Good Lord it was chilly last night in Leicester Square, but that's not a factor that stopped a legion of fans (granted, most of them so full of the goodness of Will Young that they don't feel the cold) lining a sky blue carpet to welcome the stars of Mrs Henderson Presents.
First into the (slightly warmer) foyer was star and British living legend Bob Hoskins, who was having trouble describing the scene. "Well I can't – there were all lights flashing, and I'm completely blind now!" It was Hoskins who was largely responsible for getting the project onto screens, and he was kind enough tell us how. " Well it started off with some friends bringing me some research they'd been doing for years on the Windmill [theatre]. They said, "Can you do anything with it?" So I looked at it, and I thought "If we can get Judi into this, we've got a film"… as soon as I read that she was dressed up as a Chinese lady with a Polar Bear, I knew we had a movie – I knew she couldn't resist."
And resist she most certainly did not. "I wish I was doing it tomorrow," she said. "It was just that we had a blissful time. It was a wonderful script, and Stephen Frears is an old friend of mine. Bob and I know each but hadn't worked together, and we instantly got on, and had the most incredible time. I got to go up in a Tiger Moth, I got to row on the river – it couldn't have been nicer."
Director Stephen Frears took the award for most sensibly dressed – wearing an overcoat as he was – and was full of praise for his whole cast. "They're wonderful people, so talented and graceful, and generous," but was honest in his appraisal of casting a pop star. "Will's great, though it makes you more cautious rather than less – I've seen an awful lot of pop singers in films that didn't really work, so we took a lot of care. But he's wonderful. He's bright, and vibrant, and smart, and a lovely chap."
And then the screaming commenced. His Willness had arrived. And what did everyone want to know? Well, to be fair, same thing they wanted to know of everyone else – how was it going sans-kit? And did he feel the need to work out as preparation? "I wasn't allowed to go to the gym. Stephen wouldn't let me, because people were more lithe in those days, so no going to the gym at all." You can read more words from Will in Empire's Red Carpet interview section.
Last inside, and looking gorgeous darling, was Kelly Reilly, who was dressed for the occasion. Or in comparison to her role in the film, where she plays a nude performer, dressed. "Exactly - what costume?! [laughs] I love that period, and when I did get to wear clothes it was lovely – really feminine, and the hair, and that little hat." In a very busy year, which has also seen her appear in Pride & Prejudice, Kelly found the experience of Mrs Henderson Presents to be a highlight. " Wonderful - Judi and Bob set the standard, and we had a lot of laughs, and we all lay in their light really, for a while."
As the dancing girls on the carpet were turning as blue as the carpet (and their feathers, which was a nice touch, we thought), they were finally brought back indoors, and the show went on. 'Come on, get happy', indeed.