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COVER STORY
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DURING A CAREER FEATURING
COMEDY, SERIOUS ACTING, MUSIC AND MUSICAL THEATRE, BALLET IS THE ONE
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PERFORMING ART JOSIE HASN’T TRIED... YET!
Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. She is also a regular on radio shows such as Just A Minute. As a member of the Comedy Store Players based at London’s famous Comedy Store she features in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running comedy group. And in 2016, Josie created an all-female improv group, intriguingly named the Glenda J Collective (maybe the name is a passing homage to actress Glenda Jackson who Josie says “was my idol”). GOOD OMENS “I like to keep myself busy,” says Josie in an obvious understatement. As well as Edmond de Bergerac which will tour through until the end of April, Josie is appearing in an Amazon/BBC sixpart TV series with David Tennant and Michael Sheen called Good Omens and will then be working through to September on another new project. “I am not allowed to say much about it right now,” she says, “but it is a musical.” Harking back to her young days and knowing that she wanted to become an actress so early in life, Josie is also an outspoken advocate for protecting arts funding in our schools. She is a
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fierce opponent of the ongoing cuts to budgets which she describes as “frightening”. THE YOUNG ONES She says: “What happens to someone like me if the opportunity is no longer there in the schools? And regardless if kids eventually become actors or not, the arts can be very helpful to their development in things like gaining confidence, expression and self esteem.” Josie believes strongly in maintaining her ties with the area where she grew up. She is patron of Sandwell theatre group, The Young Ones. “I see their shows,” she says. “I’m actually going along to see their latest production next week – they’re doing Grease which should be brilliant.” Her commitment to her roots was reflected when she was awarded a Doctor of Arts by Wolverhampton University and the Freedom of Sandwell. “Wherever I go, whatever I do, the Black Country is always home,” she says. I See Josie, Freddie Fox and an all-star cast in Alexis Michalik’s comedy Edmond de Bergerac at Birmingham Rep from 15 to 30 March. Details and tickets, www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
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