In September 2002, Nathan joined the cast of Boy George's Taboo in the heart of London's West End
Originally, Nathan was cast in the ensemble of the show, understudying Billy, Marilyn and Guru Dazzle (Unleashing a preposterous Liverpool accent on an unsuspecting public!).
In February 2003, having become Dance Captain, Nathan was given the role of Steve Strange(Meaning that an equally preposterous Welsh accent was on the loose - Nathan met the real Steve Strange, the night before he started playing the role. Steve said to him, "You're not going to play me Welsh, are you? They always play me Welsh, and I don't speak like that!" Unfortunately, that was the way the part was directed, even though it is true that Steve Strange speaks without the least trace on a Welsh accent at all!). He relinquished the Billy cover, and took up the cover for Philip Sallon, a role he ended up playing twelve times. The most terrifying part of the Philip Sallon role is the spot in the show that became known simply as, "Smoked Salmon," which was a totally unscripted five-minute slot of stand-up comedy, while walking around the audience with a plateful of smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels to give out. Nathan had never done anything even approaching this sort of thing, and was extremely scared of how it would go, but after a couple of times, really started to understand what it is that fuels people to become comics. The feeling that people are enjoying your material, and laughing loudly at everything you say is a great one, and gives you a real buzz.
Synopsis
Taboo tells the story of Billy, a young man searching for stardom as a photographer in the early 1980s.
On his journey from an abusive upbringing in Bromley, via the illustrious squatters' culture of London's West End, to a life of Buddhism in India, he meets a variety of colourful characters, not least of which is another ambitious young man, George O'Dowd, later to become one of the most successful and influential pop singers of all time, Boy George.
Billy's dreams take him on a rollercoaster ride of nightclubs, pop-culture and sexual ambiguity, most flamboyantly depicted by 80s Fashion and Art Icon, Leigh Bowery, played in the show by Boy George himself.
Cast Details
(In order of appearance)
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Philp Sallon
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Paul Baker
Phil Nichol
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Billy James
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Declan Bennett
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Derek James
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David Burt
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Josie James
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Lyn Paul
Mari Wilson
Jackie Clune
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Petal
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David Burt
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Kim
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Lucy Newton
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George O'Dowd
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Euan Morton
Stephen Ashfield
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Steve Strange
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Drew Jaymson
Ryan Molloy
Nathan Taylor
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Big Sue
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Gail Mackinnon
Jody Butterworth
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Leigh Bowery
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Julian Clary
Boy George
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Marilyn
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Jon Partridge
Gary Amers
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Gary /
Guru Dazzle
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Robbie Shelly
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Janey
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Nicola Dawn
Michele Hooper
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Virus
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Alana Phillips
Tamsin Stewart
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Foxy
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Lucy Harris
Jody Butterworth
Emma Bispham
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Recording
Engineer
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Nathan Taylor
Paul Spicer
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Policeman
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Robbie Shelly
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Jake
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Daniel Carter
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Trilby
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Martin Neely
Ben Draper
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Kay Cole
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Zee Asha
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This list may look confusing. This is because people were coming and going, at random intervals, all the way through Nathan's time with the show. Where there are several names for one part, the actors listed are those who played it in chronological order, but there was no cast change as such, just a lot of crossing over. |
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Photographs
Miscellaneous Backstage Shots
Nathan as Marilyn
Publicity Shoot at Boy George's House
Click on the links (above) to view thumbnails for each section.
These pictures are a selection of photos taken backstage throughout Nathan's time with the show: some from when he was still in the ensemble, and some from the period where he played Steve Strange.
Click on the thumbnails to view the pictures.
This set of pictures were taken during Nathan's performances as Marilyn, a role that he understudied throughout his time in the cast of Taboo. This outrageous drag-queen was a real fun part to play, and Nathan was lucky enough to get to play it on many occasions. Highlights include Marilyn's first entrance, strutting on the bar, in stiletto heels, singing a corking rock song, and the flip side of that, Marilyn's decline, and the opportunity to play the vulnerability of the character in the song, "Out of Fashion."
Click on the thumbnails to view the pictures.
These pictures were taken during a filmshoot at Boy George's own house in Hampstead. Members of the cast of Taboo had congregated there, and got into costumes and make-up from the show, and record little mini-interviews for use on the Taboo DVD. (As it turned out, Nathan's interview wasn't used, but the day fun nonetheless, and everyone had a great time).
Nathan wore his Steve Strange costume from the song, "Out of Fashion."
Click on the thumbnails to view the pictures.
This costume was Nathan's original look for Blitz. Based on Phil Oakey from the Human League, the wig was an absolute nightmare, and was forever getting in Nathan's eyes.
This was Nathan's look when he first joined the cast of Taboo. The make up took about 40 minutes to complete, and was inspired by a design by Christine Bateman, Leigh Bowery's sister-in-law.
Taboo started with a pre-show, where cast members drifted onto the stage, and from there, mingled with audience members, or engaged each other in conversation, out of which, the show began. This was Nathan's costume for the pre-show, and the following song, "Ode to Attention Seekers / Give Me a Freak."
This look was a favourite of Olivier Award-nominated designer, Mike Nicholls, and until Nathan joined the company in September 2002, had been absent from the show since Andrew Morton had left the cast some months before. Mike said he was "delighted" to have it back!
