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Brothers are rivals for love and rave reviews
By Valentine Low, Evening Standard 01.08.07
After-show: Andrew, Rodney and Sherry Boone
On stage: The Clarkes
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South African mezzo-soprano Tsakane Valentine Maswanganyi may be the star of Carmen Jones, but the rivalry between two brothers from New Cross steals the show.
Andrew and Rodney Clarke have lead roles in the production. Andrew, 32, plays Carmen's GI boyfriend Joe while Rodney, 29, plays the prize boxer Husky Miller she dumps him for.
The musical brothers won rave reviews for their performances. Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail said: "Andrew Clarke, playing boyfriend Joe... has a gorgeous voice, a high flute worthy of a 1950s Italian. His brother Rodney plays another of Carmen's blokes, boxer Husky Miller. The Clarke brothers may go on to great things."
Benedict Nightingale in The Times said they were the highlight of the show. The Clarkes began their singing career in a choir. The sons of a science teacher from Jamaica were - along with their other two brothers - members of the choir at Southwark Cathedral. Rodney said: "We come from a family that appreciates music, so we were singing in church a lot."
Both trained at the Royal Academy of Music and have sung with the BBC Symphony Chorus. Although they fight on stage at the Southbank Centre, they insist there is no jealousy in real life.
