British actress
Frances Barber (née Brookes , born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received
Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays
Camille (1985), and
Uncle Vanya (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with
Gary Oldman in
Prick Up Your Ears (1987),
We Think the World of You (1988) and
Dead Fish (2005); as well as
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987);
Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992); and latterly
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017). Barber's numerous television credits include
The Street (2009),
Doctor Who (2011),
Silk (2012–2014), and
Whitstable Pearl (2021–2022).
Life and career
Barber was born in
Wolverhampton , Staffordshire, England.
[1] Her parents are S.W. Brookes and Gladys Simpson; Barber is the fourth of six children. She attended the
Wolverhampton Municipal Grammar School .
[2]
Barber studied drama at the
University College of North Wales in
Bangor , where she was a contemporary of director
Danny Boyle , who became her boyfriend.
[3]
She appeared in the
Pet Shop Boys ' musical
Closer to Heaven in 2001 as well as being guest singer for the song "Friendly Fire" on the Pet Shop Boys' 2006 live concert at the
Mermaid Theatre . She also appeared alongside
Ian McKellen and
Roger Allam in the Old Vic's
pantomime production of
Aladdin in the 2005–2006 Christmas season. She again starred with Ian McKellen in 2007 playing Goneril in
Trevor Nunn 's production of
King Lear and as Arkadina in
Chekhov's
The Seagull with the
Royal Shakespeare Company in
Stratford-upon-Avon followed by a world tour throughout the year.
[4] They again performed the two plays in repertory at the
New London Theatre on
Drury Lane ,
[5]
[6] opening in November 2007 and closing mid-January 2008.
In 2011, Barber guest-starred in the
Doctor Who episodes "
A Good Man Goes to War " and "
The Wedding of River Song " (and five other episodes, sometimes uncredited) as Madame Kovarian.
[7] She also acted in the television film
We'll Take Manhattan as
Diana Vreeland . In 2019, she starred in the Pet Shop Boys' musical Musik .
In May 2022, Barber appeared as Lesley in series 8 episode 4 of BBC dark comedy series,
Inside No. 9 (2022), in the episode titled "Love Is A Stranger".
[8]
[9]
Political views
Barber is a
British unionist . She signed a letter supporting a No vote ahead of the
2014 Scottish independence referendum . After the
Scottish National Party won 56 seats at the
2015 general election , she caused controversy after making comments on Twitter comparing the SNP to the
Third Reich , further stating "God help us all is all I can say when the racist S.N.P. try to take over, England will react we will have civil war."
[10]
She supported Remain during the
2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum .
[11]
[12]
Barber urged a vote for the
Labour Party at the
2017 UK general election . Critical of Labour leader
Jeremy Corbyn , she said "I will vote Labour holding my nose. Urge you too."
[13] In September 2017, she resigned from the party, saying: "I can't belong to a party full of Misogyny, Anti-Semitism and Thuggery".
[14] In the
2019 United Kingdom general election , she backed the Liberal Democrats.
[15]
In 2018, she was among the signatories to a letter published in
The Observer arguing that debate surrounding reforms of the
Gender Recognition Act were being silenced.
[16] In September 2020, she signed a further letter in support of J.K. Rowling, against what
The Scotsman described as "the abuse and death threats" Rowling had received after publicising
her views .
[17]
Legacy
In 2006, Barber received an honorary fellowship from the
University of Wolverhampton .
