Victoria Jones takes the lead role of Cilla Black in the
musical Cilla And The Shades Of The 60s.
What do you enjoy most about performing Cilla and the Shades of the 60s?
I’ve always adored ’60s music; the songs of that era had such a raw edge, which I love. I really think I was born in the wrong decade. Performing as Cilla gives me the opportunity to celebrate the fashion and sound of a generation of women who were beginning to make a real difference in the music industry and across the world. The Shades are all so talented, so it’s great to share a stage with them. We all have great energy and chemistry together on stage and off.
Name three favourite songs in the show
It’s hard to name only three. Anyone Who Had A Heart, Shout, These Boots Are Made For Walkin’.
Your favourite scene?
I love my opening song, Love Of The Loved. So when I hear the first few bars and the spotlight comes on, I get butterflies. That is one of my favourite moments. I also enjoy the Blind Date section, mainly because I love meeting people. The Shades and I do have a giggle with the questions and answers.
Did you ever meet Cilla and/or was she an inspiration in your journey to become a professional singer?
Unfortunately I never got the opportunity to meet Cilla but my aunts used to see her out and about in Liverpool. Growing up I only knew Cilla as a TV presenter; it wasn’t until later on in my teens I heard her music and was amazed by her vocal range. I used to do vocal impressions when I was younger so I quickly added Cilla to my list. I find her ballads beautiful and she’s great at portraying heartbreak, which is so moving to hear. Her passion has definitely inspired me.
Coming from Liverpool, do you feel a special connection to Cilla?
When I travel around the country being a red-headed Scouser I always get compared to Cilla… or Sheridan Smith. I do feel a connection there. She, too, was a bold girl from a working class background who just loved to perform. She really made huge changes for women back in the ’60s. She could take on The Beatles, beat the big American stars with songs like Alfie, host her own TV show and made every ‘normal’ girl feel like big things were possible.
Which songs do you know the audience will join in with?
The biggest audience reaction I get is for You’re My World. At that point in the show they’ve been through quite an emotional journey and it is such a powerful number. I absolutely love singing it as it was the first Cilla song I ever performed. Plus it’s one of my dad’s favourites.
Tell us a fun backstage story
Where do I begin on crazy backstage stories? As most of us have worked together for a long time we’ve accumulated a lot. We did once get asked if we could do a Spice Girls medley and we thought ‘yeah, why not’. What they didn’t mention was that it was at a funeral.
Fans can head for the Webster Memorial Theatre, Arbroath, on Sunday May 13 to see the show, Cilla and the Shades of the 60s, a smash hit musical starring Victoria Jones as Cilla and Leanne Kyte, Rebecca Lauren, and Jazmin Patey-Ford as The Shades. Visit
www.webstertheatre.co.uk for more details.