Rodney goes ‘Back to the Future’ to share memories of the arts

Now Coleraine actor Rodney Tosh takes time out to answer our questions...

Q. What is your favourite song/album and why?

A. I don’t really have a favourite with most things and music is definitely one of those things where it’s too hard to pick. I’ve always loved rock music and Queen in particular from a young age. They had great individual talent and together they were magic. If I have to choose a favourite song though, I’ll choose the one I most enjoyed seeing live and it’s ‘Given to Fly’ by Pearl Jam. I’ve seen them perform it a few times and it really fills the stadium with positive energy as the crowd sings along with Eddie Vedder. It’s a song the band don’t mind admitting was inspired by Led Zeppelin’s ‘Going to California’ – another great song.

Favourite album? I want to give that to Queen but all my favourite Queen songs are well spread over 15 different albums. I’ll choose Queen’s 1975 album ‘A Night at the Opera’ as not only does it include ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, but also ‘Love of my Life’, ‘39’, ‘You’re my Best Friend’ and ‘The Prophet’s Song’ - great tunes!

I’ve just remembered I still have to get my collection of Queen vinyls from a friend who said he’d look after them for me until I bought a new record player. That was about 15 years ago and I still have every intention of getting one.

Q. What is your favourite film and why?

A. My all time favourite is from back in good old 1985 – Back to the Future. Watching it on VHS as a youngster, there was (and still is) so much to love about it. Great cast and characters, great story, the paradoxes of time travel, the perfect score from Alan Silvestri, the Doc and Marty friendship, Johnny B. Goode, and the real star, the Delorean, built just down the road and modified by the Doc.

A close second is The Shawshank Redemption- a more literal escapism.

Q. What is your favourite piece of classical music and why?

A. I generally only listen to classical music that I’ve been exposed to through films. Adagio for Strings by Barber is very stirring (featured in the film ‘Platoon’), as is the main theme for Schindler’s List by John Williams. Its orchestral stuff but not from the classical era. Both were written in the 20th century, so far too young to be considered true classical music. As a film fan I love John Williams’ compositions so I’m sure I’d enjoy Wagner (not the X Factor one!) if I had a good listen, as he’s known to have been a strong influence on Williams.

Q. Who is your favourite artist (eg van Gogh) and why?

A. Joseph Turner. There’s a great painting of an old battleship being towed by a tugboat by him called The Fighting Temeraire. I’ve seen it in the National Gallery in London a few times and it’s one of the paintings that stuck in my mind the most. The painting is at sunset and it looks both dark and light simultaneously. It’s tranquil but striking at the same time, like a lot of his other work. Turner did a lot of landscapes and big historic events, but if you look him up, you’ll see he adds a lot of depth to the scenery.

Q. What is your favourite play and why?

A. Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth. I saw this in London and Mark Rylance was amazing as Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron. The role was made for him and I can’t imagine anybody playing it better. The play itself was full of silly humour and poignant moments and just had a really nice feel to it. It’s so well written that it has universal appeal - something that most plays haven’t got.

The run was sold out, but we managed to get seats half a mile from the stage and it was still the most captivated I’ve been at a show. I might not have enjoyed it as much with a different cast, but that performance made it my favourite play.

Close second is Black Watch, which I saw at the Barbican when it was on tour. Great drama and choreographed action scenes about the famous Scottish regiment in Iraq. I worked at the Barbican whilst I was at acting school and saw a lot of epic shows, for free!

Q. What is your favourite musical and why?

A. It’s a two-way tie. Les Misérables because it’s the first musical I saw in the West End 20 years ago. It was a grand spectacle to see on my first London visit. And Sweeny Todd because of its dark, gritty vibe and great songs - and how it’s funny at the same time. I saw Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton’s version a couple of times. They were both excellent in the leading roles. I learned after a while seeing big shows in the West End though that if you’re not in the first dozen rows it can feel a bit generic. The closer to the stage the better so you get to see the subtleties of the performances.

Q. What is your most special moment in the arts and why?

A. One pretty special time was the excitement of making my first short film ‘Horseplay’, written and directed by local directors the Benson twins. We were all students and there was a real freedom and buzz about working together on something and learning along the way.

It sounds a bit contrived but I think the most special moments in the arts happen when artists try to change real life for the better. Skilled comedians have been doing this all along by making people laugh at themselves and ridiculing the current state of things. Also, people like Keanu Reeves or George Michael doing a lot for charity without having it advertised in self promotion - that’s pretty special. Marlon Brando refused an Oscar for The Godfather out of protest at the treatment of American Indians by the movie industry. It probably upset a lot of the Hollywood bigwigs! I like it when artists use their fame for good. If it rattles a few baddies in high places they’re doing something right.

Q. What ‘classic’ just doesn’t do it for you?

A. Gone With the Wind. Maybe controversial but I must be frank! I’ve never managed to sit through the entire thing in one go. Maybe that’s where I went wrong.

Q. What have you been reading/watching/listening to/revisiting during the Coronavirus period?

A. I watched The Mandalorian, arguably the best Star Wars related thing filmed since 1980. They realised a decent story arc is important and allowed characters and situations to properly develop and the visuals are quality. I recently watched ‘Uncut Gems’. It’s not Adam Sandler’s usual comedy character. He proved he can act in ‘Punch Drunk Love’ but he’s possibly better in this. It’s a strange film but very watchable and Sandler is excellent in it. I’m currently watching the series ‘The Boys’. It involves superheroes but most of them are really nasty and it’s about a group of non-supers trying to bring them down. It’s one of my favourite shows in recent years. I’ve given up watching the news about Covid. I can’t really make sense of it.