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For “Star Wars: In Concert,’’ Anthony Daniels is onstage to narrate some of the story from the movies. He does not dress as he did in all six films, where he starred as C-3PO.
(Lucasfilm Ltd (Left); Photofest ) |
G FORCE | ANTHONY DANIELS
‘Please don’t deactivate me’
Anthony Daniels has an 86-person entourage for “Star Wars: In Concert,’’ which plays tomorrow at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at TD Garden. The English actor known to many as the gold-suited, multilingual C-3PO will narrate the evening, joined on stage by nearly 90 musicians. The multimedia show marries the symphonic works of composer John Williams with edited footage from all six films, synchronized with the intent of delivering an intergalactic experience impressive enough to sway even sci-fi skeptics. Daniels could be the hardest sell of them all.
Q. How did you get involved with this project - how did they approach you?
A. Very carefully, because they know that I always say no to things the first time around, and I wasn’t sure about a symphony concert with film clips. . . . John’s music is a personality and a character within all of the six “Star Wars’’ films. And without that element the films are very empty and devoid of emotion. I hope that children will be inspired to take up music. Why not? Enough baseball, enough football in this country! I cannot believe the yardage that is given to sports. How can they speak so long about a man hitting a ball?
Q. Some of the fanaticism around sports might mirror the enthusiasm of “Star Wars’’ fans.
A. I think sports fans are even crazier. The word “fan’’ can be disparaging. “Star Wars’’ opened in 1977 without any advertising. It was purely by word of mouth. . . . You should realize that I’m not a “Star Wars’’ fan. [The films] are not for me. And because, by George, I was involved in making them, I cannot see them as other people see them. Being involved in the concert is genuinely the first time I’ve understood the story of “Star Wars.’’
Q. Was it strange, then, returning to the project?
A. No, I have been involved in so many things over the 33 years. I accept that [“Star Wars’’] will never be over until I drop dead.
Q. Are you going to appear in your gold suit?
A. No. That can be seen in the exhibition outside the arena. There will be props and costumes as well as pages of John’s handwritten score. Night after night I have the honor to delve under the main theme to hear how sections reply to other sections. It’s terribly exciting. The reason we like John’s music is it’s not some facile, Andrew Lloyd Webber gloss. He wrote some nice stuff, but it’s a bit Disney, isn’t it? Whereas John’s is serious classical music.
Q. Did you ever play a musical instrument?
A. For about 10 minutes when I was 9 years old. Of course, now I regret not following through. Now I stand on stage - a musician by proxy.
Interview was condensed and edited. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
