Beak Speaks, a masterclass with the self-proclaimed Queen of the Fringe, makes its London debut at the Hen and Chickens Theatre from 21 March having previously delighted Edinburgh Fringe audiences.
After 30 years working on, in, under and around the British Fringe Theatre Circuit, Gillian Beak bares all in public to share a lifetime of theatrical windfalls with whoever might care to munch on them; finally, Beak Speaks.
This comedic one-woman play by kind permission of Sarah Thom features a virtual Miles Jupp as Gillian Beak’s inspiration and played to appreciative audiences at Underbelly during the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe.
Sarah Thom said: ‘The character of Gillian Beak emerged from my brain and my experience in the theatre over many years. She is a parody, – but a parody created with love. Many of the slightly ridiculous improvisations I’ve included in the show are based on real life experiences I have encountered on my journey through the acting world. In a sense it is an homage to the Fringe; one woman’s tale about carrying on with all the odds stacked against her and never giving up.’
Sarah Thom has worked as a performer for more than 25 years working in theatre, film, TV and radio. Her TV credits include Trying (Apple TV), A Town Called Malice, Frayed (Sky) Not Going Out, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Taboo, Doctors (BBC) Grace, Home Fires, Grantchester (ITV) and the web series SeaView. She has worked with BBC Radio 4 on many plays and comedies, including the regular character of Joan in Clare in the Community over its 5 final series, the new BBC Sounds podcast Doctor Who Redacted and is a winner of the BBC Radio Drama Norman Beaton Fellowship. She plays Karen & others in the Clinton Baptiste’s Paranormal Podcast and also wrote and performed the one-woman comedy play Beak Speaks (Assembly at Edinburgh Festival). Other theatre includes playing Margaret Thatcher in the national tour of Thatcher the Musical!, Bette Davis in Bette and Joan: The Final Curtain and Dido in Dido, Queen of Carthage at Kensington Palace, for which she received much critical acclaim. She is currently co-developing a TV pilot of the comedy drama Park Creatures, co-created with Sarah Toogood. More info at: www.sarahthom.co.uk
Tickets can be booked at https://www.unrestrictedview.co.uk/beak-speaks
