Big Interview: Janie Dee (Part 1)

Janie Dee is one of theatre’s biggest stars, having played countless starring roles in musicals and plays in both London’s West End and in some of the UK’s most prestigious regional theatres. 

She won the Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress in a Play, as well as the Obie and Theatre World Best Newcomer Award in New York, for her legendary performance as Jacie Triplethree in Alan Ayckbourn's 'Comic Potential' which was written especially for her.

No stranger to awards success, Janie has also won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in Nicholas Hytner's acclaimed production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's 'Carousel' at the National Theatre. Most recently she won a UK Theatre Award for her critically acclaimed portrayal of the title role in Hello Dolly at the Leicester Curve. Not only has the star worked closely with Harold Pinter and Alan Ayckbourn, but she has also worked extensively on screen and has already completed work on two films this year.

Just a few of Janie’s other theatre credits include: Noises Off, Calendar Girls, Shadowlands, Donkeys Years, The King and I, South Pacific, The Sound Of Music, Cats, Cabaret, Twelfth Night and Private Lives.

This Sunday (10th November) Janie will discuss her extraordinary career with Edward Seckerson and perform live as part of the autumn run of Singular Sensations at the Charing Cross Theatre. In honour of Remembrance Sunday, Janie will dedicate a special part of the show to those who have lost their lives in warfare. 

I recently had the joy of sitting down with Janie to discuss her recent stage and film work, as well as her incredible awards success throughout her career. Below is part one of the interview which focuses on Janie’s involvement with Singular Sensations. Part two will be published shortly. 

How did your involvement with Singular Sensations come about?

Edward Seckerson was the Independent’s Chief Classical Music Critic. I knew him because he came to interview me when I was playing Anna in The King and I and he wanted to do a podcast about my first time at the Curve in Leicester. I was very glad to meet him because he’s serious and has got that lovely BBC Radio manner, he knows his stuff and is very passionate – he goes to see everything! All that was apparent when he first interviewed me, he knew all the history of Rodgers and Hammerstein, the real story of Anna and the King, the background of all the music and about all the people who had played the role before me. He knew all of it and of course that was just about one particular musical, he knows all that about all musicals! He’s a great person to lean on during an interview. 

The show is taking place on Remembrance Sunday. You happen to be a passionate anti-war campaigner, was this a coincidence? 

It was a coincidence, but a happy coincidence. I suggested we make the show about remembrance Sunday but Edward said he wants to concentrate on my career. So I said “ok why don’t we do one section about my career and then do the rest about Remembrance Sunday” to which he said “no the opposite”. So I’m hoping to compromise him a bit during the interview, I have a few surprises for him! But that’s ok, we’ll be fine!

You must have done so many interviews throughout your career, is it something you enjoy doing?

I do like doing interviews, I like thinking about the question somebody has asked me and being completely honest about my answer. I sometimes get a bit upset if I read something that is not quite what I meant, it might be my exact words but I think “oh god, I didn’t mean it in that way.” So these days I do try and ask to be sent a copy, not because I don’t trust the interviewer, but just because I like to make sure that if I have said anything stupid or misleading it can be changed before the interview goes to print. It’s often my fault; I’m not as articulate as I would like to be. As an actor you get given all these fabulous lines and sometimes people think that’s how you are, but I’m not. I rely on very good script writers to speak well. That’s actually the joy of acting. 

Do you find you almost lose yourself?

You can lose yourself, but when you have a wonderful writer such as Noel Coward, Alan Ayckbourn or Harold Pinter you can also improve yourself. I must not forget Lucy Kirkwood! I did a show at the Royal Court for her and my language was superb! I loved speaking her words because they felt like mine but better. 

Watch out for part two of my big interview with Janie Dee during which we discuss her run in Hello Dolly at the Leicester Curve, the many awards she has won throughout her career, as well as Putting It Together which runs at the St James Theatre next year. 

Interviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
andrew@westendframe.com 

You can see Janie in Singular Sensations at the Charing Cross Theatre this Sunday (10th November) at 3pm. Please visit www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk for further information and tickets.

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