I think the best research that any actor can do is strip off the Scandi Detective knit, do a couple of sun-salutations, learn your lines and

Another October and I find myself becoming a recluse. Though unlike the hedgehogs and badgers that are building their nests for hibernation I am not preparing to sleep. Far from it. I am readying myself for EXTREME theatre, this year more than ever. I am lucky enough to have been part of The Faction, an award winning London based theatre company since it’s naissance in 2008. i played Lady Anne in the company’s first ever production of Richard III and have been in 21 productio

I have just finished watching Elizabeth:The Golden Age after spending the majority of the day learning lines to play Elizabeth in Mary Stuart. The first thing I have to say is that Elizabeth:The Golden Age is an excellent film. Way better than the first Elizabeth which was still good. I would also like to assert that Clive Owen really didn’t require quite that much fake tan and it is really wrong to find Eddie Redmayne that attractive when he was quite that young. Cate Blanch

Unbelievably today in rehearsals involved being a tree. Actually standing there as a tree. An apple tree to be precise. How absolutely stereotypical for a group of actors to hang around in a rehearsal room pretending to be a tree. When I get asked to do this, which I do a lot, I always get a deep internal cringe. I am reminded of the song ‘Nothing’ from A Chorus Line. The song where Morales the failed actress explains why she became a dancer after attempting an acting trainin

Rehearsals have kicked off. The last two days have been INTENSE. Having spent the weekend pouring over the first half of both Mary Stuart and Twelfth Night a couple of weekends ago we were ready to get up on our feet on the first day. It was straight in at the deep-end; we started with the scene that is the crux of Mary Stuart, the entirely fictional and hugely dramatic meeting between Mary and Queen Elizabeth. It is fireworks and in a rehearsal process that encourages a cert

This evening I have for the fourth time in two years stuffed 93 A4 envelopes with: 10x8 black and white headshot of my face, a flyer for the one woman show I am appearing for charity, a flyer for the rep season in which I am playing three leading roles, a CV listing the several and varied parts I have performed since graduating from one of the best drama schools in Great Britain and finally, and crucially a letter begging the recipient of the stuffed envelope to represent me

Today the company of which I am the producer and the company in which I am part of the acting ensemble won ‘Best Ensemble’ at The Peter Broo

Last night (post Halloween party) I had a God-awful dream. In the dream I was in rehearsal and I couldn’t feel anything. I couldn’t feel anything because I was taking anti-depressants that rendered me barren of emotion and therefore absolutely crap at acting. Like really, really crap, just saying the lines. The thing is, recently I’ve been a bit sad. About lots of things really, some of which are my of own orchestration, others which are not, combined with just generally not

I’ve ummed and ahhed over writing a blog for a while. Real Me thinks it is an excellent idea. Actress Me isn’t so sure, what if I say someth