Nicola Hughes is currently in The El Train which sees three one-act plays written between 1913 and 1918 by Eugene O’Neill presented together for the first time at Hoxton Hall. Nicola plays Mammy Saunders in the third play, The Dreamy Kid, which marks Ruth Wilson’s directorial debut. She is also the lead vocalist in The El Train Band who perform between plays.
Nicola recently finished starring as Shug Avery in the London premiere of The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory. The entire run sold out and Nicola received high praise for her mesmerising performance. Nicola is best known for starring as Bess in Sir Trevor Nunn's West End production of Porgy and Bess at The Savoy Theatre; she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.
Her other stage credits include: Simply Heavenly at Trafalgar Studios, Fosse at the Prince of Wales Theatre (she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Velma Kelly in Chicago and Lola in Damn Yankees, both at the Adelphi Theatre, The Goodbye Girl at the Albery Theatre, The Acid Queen in Tommy at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Margie in Crazy For You at the Prince Edward Theatre and Simply Heavenly at the Young Vic.
On television, Nicola has played Katy in Eastenders, Phylicia in Jonathan Creek and appeared in The Royal Bodyguard, Parents Of The Band, Rock Rivals and Trial & Retribution ll. In 2000 independent label Pennant Productions released her solo album ‘Nicola Hughes’ which was produced by TCM Music and is available on iTunes.
I recently spoke to Nicola about what drew her to The El Train, Ruth Wilson’s directing style, why The Color Purple was such a special show to be a part of and why she picks roles so carefully…
What attracted you to The EL Train and why did you accept the role?
Well I was doing The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory over the summer and Ruth (Wilson) and Sam (Yates) came to see the show and asked whether I would be interested in coming in to read for Mammy Saunders. I haven't done many plays so was instantly excited about doing something different for a change and working with Ruth and Sam, particularly Ruth because she is of course an incredible actress but happens to be directing the third play which is the one I'm in. It's her debut as a director and it's my first play so I thought "wow - that would be a cool thing to do!" So anyway, I auditioned and was offered the role the next day, I was so pleased!
What was the rehearsal process like?
Rehearsals were amazing, the piece is very dark and very deep. Ruth is such a fantastic director! You would never know this was her directing debut!
What is her directing style? She must have an actor’s perspective on everything?
Yes! She's so good an actress and so secure in how good she is that it seems to make her directing as good as her acting. Does that make sense? She's an actor’s director. She asks you questions, isn't afraid to try things and will throw something out if it doesn't work or feel right. There's not a wrong answer, everything is up for exploration, so it's like having vitamins every day - you're trying all these wonderful new things and Ruth will steer you right. She knows when you’re being honest and telling the truth because she's an actress herself. We all work with great directors, but directors generally have only ever worked with themselves whereas Ruth has come in having worked with many different directors and is also an actress and is absolutely brilliant!
Ruth Wilson during rehearsals
The EL Train isn't a 'normal' evening at the theatre and sounds like more of an experience. The whole thing sounds very atmospheric! What do you think audiences can expect?
It's an event! As you say it's not a curtain up, curtain down experience. You come into Hoxton Hall which is kitted out as the Hell Hole Saloon. You will walk into an experience with Jazz music being performed as soon as people enter. Even down to the drinks! All the cocktails have been specially named, everything ties in with the Hell Hole Saloon. There's music after the show too, the whole thing really is an experience. All three plays are fantastic and I think it's going to be quite refreshing. We all go and see 'curtain up, curtain down' shows all the time. Usually once a show finishes you have to leave but after the third play in The El Train the experience carries on, as long as you like until 2am in the morning!
I have to ask you about The Color Purple! I adored the show - what was the whole experience like for you?
I adored it too! The whole experience was great for me because last year in December, when my twin babies were just six weeks old, I went in to see John (Doyle, director) and I was a little bit shattered [laughs]. But I read a bit and went home thinking "oh well, I've just had my babies so I'm hardly going to get it at this point in my life." So I was pleasantly surprised to be offered the job! Playing Shug Avery was great for me. I had an incredible time working at the Menier and I think what John did with the show was fantastic and the cast were great to work with. John just wanted to tell the truth and to tell the story. There was something very spiritual about the show.
I know! I could never quite put my finger on what made it so special.
Yes, I think it said so much to so many people on so many levels. It didn't matter who you were - that story of hardship and having to find who you are is a journey everybody has been on. To see Celie find herself and find happiness after all her troubles is something anyone can empathise with.
Nicola Hughes & Cynthia Erivo in The Color Purple
When you accepted the role did you have any idea how successful the run was going to be?
I kind of did - I knew of John's work but I didn't know exactly what he was going to do with it. Obviously having read the script and listened to the soundtrack I knew how fantastic the music and story could be. Also I've been a massive fan of The Color Purple since I was a kid. I saw the film so many times I can't tell you! I think it was the first all-black movie I had ever seen so it had a real impact on me. To have been part of The Color Purple was a real gift and the fact that it led me on to The El Train just shows that if you choose your roles right it can lead to great things!
Do you get the chance to see much theatre?
I do actually! I have date nights! Recently I've seen... this is the thing - when you have children your memory goes [laughs]! You lose brain cells! I went to the Park Theatre to see Adult Supervision, my good friend Jacqueline Boatswain was in it. She was brilliant! I was hoping to see The Scottsboro Boys but it's sold out now, I'm too late!
Imagine you have to move to a desert island... which three musical theatre songs would you take with you?
Ahh! I feel like I'm on desert island discs! This is really hard! Oh bum! Firstly 'I Loves You, Porgy' from Porgy and Bess. I think I would also have to take 'What About Love' from The Color Purple. I love that song so much. The third song is hard! I think it's so difficult because I'm not a conventional musical theatre person! I haven't done the musicals that's most people have done. I need to stop nattering and think of a bloody song [laughs]! Oh, oh - I know! - 'Losing My Mind' from Follies by Sondheim!
Nicola Hughes, Adam Sopp, Christian Edwards & Simon Coombs during rehearsals
Are there ever roles you have your eye on or do you wait and see what comes your way?
I think it comes down to what tickles my fancy at the time. It's difficult because at the moment I'm loving doing this play so I'm thinking "I want to do some more plays!" But I don't like to put constraints on what I'm capable of, I mean I don't always know what I'm capable of until the time comes.
Finally, what has it been like having such incredible and loyal support from theatre fans throughout your career?
It's nice because it shows that the decisions you make can have an impact on others. I could have had a very different career depending on the choices I made and the jobs I decided to do. I am the sort of actress who gets offered some really nice work but I always think "What am I going to get out of doing that show? What am I going to learn from that show? Will I learn anything?" Sometimes you don't get paid very much money and sometimes you do, so the money’s not important. I think about what I will get out of it and what I can learn from the director, and if those two boxes are ticked I will agree to do the show. And then, as a result of that, because I'm happy and able to put my heart and soul into what I do, the audience can feel it too. I don't just do anything, there are so many shows I just wouldn't go near because they wouldn't do anything for me. There are some things I could do standing on my head but I wouldn't be able to give a true performance. Sometimes I will wait for the right thing to come along which I know is not something everybody does, and those who don't do that end up performing in shows they don't enjoy doing and I think that comes across. I really appreciate the amazing support!
Interviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
The El Train runs at Hoxton Hall until 30th December 2013.
Please visit www.theeltrain.com for further information and tickets.
Photo Credit 1, 2 & 4: Poppaea Bicknell
Photo Credit 3: Nobby Clark
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