In an impressive career spanning more than two decades, Keegan Joyce has dealt with his fair share of icons.
He starred opposite the Man of Steel in 'Superman Returns', was in the Doctor Who spin-off 'K-9' and played Oliver Twist in 'Oliver!' on stage; but his latest project, 'No Love Songs', sees him tackle the trials and tribulations of another icon, Scottish singer Kyle Falconer, from chart-topping band The View.
“When I first got the script, I messaged my Scottish mate because I was like, ‘I don’t know what some of these words mean’ because it was written in the Scottish vernacular, and then he was like ‘wait. . . Are you doing that Kyle Falconer musical?” Joyce explains. “And he gave me the scoop of how awesome Kyle is as a musician and then I really delved into the storytelling and his music.”
'No Love Songs', which has had sell-out seasons in Edinburgh, London and the US, is inspired by the experiences of Falconer and his partner Laura Wilde as they navigate their new lives as parents while reaching breakout success. “My character Jessie is based on Kyle from The View – he all of a sudden gets a bit of fame and touring gigs, but he and his partner Lana fall pregnant and they have a baby and he’s just trying to find the balance of bringing the money in, chasing his career and being a supportive father amongst all of those things.”
While Joyce has delved into the world of science fiction in his film and TV credits, he was drawn to the relatability of his character’s arc in this project. “I really liked the role because both he and Lana are trying to do the right thing, but it doesn’t necessarily all work out and that’s the crux of it. They can’t communicate what’s going on – they are really real people, real characters. So I can relate to Jessie in many ways.”
Keegan Joyce and Lucy Maunder - Image © Lunar Studios
“I’m away from my partner at the moment, while on tour and we don’t have a kid, but Lucy Maunder, who is wonderful and is on tour [with me] is also a mum and that’s really hard finding that balance. I’m definitely pulling from those worlds and I was thinking also about my own childhood. . . My dad is a carpenter and he would weld on the weekends to make extra cash, but that meant he wasn’t really around to hang out with us, and while I can appreciate that, I can also imagine how hard that was for him.”
In addition to acting, Joyce is also an acclaimed musician and he was delighted to have a chance to merge his two passions into one creative project. “It has been amazing and so freeing to put my own voice into the show. It's been so collaborative – you don’t always get that on big commercial musicals. I get to play the guitar and I get to play the piano through the show, and being a muso which is my other love. . . There is a lot of freedom to inject ourselves and our friends' stories into the show and make it as funny and honest and as us as possible.”
'No Love Songs' is part of The Foundry in Sydney’s opening season and Joyce is still pinching himself that he gets to be a part of an Australian premiere in a brand-new theatre.
“I never thought I'd see a brand-new theatre in Sydney in my life, so to be a part of it is unbelievable. People should get out and not just see 'No Love Songs', but also go see live theatre, and see new spaces. It's how they continue to work. The Foundry is going to be an especially good place. It feels amazing, it's a good size; it's such a win for Sydney and thanks to Stephen Found for making it happen.”
'No Love Songs' plays Foundry Theatre (Sydney) 7 March-13 April.
