New trailer for Fluid

Delighted to receive an email out of the blue from the lovely Jonathan Bart, who has put together a new trailer for his indy feature film Fluid

View it on Vimeo HERE

Love’s Labour’s Lost – The Factory

I have been a member of The Factory theatre for several years now. The Factory has a reputation for doing very innovative, often improvised work but with a deep understanding of text. We work in a spontaneous manner and never block scenes or decide what to do in advance but try wherever possible to be in the moment of playing. We decided to work on Love’s Labour’s Lost because it is a less familiar play. I really enjoyed meeting online and studying the text with the Factory’s associates every week throughout April, May and June.

Link to The Factory

We were due to play at the Willow Globe in Wales but unfortunately the event had to be cancelled. Instead, we decided to put the show online and performed a version on Zoom that was livestreamed on YouTube.

We made some decisions beforehand – such as casting, there were also a few cuts to the text. However, as every actor was filming alone in their home we had no idea what the background would look like, how they would play it or indeed what might happen due to the limitations of technology. In order to try and bring a Factory feel to the online experience, we asked the audience beforehand to suggest household items that we had to incorporate as props into the show. The results of this varied wildly… I play Jaquenetta.

You can find it on YouTube HERE

The Shape Of Things To Come – Square

The Shape Of Things To Come – Square

The production company 58 Miles was established by 3 incredible actors who were all part of the RSC’s 2019/2020 season. Their global tour was cut short by the pandemic but undeterred they created some short films during lockdown. I appear in Square, the second in The Shape Of Things To Come trilogy all written by Amelia Donkor.

The films were shot entirely on Zoom from our own houses. I think Amelia has done a brilliant job of writing for the technology available and the circumstances we all found ourselves in. Rehearsing and shooting something not only creative but so very funny certainly brought some joy to the difficult times.

You can watch Square HERE

Poetry for BBC Radio Kent

'The Orange' by Wendy Cope (Introduction by Steven Elder)

by Louise Mai Newberry | Arts programme for BBC Radio Kent

My dear friend and very accomplished actor Steven Elder has a regular slot on the Arts programme for BBC Radio Kent. To help people get through the lockdown, the show’s presenter asked Steve to record some poetry for the show.

I decided to read one of my favourite poems The Orange, by Wendy Cope and to do it outside as I was aware that for many people unable to leave their homes, the sound of the birds would be as much of a comfort as the poem itself.

Interact poetry

Interact poetry

I have been a volunteer for Interact Stroke Support since 2007 at the National Neurology Hospital in London and at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. We are made up of teams of professional actors who read to stroke patients to aid their recovery.

You can read about the organisation HERE

Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of the pandemic, we’ve had to suspend our hospital visits for a while. Interact decided instead to provide some online service for patients who are back at home and different actors were chosen to read some of their favourite pieces. I chose Sea Fever by John Masefield. I thought that the noise of the seagulls where I live would add an authentic feel to the poem.

You can see me reading it here, as well as some very famous actors reading their favourite stories too: HERE

TELL IT SLANT – Merry Spinsters & Hope Theatre

Drawing from the real life experiences of a press officer in the Home Office comes a new play about the allure of fake news. I appear in audio and visual cameos as a TV presenter Ellie Lewin and BBC journalist Nic Thomas. See if you can spot me!

Director – Erica Miller

CLICK: HERE

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING – stf (Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory) & Wilton’s Music Hall

Of all the roles I never thought I’d play, Dogberry was one of them. It’s been an incredible challenge to play this comedy character who is in turn the moral centre of the play, but very rewarding too. We were so lucky to play both the intimate space in the round at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory Theatre and the beautiful Victorian Music Hall at the Wilton’s for stf’s 20th anniversary

Director – Elizabeth Freestone

CLICK: HERE

PLENTY – Chichester Festival Theatre

In this revival of David Hare’s classic, I play Mme Aung wife of the Burmese Ambassador. Cast includes Rachael Stirling, Rory Keenan, Antony Calf and Nick Sampson

Director – Kate Hewitt

LINK: HERE