Much Ado About Nothing – me playing Ursula

This last month has seen me dawning a new tan (despite sun factor 50 on!) and act the ‘Merry Bard’ of Shakespeare in a park, just down the road from me.

To speak the truth, this is a venue and an event I have been wishing to take part in for some time – who says dreams don’t come true!

Since I 1st watched a play in St. Anne’s Well gardens, Blithe Spirit, I have had a hunkering to do a show there. To have it then coupled with the chance to do some Shakespeare – its heaven.

I play 3 small roles: Martini Pink (singer), Ursula and Georgia Seacole (spoken part of the watch or trouser role turned Italian Mama in this production). Do you think that ‘no’ was ever in the equation when I was offered the opportunity to do this?

I have done a lot of out-door venues in my career, luckily enough. It started back in Canada with ‘Theatre Under the Stars’ an outdoor theatre, in Stanley Park, Vancouver, if you are lucky enough to see something there; it’s worth any weather to watch. That too was a dream come true, but then I was only the understudy.

I have toured all over the UK with various touring opera companies, a great way to see the back of beyond in the UK, and sung at estate/country homes in all sorts of weather and costume; nothing like playing a sexy, hot gypsy in English weather.

Naturally the busking I do has literally put me on the streets of London, in particular Covent Garden, I love it when they come up to me and ask me if I’ll be singing at the main house tonight, it even happened this week.

Just a hint there Covent Garden opera, I’m just a few steps away, you could have a new operatic star!

I don’t know why I love performing outside so much, I know for the Shakespeare, it feels like it used to be, at least as close as we can get in modern days. The idea of going from village to village to earn your crusts of bread is a real theatre experience, 1 that I truly appreciate, but I know I’ll need the big houses, so I can earn a bit more than a crust of bread, so don’t worry West End, I will not turn ya down if ya open your doors to me.

In the mean time the little girl from the great wilds of British Columbia, is loving being outside again and doing what I love most – pleasing the crowds with a good tune and some fun-filled antics. Plus the costumes and Vesper are good fun!

Next month sees me back inside, doing various smaller projects, plus making plans for that 3rd CD, I will get it done, if all goes well.

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