Nathan, Alana Phillips, and Nicola Dawn onstage before the start of "Everything Taboo," at the top of Act II.
This photo was used as a template for Nathan's Steve Strange make-up, so that he could apply it night after night. Once Nathan had taken over the role of Steve Strange, this was his costume for the preshow and opening number.
Nathan seen here with Paul Spicer. Paul took over from Nathan, as cover to Billy and Guru Dazzle, when Nathan took on the role of Steve Strange.
(Notice that Paul is in the same costume that Nathan had once worn. Due to the low-budget nature of the Taboo production, it wasn't simply a jumper that looked the same - it WAS the same jumper!)
Lucy Newton, Gary Amers, Robbie Shelly, Dan Carter, Alana Phillips, Lucy Harris, Nathan, Ryan Molloy, Gail Mackinnon, Nicola Dawn and Phil Nichol pose backstage before the top of the show.
Nathan as Steve Strange, ready to go on for Miss Mudd. This costume is an accurate replica of the outfit that the real Steve Strange wore on the cover of Visage's album, "The Anvil."
Nathan with Gary Amers (Marilyn), just before the second act's opening number, "Everything Taboo."
Here's Nathan, during one of his performance as Marilyn, posing here with Euan Morton as Boy George.
Daniel Carter, on one of the many occasions that he played Steve Strange, with Nathan, here performing the role of Marilyn, just prior to the song, "Out of Fashion."
You can see that the make-up on both of their faces is smeared and smudged. This was to signify the low ebb that they had reached in their lives at this point in the show.
The gang backstage. From left to right: Alana Phillips, Gail Mackinnon, Robbie Shelly, Lucy Harris, Ryan Molloy, Nicola Dawn, Lucy Newton and Nathan.
This photo was taken after the matinée on the last day of this cast's contract.
From left to right, and top to bottom:
Carl Taylor (Drums), Robert Shelly, Lyn Paul, James McKeown (MD), Nathan, Zee Asha, Gary Amers, Declan Bennett,
Lucy Harris, Lucy Newton, Euan Morton, Paul Baker, Gail Mackinnon, Ryan Molloy,
Nicola Dawn, Alana Phillips, Boy George, Dan Carter, Justin Homewood (Bass Guitar).
This dreadlock look characterised Marilyn throughout Act II, and is the one that most people associate with him. This shot was taken just before "Everything Taboo," at the start of the second act.
Here's Nathan in his sequined "Everything Taboo" costume, posing with Lucy Harris.
Earlier in his life, Marilyn's look was very much based upon that of Marilyn Monroe. You can clearly see that influence in this costume. Nathan is seen here with Lucy Newton, as Kim.
Here's Nathan as Marilyn, just before the scene in the show where he and George take a lot of drugs, and things start to spiral out of control.
Marilyn's life at this point in the show has reached it's lowest ebb. Clearly seen here, how his make-up has deteriorated - a metaphor for his life and failed career. This photo was taken just before the song, "Out of Fashion."
At the start of the show, before the character of Marilyn has made her first appearance, Nathan was still involved in the opening number, "Give Me a Freak." This look is a strange hybrid of his usual costume, combined with the Marilyn make-up.
This shocking pink dress was the costume for the Miss Mudd Club scene, where the Miss Mudd May Queen contest is taking place. Marilyn makes an embarrassing spectacle of herself, before getting ejected from the club by the bouncer.
This picture was taken just before going onstage for the Selfridges scene, and the duet with George called, "Guttersnipe." This was where the audience really saw Maz and George's playful and friendly side, when they were young and ambitious.
This picture was taken upstairs in George's house, while waiting to do his interview. He was actually sneaking a peek at Michele Hooper, while she was filing her slot.
The coat that Nathan was wearing is real python skin, and is an Anthony Price original design, owned by the real Steve Strange, and reputed to be worth around £16,000!
This staircase is in George's kitchen. It made the perfect location for a few photos.
The snake in the photo was christened "Little Steve," and Nathan used to produce him from his pocket during the song, "Out of Fashion."
A lot of people used to ask why, so now might be a good time to explain.
Very simply, the original video for "Fade to Grey" makes use of a lot of images of snakes. Steve's body becomes covered with a picture of a large snake that turns into a real one, and attacks him.
This imagery was used as a reference point in designing the look for Steve Strange in Taboo, and you can see a snake as part of Steve's make-up, as well as, of course, the snake-skin coat. Little Steve is a fond nod toward continuing this theme.
The thinking behind the mis-matched make-up in this photo deserves a few words here.
At the point in the show where Steve sings "Out of Fashion," with George, Billy and Marylin, all the characters have reached terrible low points in their lives. Nathan's make-up represented this by keeping some of the original make-up, from Act I, where things were going well for Steve, but scraping off half of the look, to reveal the reddened eyes, and the bleeding nose of a man who has found himself in the gutter, and at the mercy of drug addiction.
Steve, and Little Steve. Not a lot else seems to be needed here...
This picture shows Nathan's full costume, including the fabulous leopard print trousers. They nearly made it home with Nathan, after the show's run finished, but he chickened out of stealing them, right at the last minute!
This photo has gone into the set to prove that working on Taboo was not all about being miserable!
The whole team had great fun on this film shoot, as indeed on the rest of the show.
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