Sheridan Smith wanted to play a troubled middle-aged actress on the verge of breaking down to take control of her own demons.
Speaking exclusively to Web in her dressing room at London's Gielgud Theater ahead of her Opening Night debut, the British star, 42, appreciates the obvious parallels between herself and Myrtle Gordon, the drunken Broadway legend she brings to life in her new stage show .
However, while some actors may shun such triggering roles, Sheridan describes being offered the role as “a gift” because it allows her to finally erase past traumas that threatened to derail her career.
She said: “It feels like a moment of taking back control. “I feel like the role is a gift, that every actress gets to play a role and I'm enjoying every minute of it, it is like that an honour. I can’t wait for people to see it now.”
Sheridan is in top form as she excitedly talks about her return to the theater.
Sheridan Smith wanted to play a troubled middle-aged actress on the verge of breaking down to take control of her own demons
The British star appreciates the obvious parallels between herself and Myrtle Gordon, the drunken Broadway legend she brings to life in her new stage show
However, while some actors may shun such triggering roles, Sheridan describes being offered the role as “a gift” because it allows her to finally erase past traumas
In the footage obtained by Web, Sheridan puffs on a cigarette and drunkenly falls to her knees as the rest of the cast discover her character Myrtle in a drunken state
Her dressing room, which she calls her “shrine,” is littered with pictures of her three-year-old son, Billy, and it's where she recovers from performing her main drunken scene, which she improvises every night and which is so physically demanding she joked about it Have to use shin guards.
She added: “When I went home on Sunday I have to say I woke up and was in pain everywhere and thought, my goodness, I'm getting older.”
In Web's exclusive footage, Sheridan puffs on a cigarette and drunkenly falls to her knees as the rest of the cast discover her character Myrtle in a drunken state.
The moment is filmed live every evening outside the London theater for all passers-by to see, and the audience witnesses the action live via video broadcast into the theater.
Sheridan crawls on the floor wearing a leopard-print coat and slim-fit jeans as her character is shamed by the show's producer, who yells at her co-stars not to help her recover as she stumbles.
But Sheridan says she loves the unpredictability of improv, saying: “It's fun and I love all of it, that's the excitement and the reason I want to be an actress. “I've never done anything like that before. This moment will be live every night so anything can happen.
“But that’s the whole point of working with Ivo van Hove, our director. He wants everything to be naturalistic and very real. So if people walk through that scene every night, that's what he wants, so we'll do it live at eight times a week in Soho… but it's so exciting.”
The two-time Olivier-winning star admits she has been learning the music for the show since October, when she landed the role.
The moment is filmed live outside the London theater each evening for all passers-by to see, and the audience witnesses the action live via video broadcast to the theater
Sheridan crawls on the floor wearing a leopard-print coat and slim-fit jeans as her character is shamed by the show's producer, who yells at her co-stars not to help her as she falls
But Sheridan says she loves the unpredictability of improv, telling Web: “That's the excitement and the reason I want to be an actress.”
In a scene performed live at every opening night performance, Sheridan takes to the streets of London, where her character is found smoking after drinking alcohol, but the show must go on
Sheridan smiled after rehearsals for Monday morning's improv scene went well, removing her designer sunglasses as she celebrated the end of a successful day
But despite her illustrious background in music and theater, she felt the need to take singing lessons to ensure her vocal performance met the standards of legendary US singer and composer Rufus Wainwright, the man behind the show's soundtrack.
Sheridan explained: “We had weeks of rehearsals and I knew back in October that I was going to do this, so I started learning the music because Rufus Wainwright's music is just phenomenal, he's a genius, but it's very difficult to do learn.”
“As you can see, I have some sheet music here, but I don’t read sheet music like a lot of the performers do, so I’ve been learning the songs and taking voice lessons for quite a while.”
Opening Night is an adaptation of the 1977 film by Rufus and director Ivo van Hove, starring Gena Rowlands as Myrtle.
The plot revolves around the actress starring in a play called “The Second Woman,” which limps down dead ends before its scheduled star-studded debut on Broadway.
But the lead actress finds herself in a dangerous downward spiral, fearful of having lost her youth and sanity, and also traumatized by the death of a young female fan who was knocked down and killed outside the theater and whom she now sees everywhere .
Her erratic behavior increases to such an extent that the curtain is pulled down on her, something Sheridan has experienced before when she suffered a breakdown herself.
Eight years ago, while playing Fanny Brice in the West End show Funny Girl, her mental health hit rock bottom, triggered by alcohol consumption and her father's cancer diagnosis, which led to a show being canceled mid-performance, because her words were reportedly slurred.
She later took a four-week break from production due to “stress and exhaustion.”
The stage and screen actress admits rehearsals for the new West End show have been challenging, but she's enjoying every minute of returning to the theater
Sheridan was dressed in character, wearing simple jeans with a leopard print coat, a bright blue cardigan and a white t-shirt, as well as sunglasses that helped hide Myrtle's drunken state
Sheridan looks back on these difficult times with great regret and assures fans that there is no risk of a repeat on opening night.
She told The Guardian: “I've been through crises like this, but there are therapists here you can talk to.”
“It's so different to when I had my nervous breakdown eight years ago.” There was no support team back then. It was simply: “Get on stage!”
Luckily for the popular star, whose credits include Gavin and Stacey, Cilla and the theater show Legally Blonde, she has managed to rebuild her career on both screen and stage at the same time Juggling the role of Billy's mother will put her name in the spotlight again on opening night.
And her new bosses are supportive, namely producer Emily Vaughan-Barratt, who has described her as her “greatest West End leading lady” as well as a “triple threat” due to her singing, dancing and acting skills.
She said: “Sheridan is a professional actress and one of the best actresses I have ever worked with.”
“She's a triple threat because she's an actress first and foremost, but she's also an incredible singer and can move, even though there's not much dancing on opening night.”
- The opening evening will take place at the Gielgud Theater from March 6th