Night Must Fall
Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea
31st October - 5th November 2016
Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea
31st October - 5th November 2016
Southend actress, Anne Odeke, tells us how she made the decision to go to drama school; how she’s learned to embrace her own skin, what it's like performing with Gwen Taylor and, bizarrely, why she’d love to play a rhinoceros in the future!
Next week, local Southend actress Anne Odeke, 30, will be treading the Palace Theatre boards for the first time along with the fabulous cast of the Emlyn Williams psychological thriller, NIGHT MUST FALL, directed by Luke Sheppard (In the Heights) and starring Gwen Taylor (Coronation Street, Heartbeat, Duty Free) as Mrs Bramson. Joining Gwen Taylor as Inspector Belsize will be Daragh O’Malley, best known for his role as Patrick Harper in the long-running television series Sharpe. Also in the cast are Alasdair Buchan as Hubert, Mandi Symonds as Mrs Terence and Melissa Vaughan as Dora.
It was extra special for me to have the opportunity to chat to Anne, as she used to be my son’s form tutor at secondary school five years ago and I can remember her telling me that she was going to be leaving in order to pursue her dream of becoming a professional actress.
It was extra special for me to have the opportunity to chat to Anne, as she used to be my son’s form tutor at secondary school five years ago and I can remember her telling me that she was going to be leaving in order to pursue her dream of becoming a professional actress.
First of all, tell me what’s happened since you left teaching at Shoebury? I remember you saying that you were going to go off to try and become a professional actress.
I did amateur dramatics - I belonged to Southend Drama Society - and I loved it. I absolutely love theatre and I just thought, you know what, I’m really going to try and give it a go and see how it all works out; I’m going to try and be an actor, why not? It wasn't that I didn’t enjoy teaching - I absolutely love teaching but I just had this little niggling feeling that I needed to go and find out if I can do it.
I got into Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts which has an excellent reputation and did an MA in Acting. It is a gamble. It’s one of the most unreliable industries really; but I thought, you know what, I’m going to do it and I want to make it work. I loved it there.
I do think it’s really important that you have something to fall back on and have an occupation that can sustain you, for when you are back to auditioning, when a job has finished. I love teaching and now it means that I can do both - I can do 2 things that I love! I’ve really got the best of both worlds.
How long was it before you got your first professional role after graduating from Mountview?
I landed my first professional role in the January, after finishing the course in September. I was in a musical called Finians Rainbow which started at the Union Theatre - which is a wonderful theatre if you get the chance to go - and it did so well that it got transferred to the Charing Cross Theatre for something close to five months. It was wonderful.
I did amateur dramatics - I belonged to Southend Drama Society - and I loved it. I absolutely love theatre and I just thought, you know what, I’m really going to try and give it a go and see how it all works out; I’m going to try and be an actor, why not? It wasn't that I didn’t enjoy teaching - I absolutely love teaching but I just had this little niggling feeling that I needed to go and find out if I can do it.
I got into Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts which has an excellent reputation and did an MA in Acting. It is a gamble. It’s one of the most unreliable industries really; but I thought, you know what, I’m going to do it and I want to make it work. I loved it there.
I do think it’s really important that you have something to fall back on and have an occupation that can sustain you, for when you are back to auditioning, when a job has finished. I love teaching and now it means that I can do both - I can do 2 things that I love! I’ve really got the best of both worlds.
How long was it before you got your first professional role after graduating from Mountview?
I landed my first professional role in the January, after finishing the course in September. I was in a musical called Finians Rainbow which started at the Union Theatre - which is a wonderful theatre if you get the chance to go - and it did so well that it got transferred to the Charing Cross Theatre for something close to five months. It was wonderful.
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You’ve also performed Shakespeare at The Globe, haven’t you?
That was absolutely amazing. I was in Comedy of Errors in a production by Blanche McIntyre, a wonderful female director. I played a character called Luce which was a phenomenal experience because, yes, it’s The Globe but there’s this idea of playing a space which has so many challenges for you as an actor. It’s vocally challenging too because you literally have to reach the rooftops and do it in a way that you’re not going to hurt yourself. Then of course you have to fight the weather. People can get absolutely drenched if it rains and it’s really interesting the effect that has on a comedy because, of course, if people are wet and it’s chucking it down, it kind of affects their mood; but you have to just keep on doing what you’re doing. It was such a wonderful experience working with some very talented actors. |
Anne in rehearsal for Comedy of Errors
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So on to Night Must Fall - what can you tell us about the play?
