Janie Dee is starring as Margery in the West End premiere of Hand To God.
Following three off-Broadway seasons, Robert Askins’ play transferred to Broadway in 2015 where it enjoyed a nine month run. Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand To God opens at the Vaudeville Theatre on 15th February (previews from 5th February) and runs until 11th June 2016.
Janie is one of theatre’s biggest stars, with her most recent credits including: Irina Arkadina in The Seagull (Open Air Theatre), Essie Miller in Ah Wilderness! (Young Vic), Kings Of Broadway & Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music In Concert (both Palace Theatre), Titania/Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Asian/Russian tours), Ruth opposite Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit (Gielgud Theatre), Putting It Together (St James Theatre) and Miranda in NSFW (Royal Court).
She famously 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 performance as Jacie Triplethree in Alan Ayckbourn's Comic Potential which was written especially for her.
Janie has also won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in Nicholas Hytner's production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel at the National Theatre and won a UK Theatre Award for her portrayal of Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! at the Leicester Curve. 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.
During a break from rehearsals, I recently caught up with Janie to discuss why she’s so excited to be throwing herself into Hand To God, her initial reaction after first reading the piece and why it’s so thrilling to be performing a new American play in the West End. We also discussed her diverse career, The Seagull, her recent experience in Russia, why she withdrew from Mrs Henderson Presents, working with Angela Lansbury and lots more…
How did you first hear about Hand To God?
I literally got a call to say “Could you read this? If you fancy it they would like to meet you.” Being asked ‘if you fancy it’ doesn’t happen very often! They didn’t want me to come and read for it if I wasn’t interested, and I realise now why they did that [laughs]. I don’t want to talk about the play too much because one of the exciting things about a new play is not knowing. When I read the script not knowing anything, the journey was so completely unexpected – it got inside me and after reading it I was sat on my bed and couldn’t speak.
