Early in the new year I was delighted to join the company of Alan Ayckbourn's 'Henceforward...' which toured around the UK throughout January and February 2017. I understudied the roles of actress-turned-escort Zoe and battleaxe banker Corinna, and therefore both incarnations of Nan, the troublesome female android role shared by the two leading actresses. This was a huge learn and I loved the challenge of getting so many words memorised, with the help of our wonderful Associate Director Bobby Brook. It was also a huge privilege to work with Director Alan Ayckbourn; I felt very lucky to be part of such a lovely friendly company and to get an insight into Alan's working practices.
All alone, high up in an isolated, derelict suburban tower block, avant-garde composer Jerome struggles vainly to complete his life’s masterwork about love.
With the help of a deranged android childminder, he hatches a plan to retrieve his source of artistic inspiration, his beloved daughter Geain, from his hostile and estranged ex-wife.
But the best laid plans of men and mechanical women...
After rehearsing at Alan's base in Scarborough we played some lovely theatres on this whistle-stop tour including The Royal & Derngate in Northampton, The Arts Theatre in Cambridge and The Theatre Royal in Windsor. The image above was taken during our very successful open understudy run at The Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford where I played the Zoe/Nan line of parts.