The play’s set in a house in Essex and it revolves around the character of Mrs Bramson, played by Gwen Taylor. It’s a psychological thriller written by Emlyn Williams and it was first performed in 1935 but it’s not a ‘who-dunnit’ it’s more like ‘Did he do it?’, ‘Why might he have done it?’ and ‘Would he do it again?’
It sounds like there’s a lot of tension going on in the play then?
Yes, definitely, absolutely. There’s loads of tension. There’s also quite a large part of comedy as well. I think that’s one of the keys to good writing. It’s kind of really luring you in and getting you involved and then suddenly changing the mood. It’s very clever.
What role are you playing?
I play a character called Nurse Libby and she’s a kindly matter of fact northern country woman.
Has it been a challenge for you?
Well, I quite like doing accents and have done ever since I was little. Challenge? I suppose it is to a certain degree, especially when we go up to York because then I’ll be feeling really conscious because you know that the audiences are going to pick up on every single word!
What’s it been like working with Gwen Taylor?
Oh, she’s just amazing isn’t she? You’re literally watching a woman at work who really knows her stuff. She is someone who takes a character like Mrs Bramson and makes her part just look so seemingly effortless.
Have you learned much from watching her?
She’s taught me that it’s really important to try and find variations of colour within your character; that you need to find light and shade and subtlety and humour. That is what she does and that is, for me, something that I will take away from having watched and worked with Gwen.
So you’re coming to Southend next - will you be having lots of friends in the audience?
Oh yeah, lots of friends, family and work colleagues. I’m really looking forward to playing in Southend, We’ve been to quite a lot of places but the one I’m looking forward to most is home. This is the first tour I’ve ever done and it’s great getting to see different parts of the country. This tour has been so wonderful and I feel really lucky that I’m working with such a talented and very nice bunch of people - there’s no diva’s in this cast, thank God!
Have you performed at The Palace Theatre before?
I’ve only ever performed in The Dixon Studio but never on the main stage. So how exciting is that? It’ll be the first time for me, as well as quite a few members of the cast too.
How do you keep the momentum up during performances, when you’re doing it so often?
It helps that you have a really great script and Night Must Fall is a wonderful script. If you know you’re working with gold, then that makes life a lot easier. Once you know your lines to the point that you don’t have to think about them, then you have the freedom to go out there and play.
So it never gets dull then?
It never gets dull, ever, because you’re always like ‘come on then, lets play, here we go, what are we going to do tonight, dunno? Won’t find out until we get out there in front of 500 people, come on - let’s go!’
The play’s set in a house in Essex and it revolves around the character of Mrs Bramson, played by Gwen Taylor. It’s a psychological thriller written by Emlyn Williams and it was first performed in 1935 but it’s not a ‘who-dunnit’ it’s more like ‘Did he do it?’, ‘Why might he have done it?’ and ‘Would he do it again?’
It sounds like there’s a lot of tension going on in the play then?
Yes, definitely, absolutely. There’s loads of tension. There’s also quite a large part of comedy as well. I think that’s one of the keys to good writing. It’s kind of really luring you in and getting you involved and then suddenly changing the mood. It’s very clever.
What role are you playing?
I play a character called Nurse Libby and she’s a kindly matter of fact northern country woman.
Has it been a challenge for you?
Well, I quite like doing accents and have done ever since I was little. Challenge? I suppose it is to a certain degree, especially when we go up to York because then I’ll be feeling really conscious because you know that the audiences are going to pick up on every single word!
What’s it been like working with Gwen Taylor?
Oh, she’s just amazing isn’t she? You’re literally watching a woman at work who really knows her stuff. She is someone who takes a character like Mrs Bramson and makes her part just look so seemingly effortless.
Have you learned much from watching her?
She’s taught me that it’s really important to try and find variations of colour within your character; that you need to find light and shade and subtlety and humour. That is what she does and that is, for me, something that I will take away from having watched and worked with Gwen.
So you’re coming to Southend next - will you be having lots of friends in the audience?
Oh yeah, lots of friends, family and work colleagues. I’m really looking forward to playing in Southend, We’ve been to quite a lot of places but the one I’m looking forward to most is home. This is the first tour I’ve ever done and it’s great getting to see different parts of the country. This tour has been so wonderful and I feel really lucky that I’m working with such a talented and very nice bunch of people - there’s no diva’s in this cast, thank God!
Have you performed at The Palace Theatre before?
