BWW Interviews: JEKYLL AND HYDE's Sarah Earnshaw

Hi Sarah! Welcome to BWW:UK. How are things?

Things are good thanks, I've been very busy over the last few months, rehearsing for the UK tour of Jekyll and Hyde during the day while performing in Wicked at night, so hectic but great!

You've just left Wicked after a four-year stint, mostly as standby Glinda...how does that feel?

Surreal! Wicked has been a huge part of my life and not to be going to the Apollo Victoria every night feels strange, and I do miss my fellow standby Nikki Davis Jones! But I'm just really grateful that I've been lucky enough to move straight into another show. I've been kept on my toes!

You're now playing Emma Carew in the UK tour of Jekyll and Hyde; how different is your character from Glinda?

Emma is very different, particularly to the Glinda we see in Act 1. In the first half of Wicked, Glinda has that brilliant girly, spoilt, childlike quality but does eventually mature into a respected figure. Emma knows her mind from the outset. She has a very clear focus throughout and says what she thinks. Jekyll and Hyde is set in the Victorian era, and for a woman in an upper-class family at that time to be as vocal about what she wants out of life makes her quite a forward-thinking, strong woman. However, Emma doesn't have a bubble - but I'm working on it!!

Nice one, good luck with that! You've got some beautiful songs and gritty scenes...what's your favourite part of the show to perform and why?

The Jekyll and Hyde score is beautiful but I think my highlight is singing 'In His Eyes'. It's such a great song, so powerful and a real challenge.

You get to sing that song with the other leading lady, none other than ex-Wicked cast member Sabrina Carter. How does it feel to be working together on this new venture?

It's brilliant. We feel really lucky to be at the stage in our careers where we have been given roles in our own right, we've both been understudying for the last few years, so it's lovely to take that step together. She's a great girl and is wonderful in the show.

You've also been involved in the new Michael Bruce album; can you tell us a bit more about that?

I was asked to record a track on the album after doing Michael's concert at the Apollo last year. I was really happy to be involved, I think his work is fantastic, and he can do it all! He writes beautiful ballads, but I also love the way he writes comedy. The song I've recorded is with Sarah Lark and is a great, feel-good up-tempo duet! It was great fun to sing!

And finally, just because I'm feeling random, if you could be any Disney Princess, which one would it be and why?

I'd love to be Belle! For so many reasons - she gets that yellow dress, the pretty songs, lives in an enchanted castle and has a singing wardrobe - wow! But I think in reality I'm more like Cinderella because I'm always cleaning my flat! Mind you, Ariel does get Prince Eric...

Good point! Thanks, Sarah, and all the best for the rest of the tour.

 

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