Sunday, 4 March 2018

Interviews Julie Barclay by DJ Forrest



Had you always wanted to be an actress?

Julie: Yes. One Christmas when I was about 7, in primary school, I was cast as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I had a lovely teacher called Miss Nicholls who really encouraged me.


What was your first break as an actress?

Julie: When I first left Drama College I had to get professional work to get my equity card but I couldn't get the work without it, so it was a real Catch 22 dilemma. So, I got together with a comedy partner, the writer, Joe Turner, and we created an alternative comedy double act called 'Mouth to Mouth'. We played venues all over Cardiff and took our full-length cabaret style show to the Edinburgh festival in 1986 and then I finally got my Equity card.

After that, my first break was with the Sherman Theatre Company playing Lettie the Maid in a Musical called 'Something's Afoot'.

Who got you into acting - family or was it a person out with family, a favourite actor, perhaps?

Julie: My parents always encouraged me to go to dancing and acting classes. When I was about 16 I joined the Clwyd Youth Theatre. It meant everything to me and I made friends for life. It was a short step from there to Drama College although it did take me 3 years to be accepted anywhere and that's when I first came to Cardiff.

Have you worked alongside Nathan Sussex, Justin Walters or Jams Thomas before?

Julie: I've worked with Nathan in a play I directed called 'A Kind of Alaska' by Harold Pinter and we acted together in a play called 'The Censor' by Anthony Neilson with Faction Collective. I played his wife.


Jams and I were in the film called 'Pride' together, although not in the same scenes. I've played his sister in a short film too. Hopefully I will work with Justin at some point

What stage productions were you involved in and did you tour with the company?

Julie: I have toured with a few different theatre companies including Hull Truck Theatre,
Black Rat Productions, Grassroots Theatre Company, Theatre Iolo, Theatr y Byd, Theatr Na'nOg and Sherman Theatre. Productions include - Salt of the Earth by John Godber for Hull Truck, Romeo and Juliet and Boeing Boeing directed by Richard Tunley for Black Rat Productions, Spanish Lies by Frank Vickery for Grassroots Productions and Glissando on an Empty Harp by Ian Rowlnds for Theatr y Byd. 

Last year I toured rehearsed readings of 'Bed Among the Lentils' and 'The Outside Dog' by Alan Bennett for Sherman Theatre directed by Andrew Sterry.

What would be your ultimate favourite role to play if you got the opportunity, and why?

Julie: Martha in 'Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf' by Edward Albee. Martha is a compelling, sometimes hideous character but damaged and vulnerable too. A real challenge.

Do you still do Stand Up and what kind of comedy did you cover in your session?

Julie: After doing Stand Up for about 2 years I knew it wasn't for me. You need to have a pretty thick skin to stick at it. Joe Turner wrote our scripts and they were cutting edge, and always brilliantly original. The sketches were mostly about sexual politics, challenging gender stereotypes and empowering women. The act was received really well and looking back I was incredibly lucky to be amongst the few women doing stand up at that time. We played The Comedy Store in London in the mid 80s when alternative comedy was the new rock n roll.

What's the furthest you've travelled for an audition?

Julie: Spring Street Theatre in Hull

Would you ever play a character in a horror film? Have you ever played a character in a horror film?

Julie: I would love to be in a horror film. I was very fascinated by vampires as a kid.

Are you from an acting family and will your children follow in your footsteps - or do they already?

Julie: I'm the only actor in my family. My eldest son, Lewis, is interested in Sound Design. He's doing his 'A' levels and thinking about a career in Theatre/Film/TV Sound. He already has an impressive catalogue of original instrumental tracks saved on his laptop. I know I’m biased, but his work is very promising.

My son Tommy is a devoted rugby fan and a very talented player. He's a wizard at maths, languages and sciences but his dream would be to play for the Ospreys one day.

You've been in one of the Nation's popular Soaps, was that a 'dream come true' experience, and would you return to Corrie, or would you like to be in another Soap Opera?

Julie: I would love to return to Corrie. It was a dream come true and came right out of the blue for me. I played a really confrontational woman called Meg Ollerenshaw. My scenes were with Kate Ford who plays Tracy Barlow and Marc Baylis who played Rob Donovan at the time. A real highlight for me.
   
