Former Rugby League star Adam Fogerty is adding another string to his diverse bow.
The Huddersfield man who played for Halifax and St Helens is appearing in a sold-out musical in the West End.
The professional boxer-turned-Super League winner made the full-time switch to acting after a short spell with Warrington, having already appeared on Coronation Street. Since then he’s gone on to appear in films alongside Robert De Niro, Helen Mirren and Brad Pitt, with his most iconic role being that of Gorgeous George in Guy Ritche’s popular film ‘Snatch’.
Fogerty - who still lives in Huddersfield and is co-owner of Harry Haywood’s fish and chip shop in Linthwaite, has taken to the stage before, appearing in John Godber’s ‘Bouncers’ in Hull, and then in Northern Broadside’s production of Shakespeare’s ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’.
But his current appearance in the hit run of ‘City of Angels’ at the famous Donmar Warehouse is his first foray into musicals, and one that he has relished.
Fogerty said: “It’s been great, it’s something I’ve really enjoyed.
“It can be hard work being away from home at times, but the musical itself has been brilliant.
“The place was sold out before we even opened so we’ve been playing to packed audiences every performance.
“I play three characters in it - a prison guard, a policeman and a gangster.
“It’s an American play written by Larry Gelbert, who wrote the TV show ‘M*A*S*H*’, and the film ‘Tootsie’, and is set in the 1930s.
“It’s written as two stories running at the same time, about a screenwriter in Hollywood. One follows the script of the actual film he’s written, and the other is all the problems he has behind the scenes with infidelity and other things”.
He added: “I’ve never done a musical before and get to sing a little bit towards the end, though I’m not sure I’m going to win any Tony awards!
“But I’ve got to work alongside some great actors like Samantha Barks who was in the film ‘Les Miserables’, Mark Elliot who was Syed in Eastenders and Katherine Kelly who was Becky in Coronation Street.
“We’ve had really good reviews and lots of big names and casting directors coming to watch, and now we’re waiting to hear if it’s going to have an extended run and maybe even move to Broadway.”
The run in ‘City of Angels’ is the start of a big 2015 for Fogerty, who later this year will appear alongside Tom Hardy in the much-anticipated new film about the Kray bothers Ronnie and Reggie.
‘Legend’ will see Hardy take on the roles of both brothers using special effects, with Fogerty playing the part of “Big” Pat Connolly, the brothers’ notorious bodyguard.
The film, which also stars Christopher Eccleston and Tara Fitzgerald, has already had plenty of media attention and is directed by Brian Helgeland, who made ‘LA Confidential’.
Fogerty added: “I’m really looking forward to that coming out, I think people will enjoy it.
“The Kray brothers still have a lot of kudos attached to them and it was a great project to work on.”
