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'Cruel Intentions' musical cast on stepping into the iconic roles

Yahoo Lifestyle got to chat with the cast of 'Cruel Intentions the 90's Musical' about the show, the film, and what it's like stepping into such iconic roles.

Based on the acclaimed cult 1999 film, re-released in cinemas in 2019 with a new TV series in development, this hit ‘90s musical sets a scandalous tone for romance and seduction, with hilariously fun scenes and exhilarating performances that will have you dancing in the aisles and screaming for more. Are you ready to make your wager?

Sydney performances kick off at The State Theatre from 30 June while Brisbane audiences should be quick to snap up new seats just released ahead of the premiere on 27 July at Fortitude Musical Hall. The show will also be touring Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.

Get in quick and grab your tix, before you ruin your reputation here.

Video transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

EUEAN FISTROVIC DOIDGE: Look, it's been an absolute ball. This show is known by so many people and my favorite part about this process is that the director and the creative team have allowed me to bring my own energy to the role, which has been an absolute joy. And audiences have loved the show so far. And I'm having a hoot.

RISHAB KERN: It's very daunting, like, especially how it's changed from, like, the book to then the movie, and from the play originally. So it's kind of cool to see how it's moved throughout the years, and how a lot of the social climate has kind of changed it. So very daunting and there's like a lot of weight on it. But it's kind of fun to then chuck, like, all these '90s songs into it and use that to kind of have a bit of fun with it. Yeah.

FRANCINE CAIN: I won't lie. At the start it was really daunting, because particularly Selma in the movie, like, it was a huge role for her in her career. And it became iconic. And a lot of her lines are iconic, but I wanted to give it a fresh take as well.

So it is a combination of finding a new form of Cecile, while holding on to those most memorable lines and the way she says things, and that she's really sweet and fun in this production. She gets a lot of comic stuff. Like, her songs are really fun. But the Selma in the movie is kind of grungy. Like, she's that bratty, '90s, like everything's like, ew, and like, duh, all that stuff. So I'm trying to incorporate a little bit of sweet and the grunge in there.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

RISHAB KERN: Oh, it's like a party banger in a theater. Yeah. That's literally what it is. It's just like an absolute vibe in a theater.

EUEAN FISTROVIC DOIDGE: Party, scandalous and iconic '90s tracks.

FRANCINE CAIN: I'm not good at keeping things succinct at all. So I fail the assignment already. Honestly, it's just meant to be a boatload of fun. Like, that's all it is. Like, it's nostalgic, it's funny, it's crazy. And I will say there are some themes that-- you know, we've all watched like '90s films today and you're like, oh, this doesn't stand well today. And it doesn't. Some of it really doesn't.

But that's also part of it. It's so that you as an audience, you get to check what your morality is. And it's really interesting that sometimes we'd watch it in the '90s and it wouldn't bother us. And if it bothers you today, it shows you how far we've come. Like, it does make you think a little bit. But not too hard. Because no one wants to think too hard when they go to the theater, right?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

It is a problematic in the show as well.

- Yeah.

FRANCINE CAIN: We've tried to-- but-- but also it's important. Like, because there are some times where you're like, oy, I don't know if that is OK. We've tried to do our best at letting go some things, but other things that are problematic, we've kept it in there to portray that era.

- Yeah.

FRANCINE CAIN: And to also make you realize and think and make your own choice in-- and the whole point is, they are cruel intentions. Like, you can't have "Cruel Intentions" without the problematic things.

- Definitely.

FRANCINE CAIN: It wouldn't be cruel.

- No.

FRANCINE CAIN: [LAUGHS]