SOUTHEND THEATRE SCENE
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Main feature writer - Kim Tobin
  • COMING UP
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
    • David Streames Interview
    • Daniel O'Donnell
    • Matt Wycliffe Interview - Million Dollar Quartet
    • Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull
    • Tony Stockwell Interview
    • Priscilla Queen of the Desert Tour - Interview with Emma Crossley
    • Phil Walker - Guitar Heroes
    • Rock for Heroes Review
    • Once the Musical - We interview Daniel Healy & Emma Lucia as we are invited to watch the cast rehearse!
    • The Overtones 2019
    • Derren Brown - Showman
    • Stephen K Amos Interview
    • Geoff Norcott INTERVIEW
    • Diversity and Kev Orkian Interviews
    • Giles Cooper talks about Nigel Slater's TOAST
    • Kristian Lavercombe - Riff Raff - Rocky Horror Show
    • Dan Partridge & Martha Kirby talk Grease the Musical
    • Village Green Festival 2019
    • Lee Mead, David Streames & Richard Foster
    • Craig Revel Horwood
    • Jenny Gayner
    • Nigel Slater
    • Alex Bourne Interview - Annie Tour 2019
    • Beverley Craven Interview
    • Gary Barlow and Tim Firth Interview - Calendar Girls
    • Tom Stade 2019 Interview
    • Karen Gibson - The Kingdom Choir
    • AJ Pritchard
    • Jonathan Wrather - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Tilted Wig Productions
    • Kevin Clifton & Graziano Di Prima Interview - Burn the Floor
    • Elesha Paul Moses Interview - Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It?
    • Juliet Mills & Maxwell Caulfield Interview
    • Juliet Mills Interview
    • Holly Liburd - The Bodyguard
    • Alexandra Burke - The Bodyguard
    • Janine Duvitski Interview
    • Matthew Kelly & David Yelland
    • Aled Jones Interview
    • Quadrophenia Live Interview with Doug Freeman
    • Diversity's Ashley Banjo, Jordan Banjo, Perri Kiely & Terry Smith
    • Ali James & James Cranfield
    • Ed Speleers, Mairi Barclay & Adam Lilley
    • Rachel Lumberg & Faye Christall Interview
    • Rain Main - Mathew Horne & Ed Speleers
    • Charles Sharman-Cox
    • Matt Terry & Antoine Murray-Straughan
    • Collabro Road to the Royal Albert Hall Interview
    • Steve Michaels - Elvis
    • Paul Young Interview
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Jersey Boys Interview
    • Colin Blunstone - The Zombies
    • Dave Kelly - The Blues Band
    • Clive John - Johnny Cash Roadshow
    • Paul Opacic & Richard Walsh
    • Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace
    • Alexander O'Neal Interview
    • Kevin Whately - Our Finest Hour
    • Jenny Eclair - Grumpy Old Women Tour
    • Séan Aydon - Great Expectations
    • Joe McElderry Live in Concert
    • Nichola McAuliffe Interview
    • Natalie Anderson & Jonathan Halliwell
    • Geoff Norcott Interview
    • Mark Steel - Comedian Interview
    • Debra Stephenson & Alice Barlow
    • Dr Feelgood's Kevin Morris
    • Ali James Interview - Oh Yes It Is!
    • Tom Stade Interview
    • Sarah Earnshaw - Nativity the Musical
    • Karina Jones - Wait Until Dark
    • The Stylistics
    • Tom Chambers & Charlotte Wakefield
    • Jessie Wallace - Deathtrap
    • Paul Bradley - Deathtrap
    • George Kemp - The Wipers Times
    • Joe McElderry - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
    • Ian Hislop & Nick Newman - The Wipers Times
    • Chris Simmons, All or Nothing the Musical
    • Caroline Flack, Tom Chambers Interview
    • Ruth Madoc
    • Scott Reid - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
    • Samuel Clemens, Director
    • Elizabeth Elvin
    • Ray Cooney - Out of Order
    • Susie Amy
    • Sue Holderness
    • Shaun Williamson
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher & Oliver Ormson
    • Geoff Norcott
    • Navi - King of Pop
    • Damian Williams Interview
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher Interview
    • Samantha Womack Interview
    • Les Dennis Interview
    • Clive Mantle - The Verdict
    • Stephen Bailey Interview
    • Steve Hackett Interview
    • Alastair Whatley - The Original Theatre Company
    • Paul Carrack Interview
    • Janine Johnson - Back to Bacharach Interview
    • Lewis Griffiths - Dirty Dancing
    • Ben Portsmouth Elvis Tribute
    • Paul Nicholls - Shawshank Redemption
    • Anne Odeke - Night Must Fall
    • Elaine Paige
    • Jimmy Osmond - Christmas Extravaganza
    • Brian Conley & Gok Wan
    • Jonathan Kiley - Qdos Pantomine Producer
    • Lee Mead - Some Enchanted Evening
    • Maximum Rhythm & Blues
    • Joe McElderry - Northern Light Tour
    • Carol Harrison - All or Nothing
    • Paul Cattermole - The Rocky Horror Show
    • Tommy Steele
    • Cheryl Baker - Formerly of Bucks Fizz
    • Gabrielle Cocca from Cats the Musical
    • PJ Proby Interview
    • Ashleigh & Pudsey - Mission ImPudseyble
    • I'm Cold - Alex Thorn
    • Mon Amie - supporting Jason Donovan
    • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    • Richard Ede - The 39 Steps
    • Collabro
    • The Searchers
    • Fanny Galore
    • Paul Carrack
    • Rose Marie
    • Gary Wilmot, Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson
    • Megan Terry
    • Sharon Rose - Little Eva in West End's Beautiful
    • Roy Chubby Brown - Britain's Rudest Comedian
    • Fascinating Aida's Dillie Keane
    • Ben Portsmouth - Elvis Tribute Artist
    • Ugly Sisters, Martin Ramsdin & David Robbins - Cinderella
    • Lauren Hall (Cinderella)
    • Michael Harrison, West End Producer
    • Brian Conley
    • Sharon Rose - X Factor
    • The Bodyguard - Zoe Birkett Interview
    • Alex Bourne (Daddy Warbucks)
    • Michael Corbidge Royal Shakespeare Company
    • Ashton Moore - Samson
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Phill Jupitus
    • Michael Sharp Playwright
    • Ray Cooney OBE
  • MUSIC
  • YOUTUBE
  • Features
    • Echoes From Essex
    • Immersive Actor Training
    • Afternoon Tea at the Cliffs Pavilion
    • N-Act Theatre Stage - Village Green
    • Chameleon Productions
    • Sheku Kanneh-Mason
    • Aladdin - Panto Cast Announcement
    • Sounds Familiar Music Quiz
    • N-Act Theatre in Schools
    • Ray Cooney comes to see Lindisfarne perform his play
    • Theatre Etiquette
    • Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society's Backstage Crew
Picture
We interview Southend's very own
Elizabeth Elvin 
currently starring in
Ray Cooney's No 1 Farce

