Paulus the Cabaret Geek Interview about-What Would Victoria Do?

WHAT WOOD VICTORIA DO?

Paulus the Cabaret Geek took to the stage in 2016 with the hugely successful show called Looking for Me Friend, a two-handed production celebrating the life and works of the great comedy writer and performer Victoria Wood.

The tour ended this year, and director Sarah Louise Young and Paulus bring their next production to life called What Would Victoria Do?

Before the tour begins, I have caught up with Paulus to find out more about the show, which officially starts touring in September 2026.

How long has “WHAT WOULD VICTORIA DO “ been in development?

I’ve been toying with the idea of a sequel to ‘Looking For Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood’ for a good few years now, but started to investigate VWs back catalogue in earnest for it perhaps a year ago. I was worried we had used all the best stuff for the OG, but there’s over 400 songs by her (alone!) registered with PRS and so many great ones that need to see the light of day once more.

The big question is. When does the new show premier and where?

Is that the big question? I thought the big question was ‘Was Ken Barlow doing it with Wendy Crozier?’ but fair enough. I’m delighted to announce that, after some initial previews this July, my tour will premiere at the newly-named Victoria Wood Theatre in Windermere on 25 September!

I know the talented Sarah Louise Young directs your show. How closely do you work together once the show will become established? Is it going to be continuously tweaked?

I’m so lucy to have Sarah-Louise return to direct this companion piece, but she will be on the road with her own work before the ink is dry on the final script draft of mine. There were continual tweaks during the six years of LFMF – changing jokes right up until the final month that had never quite hit. As a cabaret artiste, you are also editing and refining based on the political and cultural shifts. We are about to encounter the seventh Prime Minister of the UK since I began my Victoria Wood project in 2019. So yes, definitely constant tweaking but that shall be undertaken without Sarah’s guidance.

I understand that unlike the last tour this show you will be doing a solo performance. How are you feeling about doing the tour solo?

As a young girl, Victoria saw Joyce Grenfell performing live and solo. It was then that she learnt the phrase ‘One Woman Show’ and got rather transfixed by it. My cabaret career has almost always involved a stage partner, a full cast or an accompanist at the very least, but taking to the stage entirely alone for 60 minutes will be brand-new for me as I enter my Fifties. It’s a challenge that I wanted to set but which also suits the story we are wishing to tell with theis fresh batch of bangers from the archives of the VW Songbook. Looking For Me Friend was a dialogue – WWVD is a monologue. Even if we did have a the tremendous Michael back to play, he’d be woefully underused in every other aspect.

Are you willing to give an insight to the readers about what type of backing track you are using this time without your pianist on stage this time?

Oh yes, absolutely – they are all being made from scratch by the very talented and multi-instrument-playing Andy Campbell Smith. Victoria’s work expanded to full musicals in the latter years of her career, and the tracks allow us to celebrate the diverse range of musical instruments that can enhance her compositions, and not just offer piano accompaniment.

What comparisons can be made between Victoria Wood’s career and artistic choices to yours and Sarah Louise Young?

I’ve already detailed how appearing solo in WWVD mirrors Victoria’s own desire to perform solo, and the time its taken me to do it is reflecting in her own evolution from hiding behind the piano, to swinging one leg over the piano stool to talk to the audience, until finally, years later she can stand alone on-stage with a tiny head mic in her hair and nothing to hide behind. The device of having No Fourth Wall in theatre is widely understood these days, especially in cabaret and comedy, but most people don’t acknowledge how many ‘fourth walls’ they throw up between themselves and the crowd to keep themselves safe.

How do you feel you have developed through Victoria?

Both my VW shows are celebrations of a much missed friend. She is missing, and it is my job to facilitate a kind of love letter to her. This means getting out of the way. The less I do, the better. The more you can defer to the fanhood, the better. Even stripping off all my years of heels, corsets and make-up to appear ‘in civvies’ for this has been a lesson in lessening. I think I’m probably a bit better at trusting my mic to do its job, and offering perhaps a few more nuanced dynamics than in my early career!

Have you found any surprises, good or bad, as you have been performing your last show? How long were you touring it?

I think the biggest surprise has been how forgiving audiences are of imperfection. I tied myself up in knots desperately trying to hit each word and note correctly on these songs which, for many of us, are iconic. Quoting VW is essential an Olympic Sport at this point in the UK, and you don’t do what I have without some trepidation of fan’s criticism. Add to this my own on-screen reputation for judging other singers, and it gets intense. But, VW people (The Traycloths) are, of course, wonderful. And they are very forgiving. I’ve mucked up many a song – particularly ‘Let’s Do It’ in the early years, and no one even remembers its happened by the time their on the bus home.

What is the biggest Victoria related compliment you have been given?

Variously, and in no particular order, post-show comments have included:

‘It’s like she was in the room
You brought her back to life
You did her proud
Vic would have loved this
You’ve just told my life story on-stage

And my favourite – By ‘eck Paulus, you may not be northern, but you’re just as boring as if you were.

What would you advise anyone to watch who had never heard of Victoria Wood before?

Your manners – this is an icon we’re dealing with! Honestly, early previews suggest that WWVD is less of a fan-piece than LFMF and, as such, feels more accessible to the casual VW admirer. This is in part to the excellent work of interrogating our story first, last and always by SLY. Your entry level is nothing, but you’ll leave wanting to learn all about her.

Have any of the people who worked with Victoria ever been in one of your audiences that you know of?

Erm yes – just a few, that I know of. Graham Seed from VWASOTV and dinnerladies; Deborah Grant from Staying In and VWASOTV, Sue Devaney of dinnerladies, Mark Gatiss from League of Gentlemen, Celia Imrie’s sister, Julie Walters childhood librarian, Victoria’s own brother and her friend and musical director Nigel Lilley, who was the first person I ever contacted about the project. Oh, and I met Patricia Routledge when I was sixteen – but that’s a story I shall save for the show!