Some actors branch out into writing, directing and producing - have you done this, would you be interested in writing your own drama, film, play etc?



Julie: I co-founded Be:Spoken Theatre Company with two friends, actresses Caroline Bunce and Claire Cage, a few years ago and directed 'A Kind of Alaska'. I've also co-directed Youth Theatre productions and College productions when I worked at Cardiff and Vale College teaching BTEC in Performing Arts. A few years ago, I adapted a book of short stories called 'Fresh Apples' by Rachel Trezise and received funding from Arts Council Wales to develop the play with a fantastic cast of actors. Since then I have directed several rehearsed readings of new plays for an event called 'On The Edge' produced by Michael Kelligan and last year I was selected to join a playwriting scheme at the Sherman Theatre called the New Welsh Playwrights Programme. As a result of that, I wrote a play called 'The Lodger' about my experience of having breast cancer.
I'm going to revisit the script soon. It’s such an important issue. Sadly, all of us know someone who has been affected by cancer. (I’m very well now btw).
  
You played a character in Broadchurch - were you with the main cast?


Julie: I was in the supporting cast as Angela, the taxi controller. At the audition, the security surrounding the story line and the characters in the script was so tight that they changed the name of the series and the leading characters to prevent any script/dialogue being revealed before it was aired. It was only when I met the director, Paul Andrew Williams, that he told me the scene would be with Olivia Colman. When I received the locked down script, I discovered that David Tennant would also be in the scene. It was fascinating working with them both. I'll never forget it

Do you ever watch the shows you're appearing in before or after you've appeared in them?
    
Julie: I've dipped into Corrie for decades but never thought I would appear in it. I was brought up in London and always thought that if anything I might be lucky enough to be in Eastenders. I watched both series one and two of Broadchurch but re-watched them again when I knew I was in the final series.

Did you watch Torchwood before you played Bernie's Mam?



Julie: I was in the 3rd episode of the very first series. So, I watched it from the start. It was my first TV appearance. It was only a short scene but I was so proud of it. I framed the script and put it on my wall.

Bernie's Mam looked like the kind of woman you wouldn't want to mess with - who were you channelling when you played her?
   
Julie: It wasn't based on any one person but many of the women in my family, especially my dad's four sisters, were strong and dynamic people. It was a fantastic day on set with Eve Myles and Naoko Mori. 
 
Have you voiced any characters in audio dramas for either BBC or Big Finish?

Julie: I’ve been involved in many different BBC Light Ent radio series but nothing for audio drama or Big Finish.

Have you voiced any adverts or been in any adverts on the television?

Julie: A few years ago I was in an advert on television for Castle Bingo with actor Gareth Potter and appeared in a Six Nations Rugby television promo and not long ago I filmed an online advert for mobiles.co.uk and appeared as 'mum' in an advert for Edwards of Conwy Sausages.

When you're not working, how do you spend your time?

Julie: In my 30's I studied part-time for a teaching qualification in Further/Higher Education and have always taught drama and run acting workshops alongside my work as an actress. I absolutely love it. To relax, I love reading, watching films and seeing my friends. Many of my close friends are actors/creatives and we keep each other sane through the ups and downs of staying in work. Just when you think you’ll never work again, something usually comes along.



Do you prefer to play 'good' characters, or would you like to get your teeth into a really nasty character???
   
Julie: I'm open to offers!  I'd love to play someone who appears good on the surface but who has a dark and shocking secret.

Which nicely eases us nicely into my next question regarding your friend Nathan’s character in Hollyoaks, Buster Smith, who also has a shocking secret. What do you think Buster’s secret could be? 

Julie: Your guess is as good as mine. He could be a conman of some sort, maybe? He seems to be getting his feet under the table, doesn't he? I can’t wait to find out. Guess we will have to wait and see. 

I told Nathan that I think he is Nana McQueen's love child.

Julie: Haha That would be really funny if he was.


If you want to see Julie in action, then check out her showreel here.


Many thanks for an awesome interview, Julie.

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