Out of Order
coming to the Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
10th July to 15th July 2017
We chat to local actress, the delightful Elizabeth Elvin, on press launch day, back in February, where she excitedly tells us that she cannot wait to get back on to the very first stage she performed on and how much she loves the Palace Theatre.  Elizabeth is playing the role of Nurse Gladys Foster in Out of Order and is clearly full of fun and enthusiasm not only for the play but for her craft - we can't wait to catch up with her again in Southend!
​You actually come from Southend don’t you?

I live in Barling Magna.  I love living there.   I was born in Thorpe Bay and I then went off to do my career for years and years and came back, funnily enough, just as Roy Marsden was taking over the Palace Theatre and I worked there while my children were growing up, so it was absolutely gorgeous.

Have you children followed you into acting?

No, although they're both very good.  My daughter's doing archeology and my son is doing engineering but they both used to do little school things at the Palace Theatre.

Do they come and see you in plays?

Oh yeah, they’ll be there on the opening night in Southend for this as well.  They do enjoy it but you know you have to have that absolute bug of really wanting to act because you do get kicked in the teeth quite a lot; and you do just have to get up and get on with it if you’re going to have a career in acting.

Was that something that ever happened to you?

Not really but just at the beginning, there’s so much competition, you know, when you come out of drama school.  There’s thousands of graduates and you just have to keep going.   I got a lucky break at Glasgow Citizens Theatre which was my first Rep and then after that I got recommended for something else and then you're off;  but the Palace Theatre was the very first stage that I stood on at the age of 3 with the Mallory School of Dancing.  I used to go and watch my mum, Eddie  Hill, who was with the Borough Players and then she went on to the East Essex Players and did some wonderful, marvellous productions actually.  So from the age of about 3 to 8 years old, I used to go to along to all of her rehearsals and then watch her perform at the Palace.  

I used to love going to the Palace Theatre.  I think it’s one of the nicest theatres in the country and I’ve done hundreds of plays, all over the place and that theatre is the place that I love.  You know, it just has a certain smell - I just love it and I can’t wait to go back.  
Picture
Elizabeth with co stars, Sue Holderness and Susie Amy
You did Shirley Valentine there and won a Best Actress Award for it too, didn’t you?

I did, yes.  The role I’m doing for Out of Order is slightly different this time, though [laughs]; having been on stage for 2 hours non stop, cooking egg and chips and drinking wine and all the rest of it with Shirley Valentine, now I’m coming on as Nurse Gladys Foster; she's quite different - quite a feisty character!

Are you looking forward to working with the rest of the cast?

Oh yes and I’m really looking forward to working with Ray because I’ve actually been in six of his plays - they’re wonderful plays - but I’ve never actually worked with him.  We’ve met lots of times, so I’m really looking forward to it.  

I think this play is just what audiences need at the moment.  They need a bit of fun and you’ve got everybody just going.. [does a massive belly laugh].. because that is just what it makes you do!   Also, with the play being quite physical -  jumping in and out of windows and things going wrong - it’s wonderfully funny.  But you know, farce is like a big military operation. You need to be very, very disciplined and if you do something even fractionally wrong, you can lose your laugh.  

No pressure then?

Well, I don’t even come on till the second half.  So I’ll be sitting in the dressing room up til then, being fanned on a chaise longue.  [laughs]

Interview:  Kim Tobin
Tickets are available to purchase now from Southend Theatres Box Office by calling 01702 351135 or go online to www.southendtheatres.org.uk

For more information about Out of Order click here
Picture
Chatting to Elizabeth on press launch day - such a delight to talk to!

Home

About

MUSIC

INTERVIEWS

FEATURES

Copyright © 2015