HE is about to play an Australian icon to a packed Entertainment Centre, but Hugh Jackman's most nerve-racking performance to date was the intimate show he put on for his friend Nicole Kidman's wedding.

 

Singing the favourite song of Kidman's new husband Keith Urban, the Peter Allen classic Tenterfield Saddler, was a pressure-filled experience.

 

"Nicole rang me and asked me to sing Keith's favourite song," Jackman said yesterday. "I said, 'This is breaking one of my golden rules, never to sing a singer's favourite song'."

 

It obviously went well, and Jackman, who is due to star in Baz Luhrmann's epic with the actress, described her wedding as "beautiful, very romantic, very heartfelt". Jackman yesterday paid tribute to Allen, who he will play in The Boy from Oz in Sydney next month.

 

"(Allen) is definitely a role model and Peter has made me more confident," Jackman said. "I have grown by playing Peter, as a performer and as an entertainer. I started as an actor. I was quite nervous playing Peter at first. I can definitely say (I have) more confidence and I think that confidence goes into films, too."

 

Jackman, who won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Allen on Broadway, is well-known to movie-goers as Wolverine from the X-Men series. Jackman is now locked in rehearsals for the show, which opens on August 3.

 

Yesterday he gave a sneak peek, whipping through Pretty Keen Teen, which Allen and stage brother Chris once performed on Bandstand. Jackman is eager to show Australian audiences how much he has developed, having not performed on stage here since 1998 in Sunset Boulevard.

 

As he watched rock band Coldplay at the Entertainment Centre recently, all he could think of was "10,000 people singing I Still Call Australia Home. I got tingles on the back of my neck," he said.

 

http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,19706360%255E421,00.html

I'm seeing The Boy From Oz next month, and really looking forward to it, always been a huge fan of Hugh Jackman...and the reviews seem to be really positive, should be a good night

Went to see The Boy From Oz last night and I have to say it was absolutely fantastic!!! I was so impressed with how funny Hugh Jackman was, what a talented guy. I didnt realise how much audience interaction there was going to be!!! That was really good!! I would recommend this show to anyone, well worth the money