Alice Fearn (born 23 October 1983)[1] is a British stage actress. She is best known for playing captain Beverley Bass in Come from Away and Elphaba in Wicked in London's West End.
Alice Fearn | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 October 1983 Bath, England |
| Alma mater | Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
| Years active | 2004-present |
| Spouse |
Gavin Alex Wood (m. 2019) |
Early life and education
editFearn was born in Bath, where she lived until age 4. Her family then moved to a small village in Cumbria called Caldbeck, where she lived until moving to London to study drama in 2002.
In Cumbria, she studied at Austin Friars School in Carlisle, her favourite subject being music. She played different instruments, settling on piano, harp and singing.[2]
She trained at the Mountview Theatre School in London, graduating in 2005.[2]
Career
editStage
editFearn started her career onstage in 2004 as an understudy for the character of Laura in The Woman in White (Palace Theatre, London). After this, she understudied Cosette and Fantine in Les Misérables (Queen's Theatre, London), as well as playing one of the Factory Girls.
Fearn performed as Rapunzel in the version of Into the Woods at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London for the summer season of 2010, alongside Hannah Waddingham (Witch), Michael Xavier (Big Bad Wolf / Cinderella's Prince), Jenna Russell (Baker's Wife), Helen Dallimore (Cinderella) and Beverly Rudd (Little Red Riding Hood).[3]
She was part of the original UK cast of Shrek The Musical in 2011 in the role of Gingy / Sugar Plum Fairy and understudying and playing the role of Princess Fiona in various performances.[4]
In 2017, she made her debut in the musical Wicked as Elphaba opposite Sophie Evans as Glinda and stayed in the role until July 2019. Prior to this she was a standby for the role from September 2016 until July 2017.[5][6]
Fearn has played the role of captain Beverley Bass in Come from Away, taking over from Rachel Tucker, at the Phoenix Theatre in London, until the show closed in January 2023.[7] On 6 February 2023 she performed 'Me and the Sky' at Leicester's Curve Theatre to announce the launch of the UK tour of the show, starting from the venue on 1 March 2024.[8][9]
On 16 April 2023, Fearn joined a star-studded cast for the concert version of Mad Hatter the Musical at the Place des Arts, Symphony Hall in Montreal in the role of Marybeth, the Mad Hatter's Wife.[10] Fellow cast members included: Brittney Johnson, as the Queen of Hearts and Ra'ed Saade, Netflix star of My Unorthodox Life, as Barry.[11]
She starred in the original musical Then, Now and Next at the Southwark Playhouse - Borough (London), directed by Julie Atherton and written by Christopher J Orton and Jon Robyns, from June until July 2023.[12] The show follows Alex over the course of twenty years and through two loves, Stephen and Peter, played by Joaquin Pedro Valdes and Peter Hannah respectively.[13]
In September 2023 it was announced that Fearn will join the cast of Diana the musical as Camilla Parker Bowles, alongside Kerry Ellis as Lady Di and Maiya Quensah Breed as young Diana Spencer.[14] The UK premiere concert version of the show played at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on 4 December 2023.[15]
A new production of Dear Evan Hansen, co-produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Nottingham Playhouse was announced in 2024. The show would open in Nottingham ahead of a UK tour and open-call casting was launched in collaboration with TikTok. In June 2024 it was revealed that Fearn will be playing Heidi Hansen, Evan's mum. [16]
Films and television
editFearn has a long career as a singer/voice artists in major films, from movie musicals such as Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables, to Alice in Wonderland, How to train your dragon, Robin Hood and Life of Pi among many.
On 11 November 2024 it was announced that Fearn will be playing Galinda/Glinda's mother in the upcoming Wicked movie.[17] Fearn joins many West End and Broadway stage actors making an appearance in the movie, such as Andy Nyman, Adam James, Sharon D. Clarke, Kerry Ellis and Courtney-Mae Briggs.
Music
editFearn released the album Where I've Been...Where I'm Going in 2016.[18]
Track list:
- Big Time
- What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
- Sorry I Asked
- Time Stops (feat. Oliver Tompsett)
- They Just Keep Moving The Line
- I'm A Woman (feat. Emma Lindars)
- I'm Here
- Being Alive
- Where Am I Going?
