERRY WOGAN: Slip into the role.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Yeah.

TERRY WOGAN: There was, I would imagine. You were widely regarded as a versatile actor,

but quite a serious actor.

Did any of your theatrical friends say to you,

"For heaven's sake, this is a musical"?

JONATHAN PRYCE: No, my friends, they were very supportive of the idea,

and they found it, as they do still, find it quite exciting.

TERRY WOGAN: What about convincing the producers who are actually putting,

well, millions into a show like this?

Now, they know you Jonathan Pryce,

a tremendously highly-regarded actor.

Great. Get Jonathan Pryce,

but we can't have anybody who can't sing.

There must have been a hard-selling job required there for you.

JONATHAN PRYCE: No, Cameron MackIntosh knew I could sing

from a little adventure we thought about beforehand.

But I sang for the Frenchmen.

The two of them, and I sang at the London Palladium on stage there,

and it went over it quite well.

If I hadn't got the job,

that would have been enough, I think, just singing at the Palladium.

TERRY WOGAN: But as a non-singer in a sense, non-professional singer,

does it take a lot out of you?

Is it more demanding? Must be more demanding than straight acting.

JONATHAN PRYCE: It's the easiest job I've ever had in my life.

[LAUGHTER] I'm not giving any of the money back.

TERRY WOGAN: Don't worry. [LAUGHTER]

JONATHAN PRYCE: Yes. Not that you'll know, will you?

I was looking for a quiet life.

Playing things like Macbeth and other similar roles,

it feels like beating your head against the wall every night.

It does actually take a lot out of you in terms of stress and emotional stress.

It's very uplifting work, but it's very tiring.

I found doing the musical,

I get a great deal of pleasure,

a great deal of enjoyment out of it.

I only have to work 50%,

because the orchestra and the music take care of 50%.

I'm still not giving any of the money back.

TERRY WOGAN: But you got to remember all the notes and all the dance steps and all the rest of it.

JONATHAN PRYCE: It comes like second nature,

it's... Once it's in.

TERRY WOGAN: Being a Saigon pimp suits you, and it's easy work.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Yeah, easy-peasy.

TERRY WOGAN: But Lea,

I know from reading about you

that in fact, a musical career is not necessarily or

a career in showbiz is not necessarily the be-all and end-all of your ambitions.

LEA SALONGA: Yes, it isn't.

Because I'd like to go back to medical school

and finish and I'd like to be a doctor in the future.

But since with the success of Ms. Saigon,

it's now very difficult to place where I would like to go,

I could either go back home after Ms. Saigon and finish

medical school or go back home and continue a career in theater.

I really don't know now. I'm really confused now. I need lots of help.

TERRY WOGAN: Because you're an old lady, you better make your decisions. You're only 18.

LEA SALONGA: Only 18.

TERRY WOGAN: Take your time.

LEA SALONGA: I will.

TERRY WOGAN: You can be a big star,

you are, and be a successful doctor.

LEA SALONGA: Yeah, I could.

TERRY WOGAN: Why not?

LEA SALONGA: Why not?

TERRY WOGAN: Meanwhile, you'll just have to go back.

You'll be bored stiff, going back to the straight theatre, won't you?

JONATHAN PRYCE: Well, I'm in this for a year,

and then we start talking about America.

TERRY WOGAN: You've already won a Tony on Broadway anyway.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Yeah. Done. Been there. [LAUGHTER]

TERRY WOGAN: Well, it hasn't changed you.

JONATHAN PRYCE: No.

TERRY WOGAN: This show—you're both marvelous in it,

so thank you both. Lea and Jonathan.

LEA SALONGA: Thank you.

JONATHAN PRYCE: Thanks. [APPLAUSE]