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Spotlight
Web Digest Weekly
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All photos used are courtesy of Clayton Littlewood.
Clayton Littlewood
Hitting The Stage

  Almost a year ago Clayton Littlewood became a bestselling author
with his memoir Dirty White Boy: Tales of Soho. The book was a
chronicle of his experiences as the proprietor of a swank London
boutique of the same name. Clayton would sit in the window of his
shop and watch the people who went by, most of them becoming
friends of his, and he wrote about them. The pieces he wrote started
out as blog entries that quickly drew a large following and then he put
them together in a book. The rest, as they say, is history.
 Clayton and I were introduced by mutual friend Arthur Wooten. I
knew from the start that Clayton was destined for greatness in his field.
He’s a warm, generous, and extremely talented individual who can tell
a story like few others out there. I featured him here last fall, just about
the time the book was making its splash, and pieces of it have turned
up on the Point of View page for months. So when I heard that Dirty
White Boy: Tales of Soho was becoming a stage show across the
pond, and that Clayton was one of its stars, I couldn’t pass up the
chance to chat with him again about his ingenious work… that is
quickly becoming a franchise.
CP: Welcome back, Clayton.
CL: Well, thank you for having me. It’s always a pleasure to be
‘Carey’d!
CP: (Laughs.) So I heard a rumor that Dirty White Boy is going to
the stage?
CL: It’s not just a nasty rumor. It’s true! Well, I hope it is anyway,
because I’ve just bought a new frock for the opening night.
CP: What brought about the stage version of the book?
CL: Well, I’ve always felt that book readings are incredibly boring,
no matter who the author. There’s no interaction with the audience.  
So when I was asked to do a few for my book I decided to liven
things up a bit. So I invited an actor friend of mine along (David
Benson) to read the dialogue. This seemed to go down well
wherever we delivered it - so then I thought, ‘Hey I could turn this
into a play.’ So I did. So there was no intention of writing a play –
just like there was no intention of writing a book. Both just kind of
happened.
CP: And you’re starring in the show?
CL: Yikes! Yes I am. I play ‘me’ (which shouldn’t be too hard right?
After all I am ‘me!’) But what’s weird is….Here I am – at my age -
going to rehearsals every day. It just seems really strange because
I’ve never had any desire to be an actor and yet now I’m learning
lines, stage craft, timing. It just seems quite bizarre. Interesting but
scary at the same time.
CP: How does it feel to see your work – and the lives of your friends
– come to life like this?
CL: Well, you’ve followed my story, Carey, so you know that the
book was based on the shop my partner, Jorge Betancourt, and I
had called Dirty White Boy. Unfortunately we lost the shop last
year. But what’s nice is that Dirty White Boy now lives on in book
form and as a play.  But the other nice thing is I’m working with
friends. All friends who were reading my blog (that became the
book). So it’s been a real organic thing. I’ve got a great actor. And
great musicians, Martin Watkins and Maggie K de Monde. I’m really
lucky that I’m working with some really talented folk. I never thought
I’d be doing this.
CP: When does the show premiere?
CL: We’re doing three trial dates in the West End. July 10th, 11th
and 24th. Then we’ll see how it plays out.
CP: Where can fans see the show?
CL: The Trafalgar Studios. Whitehall. London. SW1.
CP: I understand the print version of Dirty White Boy recently won
a literary award.
CL: Yes it won the Gay Times Readers Awards Book of the Year.
In fact, and this is a bit of a name drop, Elton John read it. He called
me up and congratulated me on winning and he said it was the best
book he’d read last year. He invited my partner and I over to his
house for dinner – which was amazing. But quite surreal. So if any of
you haven’t bought the book – whaddya waitin’ for? If it’s good
enough for Elton! The book’s called Dirty White Boy: Tales of
Soho and it’s on Amazon.
 Let me just catch my breath a second. That was a big plug even for
me!
CP: Are you planning a new book?
CL: I think I’ve just about finished the second one. It’s a sequel.
CP: And what’s next for you, Clayton?
CL: Well, hopefully I’ll get this second book out. Then, hopefully
again, the play will tour. Plus I have a company pitching the book to
one of our major TV stations – so we’ll see. But I’m 46. I’m not a
starry eyed teenager. If it happens it’ll be nice but I won’t be upset if
it doesn’t.  
CP: Okay, now those nosy questions again: What have you been doing in
your “Clayton” time lately?
CL: Learning lines! Honestly it’s all I’ve been doing. When I’m on the
jogging machine. When I’m shopping. When I’m sitting on the loo. All I do
now is recite lines. I’m so freaked out at the thought of going blank on
stage. Learning my lines has become an obsession.
CP: What hobbies have you been enjoying?
CL: Hmmmm. Writing and reading. I sound like a recluse, don’t I? But I’m
at my happiest now when I’m doing something creative. When I’m not, my
world crumbles.
CP: Reading anything right now?
CL: MY LINES! Continually! Ha! Ha! Actually I read a fabulous book
recently. Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley. It was recommended to me. I don’t
usually read fiction – but this was the kind of book that had me thinking for
days. A beautiful, heart breaking read.  
CP: What music are you listening to?
CL: Oh I went off music along time ago. I was in a band for years and we
didn’t get anywhere. It kind of turned me off music. Although since the
death of the King of Pop I’ve been listening to his music all over again and
realizing what a genius he was.
CP: What’s the sentiment around London concerning Michael Jackson’s
death?
CL: I think the same as everywhere else in the world. Shock, disbelief,
sadness, that Diana feeling again. Sometimes it takes someone to go to
make you realize what they brought to your life.
CP: Seen any good movies you’d like to tell us about?
CL: Ummm. The Reader. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Oh and a
fabulous film called Let The Right One In. Just when you think the
vampire genre has been done to death, this little film came out. Forget
Twilight. Let The Right One In is a breathtaking piece of film making.
CP: What advice or wisdom can you pass along here?
CL: Let me see….if it’s creatively speaking I would say, ‘create something
for the love of it. The moment you start thinking about money you’ll lose
your way. You should always create something for yourself, to please
yourself. If others like it ‘fine.’ But you should never create with an
audience I mind.’  
CP: And what are you most proud of?
CL: My book. It only took me 46 years to write it.
CP: Clayton, thanks for another great interview.
CL: And thank you again for letting me ramble on and being part of your
superb e-magazine.
It is always with great pleasure that I watch a friend have such success as
Clayton Littlewood has been having in the past year. This man is a dynamo
when it comes to entertaining the masses and yet he’s the same down to
earth, welcoming person that I first met. And I can thank Arthur for that.
(Arthur Wooten has introduced me to a lot of fantastically talented people.)
As for Clayton, his book has been a smash and now I have a feeling that
the stage version will bring him to an even wider audience and certainly
greater acclaim as well. Clayton deserves all he gets. He’s a natural
wonder. He’s someone who just makes magic. Hitting the stage, stardust is
bound to fall.

Clayton’s Website: www.myspace.com/dwbsoho

Carey Parrish