It's Nice to be a Bad Girl: A Conversation with Victoria Bolley
What characters are you playing in the forthcoming "Fire and the Quest" jubilee event?
Victoria: I have pleasure to play Queen Ayesha in Clive Nolan's "She" and Eva Bonaduce in Clive Nolan's "Alchemy". This is my second time I am playing Ayesha. My first time was back in 2012 when I understudied Agnieszka Swita at the Playhouse Theatre in Cheltenham in the matinee performance. But this time I am what they call a leading lady, so I am Ayesha. It's quite a challenge, because some of the music has been changed and edited. The stage direction is totally different. Ian Baldwin has done a fantastic job looking after us, keeping control of us and putting his own spin on things. So, I think you'll be very pleased with what you see. And if you've already seen it, I hope you are very pleased, because we've been working really hard. Two or three times a week sometimes - early mornings, late nights. For me it's a bit of a challenge having to re-learn everything over again and also take completely different direction. When I play Eva in "Alchemy", the character is very different, so with Ayesha I had to explore some different sides that I've not been able to beforehand. And it's really nice to push myself, sing a different style of songs in a different way and be a bit of a bad girl. Eva is a bad girl too, but this one's different, because she kills people and it's always interesting being able to explore that kind of evil on stage. It's nice to be a bad girl! I'm loving this journey so far and I can't wait for the show night. However, I don't want it to end.
Which character do you prefer: Eva in "Alchemy" or Ayesha in "She"?
Victoria: Oh, it's a really hard choice. There are things I like about both. Eva - the corsets - they makes my boobies look bigger and the costumes are really sexy. Also I love the skirts, because I get to get my legs out, which isn't always a good thing, but I like it. And also, "Share This Dream" - I think it's a cracking song. I really really love this song and thank you, Clive, for writing that! As Ayesha I've got 3 more lovely costumes, which are very different from Eva's. But most of all, being the leading lady is something I've always wanted and worked really hard to get. Ayesha is a totally different character than Eva, so I'm exploring a different side. There are elements of both characters I love, but I think, at the end of the day, I would have to say Eva is my favourite. It was quite a defining role for me as a person. You, guys, can make a choice for yourself, but for me, it's little Eva!
So, I hope you enjoy "The Fire and the Quest" in September. And just a little personal message from me - a huge thank you to Clive for allowing me this experience to be Ayesha and Eva. Thank you so much! And to Ian, thank you so much for everything you've done, not just for me, but for everybody in the cast. Without you, guys, especially you, Clive, this would not have happened. Thank you very much.
Interview by Magdalena Grabias
August 2015
Photo by Ron Milsom