- That's How I Say Goodbye
- Bonus Track: She Used To Be Mine – Live at the St James Studio
On 30 September 2024 Fearn performed in a solo concert titled The Power of Love, at the London Palladium. The show was a tribute to Celine Dion, where Fearn performed some of the singer's greatest hits, such as All Coming Back to Me Now, My Heart Will Go On, The Power of Love and Because You Loved Me.[19]
Fearn joined fellow West End performers for West End Does: Christmas in Oz in December 2024 at Cadogan Hall. Cast for the concert included: Oliver Tompsett, Louise Dearman, Sophie Evans, Claudia Kariuki and Liam Tamne and was hosted by Matt Lucas and Rob Houchen.[20]
Personal life
editFearn married fellow actor Gavin Alex Wood in 2019.[21]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Singer | Movie |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! | Singer | Movie |
| 2010 | Alice in Wonderland | Singer | Movie |
| 2010 | How to train your dragon | Singer | Movie |
| 2010 | Robin Hood | Singer | Movie |
| 2011 | Into the woods (Regent's Open Air Theatre) | Rapunzel | Musical, live recording |
| 2012 | Les Misérables | Factory Woman 6 | Movie |
| 2012 | Frankenweenie | Singer | Movie |
| 2012 | Life of Pi | Singer | Movie |
| 2014 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | Singer | Movie |
| 2015 | Pan | Singer | Movie |
| 2016 | Kung Fu Panda 3 | Singer | Movie |
| 2020 | Thomas and the Magic Railroad: 20th Anniversary Celebration | Storyteller (Adult Lily) | Video |
| 2020 | A Tale to Tell | Fairy Godmother | Short |
| 2021 | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change | Musical, live recording | |
| 2024 | Wicked | Galinda's mother |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-2011 | Tonight's the night (BBC) | Singer | She regularly appeared on the show |
| 2016 | EastEnders | Singer | TV series (1 episode). Performed "Being Alive" |
Stage
edit| Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Woman in White | Laura Fairlie (understudy) | Palace Theatre |
| 2005 | Les Misérables | Factory Girl / Fantine (understudy) / Cosette (understudy) | Queen's Theatre |
| 2009 | Annie Get Your Gun | Ensemble | Young Vic |
| 2010 | Into the Woods | Rapunzel | Regent's Park |
| 2011 | Shrek: the Musical | Gingy / Sugar Plum Fairy / Fiona (understudy) | Theatre Royal, Drury Lane |
| 2014 | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | Muriel Eubanks (u/s), Christine Colgate (u/s) | Savoy Theatre |
| 2016-2017 | Wicked | Standby Elphaba | Apollo Victoria Theatre |
| 2017-2019 | Wicked | Elphaba | Apollo Victoria Theatre |
| 2020-2023 | Come From Away | Beverley Bass | Phoenix Theatre |
| 2022 | Footballers' Wives The Musical[22] | Tanya Turner[23] | Streaming only |
| 2023 | Mad Hatter the Musical | Marybeth, the Mad Hatter's Wife | Place des Arts, Montreal |
| 2023 | Then, Now and Next | Alex Shaw | Southwark Playhouse (Borough) |
| 2023 | Diana the Musical | Camilla Parker Bowles | Eventim Apollo |
| 2024-2025 | Dear Evan Hansen | Heidi Hansen | Nottingham Playhouse and UK Tour |
Awards
editFearn won the West End Wilma Award for Best Understudy as Elphaba in Wicked in 2017.[24]
References
edit- ^ "Alice Fearn | West End Performers | London Theatre Direct". www.londontheatredirect.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ a b Cheesman, Neil (21 June 2011). "Interview with Alice Fearn". Last Minute Theatre Tickets. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Into The Woods". Open Air Theatre. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Pintus, Kathryn. "BWW Interviews: SHREK's Alice Fearn". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Cast Mates Challenge: Wicked's David Witts and Alice Fearn | LondonTheatre.co.uk". London Theatre. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Alice Fearn to lead West End Wicked". Official London Theatre. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Wild, Stephi. "Photos: All New Photos of COME FROM AWAY in the West End". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Moore, Fiona (6 February 2023). "Curve to open and co-produce first ever UK and Ireland tour of Come From Away". Curve Theatre, Leicester. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ ""Come From Away" confirms plans for tour – beginning in March 2024". 6 February 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Montreal Concert & Cast". Mad Hatter - Musical. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Ra'ed Saade to Join Brittney Johnson & Alice Fearn For MAD HATTER, THE MUSICAL in Montreal". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Wild, Stephi. "Alice Fearn Will Lead The World Premiere of THEN, NOW & NEXT at Southwark Playhouse". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Then, Now & Next". Southwark Playhouse. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "Diana the Musical announces full London casting". 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ "Exclusive: Diana musical is coming to London". 14 June 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ "Dear Evan Hansen tour announces complete casting". 11 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Alice Fearn confirmed for Wicked movie". 10 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Alice Fearn - Where I've been... Where I'm Going | BUY CD". Auburn Jam Music. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ "The Power Of Love Tickets | The London Palladium". LW Theatres. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ "West End Does: Christmas in Oz | Cadogan Hall". cadoganhall.com. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ Admin. "Alice Fearn presents Intermissions – Kimberley Walsh | Musical Theatre Review". Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Wild, Stephi. "VIDEO: Alice Fearn Sings 'Don't Lose It' From FOOTBALLERS' WIVES THE MUSICAL". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "VIDEO: See a Sneak Peek of Ivano Turco Singing 'Let's Dance' From FOOTBALLERS' WIVES THE MUSICAL". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Wilma (4 November 2017). "Winners announced for the 2017 West End Wilma Awards". West End Wilma. Retrieved 13 June 2023.