Actress, singer, comedienne and musical theatre star Jamie Rose Monk sat down with fairypowered to answer 20 Questions. Jamie is currently starring as Claire in the tour of Greatest Days – The Take That Musical. Tour details and tickets can be found here
Lets start with a few favourites
Favourite show (whether you have been in it or not)?
I think my favourite musical is Legally Blonde, it has very clever lyrics. But my favourite show, I saw when I was 16. It’s Frantic Assembly’s Pool No Water. It was so clever and I still think about it and talk to my friends about it now.
Favourite book?
Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I find it very life affirming
Favourite theatre?
I’m a very big fan of the National Theatre in London. But this is my first tour so I’m seeing some beautiful theatres around the country and I think they are all my current favourite that week
Favourite song?
Joni Mitchell and Both Sides Now. or if I want a boogie Stevie Wonder’s Superstition
Favourite music?
I love Motown and Jazz. I also like the story-telling in songs so maybe a folk song and I listen to a lot of musical theatre
Favourite food?
Italian. My boyfriend is Italian and he cooks for me. But when you visit Italy, there are some gorgeous cafes and places to eat
Favourite drink?
You might think it’s boring, but I like a glass of cola
What is your favourite role?
I was in a play by Victoria Wood called Talent in Sheffield. I played the part of Maureen. It was so well written with comedy and pathos and that is my favourite so far
What was your first role?
My first professional role was for a CBBC show called Class Dismissed. It was a mockumentary and I played various different roles, a teacher, a dinner lady and a student who had been trapped in the school since the 80’s
And what role would you really like to play?
I’d like to be a one of the Witches in Macbeth and I love to be Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables
If you weren’t a performer what would you be?
I think I’d stay in the industry, maybe as a writer. But if not I’d be interested in becoming a mediator in the Justice System, mediating between the criminals and their victims.
What made you decide to be a performer?
I really enjoyed it as a child, doing dance and acting clubs. I did O and A levels in Drama so it became an obvious path for when I wen to university. I then had to decide at 21 if I wanted to go down the professionally performing route and I was advised to do something I loved, because I’d be doing it for a long time. And here I am
Do you enjoy touring?
Yes. This is my first actual tour although I have travelled for work before. I was told it would be hard work, but I’m really enjoying it. New theatres, new places. You get a flash of each, a chance to explore and not long enough to get bored. And different audiences keep the show fresh
What advice would you give 16 year old Jamie?
To keep working hard at what you are doing. Don’t compete and don’t compare because every person’s journey is different.
Do you fancy branching out in Producing or Directing?
I’m not sure about producing, but I have done some directing before. Little shows for friends just small scale but I find it interesting
What was the last stage show you saw and really enjoyed?
We were in Glasgow last week and Edinburgh this so I spent Sunday at the Fringe. I saw 6 shows. A one man parody of Die Hard, a new play called Buff and some physical comedy called The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much. I loved all 3 of them
Favourite line from any show?
In Greatest Days they have to say sorry which is Parakalo. “Parakalo, we are ever so parakalo” That’s my favourite line
If you could be anyone else for the day, who would it be?
A Secretary or the note taker, a fly on the wall, in the room where all the important decisions are being made. I don’t want to be the decision maker, but I’d like to listen while they make the decisions
What are the nicest/weirdest things you have ever received from fans?
A fan of Greatest Days brought us all some treats that was nice. But when I was in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre, a lovely woman embroidered our characters’ names onto hankies and gave them to us. It was so thoughtful and a really nice keepsake of the show
Can you tell us what you will be up to next?
Touring with Greatest Days and then who knows? The great and worst thing about this profession is you don’t know what you will be doing next. It’s exciting and scary at the same timeJamie can be seen as Claire, in my opinion the best character in Greatest Days on tour for the next few months. In Edinburgh till 2nd September, moving onto Nottingham, Bristol, Bradford and Southampton in the next few weeks. For details of the full tour schedule and to buy tickets check here