I’ve only ever performed in The Dixon Studio but never on the main stage. So how exciting is that? It’ll be the first time for me, as well as quite a few members of the cast too.
How do you keep the momentum up during performances, when you’re doing it so often?
It helps that you have a really great script and Night Must Fall is a wonderful script. If you know you’re working with gold, then that makes life a lot easier. Once you know your lines to the point that you don’t have to think about them, then you have the freedom to go out there and play.
So it never gets dull then?
It never gets dull, ever, because you’re always like ‘come on then, lets play, here we go, what are we going to do tonight, dunno? Won’t find out until we get out there in front of 500 people, come on - let’s go!’
Gwen Taylor & Anne in Night Must Fall
Have you got any advice for anyone who is thinking of going to drama school?
If you really want to go into this industry you have to really want to go into it. It’s not easy. You have to be completely committal one hundred percent. It’s important to know that financially you can pay for it too.
Also, I was very grateful for the fact that I was a teacher before. I didn’t go into it until I was 26 years old. I would recommend to anybody to find another profession that you can go into so when you’re back from auditions you can then pay for that house, you can go on those holidays that you want to go on, and you can buy that car you want to drive but at the same time do the job that you love. It sounds very practical and boring but for me that’s the main thing and quite realistic I suppose.
Also it’s really important to embrace what you look like and what you sound like. I didn’t go into it for a long time because I thought, are there any parts out there for a large black woman with an afro? And the answer is yes, but I didn’t know it at the time and I think it’s really important that I learned to embrace what I look and sound like because that is my selling point. The great thing about acting is that there are so many different characters out there to play of so many different ages and types.
So once you accept that I suppose the world’s your oyster in a way?
That’s it and once you accept it you can go out there, and people notice when you go into a room and you have a really positive vibe about you. I just love it. I absolutely love what I do.
Are there any parts that you’d like to play in the future?
No specific part that I’d love to play but I really would love to do something quite absurdist. My favourite play in the whole world is Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco - my absolutely favourite. But I don’t know, if you put it out there that it’s about a town of people turning into rhinoceroses will people suddenly go, ‘Ooh, that sounds a bit crazy?’
Well I’d want to come and see it!
It’s incredible. I would love somehow to be involved, even if it was the tiniest of parts. That’s my dream play to be in. If anyone is putting it on please get in touch!!
Well, let’s hope that will happen for you. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you at The Palace Theatre next week.
The show is selling really well and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone - I’m very much looking forward to Southend.
If you really want to go into this industry you have to really want to go into it. It’s not easy. You have to be completely committal one hundred percent. It’s important to know that financially you can pay for it too.
Also, I was very grateful for the fact that I was a teacher before. I didn’t go into it until I was 26 years old. I would recommend to anybody to find another profession that you can go into so when you’re back from auditions you can then pay for that house, you can go on those holidays that you want to go on, and you can buy that car you want to drive but at the same time do the job that you love. It sounds very practical and boring but for me that’s the main thing and quite realistic I suppose.
Also it’s really important to embrace what you look like and what you sound like. I didn’t go into it for a long time because I thought, are there any parts out there for a large black woman with an afro? And the answer is yes, but I didn’t know it at the time and I think it’s really important that I learned to embrace what I look and sound like because that is my selling point. The great thing about acting is that there are so many different characters out there to play of so many different ages and types.
So once you accept that I suppose the world’s your oyster in a way?
That’s it and once you accept it you can go out there, and people notice when you go into a room and you have a really positive vibe about you. I just love it. I absolutely love what I do.
Are there any parts that you’d like to play in the future?
No specific part that I’d love to play but I really would love to do something quite absurdist. My favourite play in the whole world is Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco - my absolutely favourite. But I don’t know, if you put it out there that it’s about a town of people turning into rhinoceroses will people suddenly go, ‘Ooh, that sounds a bit crazy?’
Well I’d want to come and see it!
It’s incredible. I would love somehow to be involved, even if it was the tiniest of parts. That’s my dream play to be in. If anyone is putting it on please get in touch!!
Well, let’s hope that will happen for you. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you at The Palace Theatre next week.
The show is selling really well and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone - I’m very much looking forward to Southend.
For tickets go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
Website: www.originaltheatre.com
Facebook: TheOriginalTheatre
Twitter: @OriginalTheatre
Age guidance 12+
Website: www.originaltheatre.com
Facebook: TheOriginalTheatre
Twitter: @OriginalTheatre
Age guidance 12+