Sally Dexter is an Olivier Award winning actress who has enjoyed a varied career. She is currently starring in James Phillips’ new play Hidden in the Sand at Trafalgar Studios 2. Sally stars as Alexandra, a refugee from the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 who has made a home in London but is still haunted by her past. As Alexandra falls in love she struggles to let go.
Most recently Sally played Simone in Viva Forever at the Piccadilly Theatre. Her other recent theatre credits include: White Witch in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (Threesixty Theatre in Kensington Gardens), Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace), Mother Superior in Sister Act (Palladium).
Sally has starred in many shows at the National Theatre including The Recruiting Officer, Entertaining Strangers, The Winter’s Tale, American Clock and The Threepenny Opera.
Sally won an Olivier Award for her performance in Dalliance at the National Theatre and was Olivier-nominated for her performances in Sam Mendes’ Oliver! at the London Palladium and Closer at the National Theatre.
Recently I had a hilarious chat with Sally about her latest project, locking herself out of her dressing room, her time in Viva Forever and her ambition to sing Rock ‘n’ Roll…
How’s the run going of Hidden in the Sand so far?
Well, nobody has died! But I did manage to lock everybody out of the dressing room during the interval of the first preview! The door just clicked shut! We were standing outside with all the props we needed for the second half inside. There was no spare key so we had to use a coat hanger. We could have done without it, but apart from that incident it’s gone very well! We have had lovely audiences.
What can people expect from Hidden in the Sand?
It’s one of the most beautiful scripts I have ever read – and I have read a few! It’s about three Greek Cypriot women and one English man… he doesn’t really stand a chance, does he! It’s a story of profound love, humour, hope and triumphing over adversity. When I first read the script I couldn’t put it down, it made me laugh and cry at the same time! It’s basically a story of love between a man and woman who are not in the first flush of youth, which is not very common. There’s a profundity to the story, it’s not about how people dress, it’s not a ‘magazine’ type love but very real with lots of humour. When watching the audience won’t know whether the couple should be together… until the end.
It sounds like something a lot of people will be able to relate to?
It really, really is. The characters are so real! It takes place during the Cyprus war in 1974. When I was working at the RSC I vaguely remember one of the dressers who worked there showing us some photos of her parents. She was saying that they had had about half an hour to gather together some things and leave because there was going to be a massacre. It was extraordinary and made me look at current affairs stories in a very different way. Nobody really enjoys hearing the news at the moment. For me it gave a human face to the war situations happening now, realising what these people go through. It makes you think that surely we should have learnt from the past. That’s the other thing about James’ script: every single line in it has a ring of truth. You know that he has heard somebody say that, or say something very much like that. He’s done his research very thoroughly. There’s a cry of truth in every line which, in a way, means I don’t have to do much acting because the script says it all.
Trafalgar Studios 2 is a very intimate space. What’s is like going straight from a huge West End theatre into a small studio space?
I love it, I really do! You feel so exposed and I really get a sense of the audience. I hope that our audiences are all as nice as they have been so far, you can feel their warmth. There’s no question whether they can hear you! Although I keep getting lost backstage, it’s like a maze! Only once have I found my way to the stage door exit. All the other times I’ve been through the fire escape! I can’t get out [laughs]! It’s a nightmare, on top of locking myself out of the dressing room!
There are just four of you in the cast, what are they like to work with?
They are all terrible terrible people… no really they are all fantastic, I adore them, they are so brilliant. Because we are sharing something very profound on stage with a twinkle of humour between us, we also have that naturally off stage as well. There is great love between us, and great fun – all with a lot of twinkle. I’m making it sound like a musical, which it certainly isn’t, although there is lots of good music in it.
This is a new piece of writing. Do you like working from scratch with new material, creating a brand new character?
I do yes, but in actual fact I approach all the work I do in a similar kind of way. Whether it’s been done a million times before or not I still engage with the character instinctively first and foremost and eventually my brain trots on behind. The woman I play in Hidden in the Sand is a bit of an outsider with a vivid imagination.
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| Sally in Viva Forever |
Viva Forever couldn’t be any more different to Hidden in the Sand! Is variety important to you?
Yes, I love variety and feel very fortunate that it has come my way and I have grabbed it with both hands! Viva Forever was tiring but huge fun! I had a ball and the most fabulous frocks [laughs], so this is a little bit different! This play provides more food for the soul but we are having a lot of fun as well. Viva was fun, but with Hidden in that Sand, hidden in the sand is joy.
You have played so many iconic roles - if you could play one of those roles again for just one night which role would you choose?
You are a devil! Oh gosh there are so many! What a question! I was in a production called Lady Betty which I loved. I also loved Nancy in Oliver, that’s a tricky one to beat! Then there’s Lady M in the Scottish play. To be honest, the funny thing is that once I’ve finished a job I think ‘on I go’ but then eventually I look back and think ‘oh if only I could go back again and try that bit again’ and I feel like that about most of my roles! I could do it all so much better now – I’ll just choose the whole lot and re-do my career [laughs]!
What is next for you?
Something absolutely incredible is about to happen which is going to change my life and make me a mult-millionnaire… I don’t know what it is yet – but I know it’s out there!
Do you ever have particular roles in mind or do you just wait and see what happens?
I would love to do filming, I really would love to do more filming and things which aren’t done in a rush. I love doing TV but I would really love to do something which I was able to take time over, I know there isn’t much time in filming but I think it’s just the most wonderful medium! That and… I WANT TO SING ROCK ‘N’ ROLL!
[laughs] You could be We Will Rock You’s next Killer Queen!
You betcha!
Do you get the chance to see much theatre?
Sadly I don’t! It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to see anything but I know there’s some fantastic things on at the moment in London. I just think it’s a very exciting place to be right now, there’s a real buzz.
Finally, what’s it like having so much support behind you from theatre fans?
I cannot tell you – it’s the most lovely thing. Some of the girls who came to see me on the first night, Emily Georgia, Sarah and Kelly, are just amazing. On dark nights it heals the soul, it really does! I mean that’s why you get up there in the first place and they really inspire me to keep going! They’re fabulous and I’m so honoured and grateful!
Interviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
Hidden in the Sands runs at Trafalgar Studios 2 until Saturday 26th October 2013.
Please visit www.atgtickets.com/shows/hidden-in-the-sand to book tickets.
Photo Credit 1 & 2: Matt Cooper
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