Following an amazing run at Richmond Theatre, Constellations returns to the West End from July 9 – August 1. Sophie Farrah caught up with Sherlock star Louise Brealey, currently playing the lead
When I ring Louise she sounds distracted at first. I am concerned. Maybe she’s not in the mood to talk? Or perhaps I’ve interrupted something important?
"Sorry," she says: "I’ve just got to turn the washing machine on. This is what happens when you’re touring – you have to do your washing on your day off otherwise you have no knickers!"
But despite the demands of laundry, Louise (or ‘Loo’ as she prefers) seems to be enjoying the experience; "I am loving being on tour," she exclaims. "It has been great seeing the audiences’ reactions in all these different cities, I think it’s great that work of this calibre is getting seen outside of the capital."
Described as a play about free will and friendship, Constellations is a touching two hander that explores the infinite possibilities of one relationship.
"It’s a love story but it’s very funny," Loo explains. The play explores the infinite possibilities of a relationship by means of repeating scenes, each time with a different outcome. "It’s a very simple story told in an ingenious way. You see the same scene essentially over and over again, but I am different in each (version)."
A serious challenge for any actor, but Loo is relishing the role: "What is extraordinary and rewarding is that you’re essentially playing 20 or 30 versions of the same person... I can’t think of a part that has been this much of a challenge."
The show first opened at the Royal Court in 2012 and following rave reviews it transferred to the West End for a short run; it also won Best New Play at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards that same year. After a stint on Broadway earlier this year (starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson) it is now Loo’s turn to take the lead on its first ever UK tour.
"I read the script and fell in love with it. I hadn’t seen which is a great blessing because the last thing you really want is dodging the shadows of previous performers when you’re on stage."
Despite her obvious passion (and talent) for acting, it took a little while for Loo to fully realise that it was for her. "I always fancied it," she explains, "but I was just a bit shy about trying it because when I was at university it seemed there was a proper acting clique, so I didn’t really do any of it there. I just played football and messed about really…it took a while for me to go ‘actually maybe I should give it a shot, even though it’s a bit scary!’’
With a degree in History from Cambridge University under her belt, Loo took the plunge and flew to New York to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute; her fellow alumni include Scarlet Johansson, Angelina Jolie and Uma Thurman. "I loved New York, it was absolutely extraordinary. It was the first time I’d been properly independent and it was just amazing. I was a kid, staying on people’s sofas, it didn’t matter that I didn’t have any money, I hopped sofas and had a laugh".
Returning to the UK, her acting career took off, with roles at the Young Vic, the Royal Court and The Rose Theatre, where she played Sonya in Sir Peter Hall’s acclaimed production ofUncle Vanya. She has also had recurring roles inCasualty, Bleak House and Ripper Street but it was in 2010, after landing the role of pathologist Molly Hooper in BBC One’s hit show Sherlock, that her profile soared. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, the show has countless dedicated fans.
"You mean Benedict mania!" she jokes. "I’ve always had really positive interactions with Sherlock fans. It’s because of them that we had a hit show. I get a lot of fan mail - it’s really lovely, but I have a massive backlog that I feel bad about, pretty much all the time".
I am afraid to say that the fan mail might have to wait a bit longer, as the Constellations tour continues on to Richmond this week and then to Brighton the next. "It’s non-stop fun, now that we’re on top of it!" she laughs. "Joe Armstrong (her co-star) and I work in a similar way and we fire off each other. That’s been a complete joy. A specific challenge of this play is that some of the lines are quite similar to the lines you’ve just said, so you do have to be on your toes. But we are now officially on our toes so that’s good! The good people of Richmond won’t be subjected to us repeating ourselves - we should be alright!"
Constellations is at Trafalgar Studios, July 9 – August 1