[18]
Theatre
Ooh La La (
Hull Truck Theatre , 1979)
Riff Raff Rules (
Theatre Royal Stratford East )
Space Ache (
Tricycle Theatre , 1980)
Emilia in
Othello (
Oxford Playhouse )
La Guerra (The Battle ),
Desperado Corner and
Madame Louise (
Glasgow Citizens' , 1980, and
Venice Biennale Festival , 1981)
The Treat (
Institute of Contemporary Arts )
The Mission (Soho Poly)
Hard Feelings (Oxford Playhouse and
The Bush , 1983)
[19]
Turning Over (The Bush, 1983)
[20]
Marguerite in
Camille (
Royal Shakespeare Company ,
The Other Place , 1984, and
Comedy Theatre , 1985 –
Olivier nomination for Most Promising Newcomer)
Ophelia in
Hamlet (RSC
Barbican Theatre , 1985)
Love's Labour's Lost (RSC
The Other Place ,
Comedy Theatre , 1985)
The Dead Monkey (RSC
The Pit , 1986))
Summer and Smoke (
Haymarket Theatre )
Viola in
Twelfth Night (Renaissance,
Riverside Studios , 1987)
Lady Macbeth in
Macbeth (
Royal Exchange, Manchester , 1988)
My Heart's a Suitcase (
Royal Court , 1990)
Over a Barrel (
Watford Palace Theatre )
Imagine Drowning (
Hampstead Theatre , 1991)
Maxine Faulk in
The Night of the Iguana (
National Theatre , 1992)
Eliza Doolittle in
Pygmalion (National Theatre, 1992)
Insignificance (
Donmar Warehouse , 1995)
Uncle Vanya (
Minerva Theatre, Chichester and
Albery Theatre , 1996 –
TMA Award and Olivier nomination for Best Supporting Actress)
Closer (
Lyric Theatre , National Theatre West End transfer, 1998)
Billie Trix in
Closer to Heaven (
Arts Theatre , 2001)
Valerie in
Tales from the Vienna Woods (National Theatre, 2003)
Nurse Ratched in
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (
Gielgud Theatre , 2004)
Dim Sum in
Aladdin (Old Vic pantomime, 2005)
The Narrator in
Shane Cullinan 's The Pieta
St Paul's, Covent Garden , 2006)
Cleopatra in
Antony and Cleopatra (
Shakespeare's Globe , London, 2006)
[21]
Arkadina in
The Seagull and Goneril in
King Lear (RSC,
Courtyard Theatre
Stratford-upon-Avon , and
New London Theatre , 2007)
Madame de Sade (Donmar West End,
Wyndham's Theatre , 2009)
Afterplay (
Edinburgh Festival , then
Gate Theatre, Dublin , 2009)
Julius Caesar (Donmar Theatre, 2012–2013)
Lady Sneerwell in
The School for Scandal (
Lucille Lortel Theatre , New York City, 2016)
[22]
Mrs Cheveley in
An Ideal Husband (
Vaudeville Theatre , London, May 2018)
Billie Trix in
Musik (
Edinburgh Festival Fringe , August 2019 &
Leicester Square Theatre , London, September 2019 and February 2020)
Polonius in Hamlet (Theatre Royal Windsor, 2021)
Elsa Jean Krakowski in The Unfriend (Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester, 2022 and The Criterion, London, 2023)
Selected filmography
The Missionary (1982) as Mission Girl
A Flame to the Phoenix (1983) as Wanda Grabinska
Acceptable Levels (1985) as Jill
A Zed & Two Noughts (1985) as Venus de Milo
White City (1985) as Alice
Castaway (1986) as Sister Saint Winifred
Prick Up Your Ears (1987) as Leonie Orton
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987) as Rosie Hobbs
We Think the World of You (1988) as Megan
Victim of the Brain (1988)
Twelfth Night (1988, TV Movie) as Viola / Cesario
Chambre à part (1989) as Gert
Behaving Badly (1989, TV Mini-Series) as Rebecca
Red Dwarf (1989, Episode: "
Polymorph ") as Genny
Agatha Christie's Poirot (1990, Episode: "
The Veiled Lady ") as Lady Millicent
Young Soul Rebels (1991) as Ann
Secret Friends (1991) as Angela
Inspector Morse (1992, TV Series, Episode: "The Death of the Self") as Nicole Burgess
Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992) as Miss Trumble
The Leaving of Liverpool (1992, TV Movie) as Ellen, Lily's mother
The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries (1993, Episode: "Scales of Justice"
Du fond du coeur (1994) as Anna Lindsay
Giorgino (1994) as Marie
Space Precinct (1995, TV Series) as Erika Brandt
Rhodes (1996, TV Mini-Series) as Princess Catherine Radziwill
The Ice House (1997, TV Mini-Series) as Diana Goode
Photographing Fairies (1997) as Beatrice Templeton
A Royal Scandal (1997, TV Movie) as Lady Jersey
Dalziel and Pascoe (1998, Episode: "
The Wood Beyond ") as Amanda 'Cap' Marvell
Still Crazy (1998) as Lady in Black
Murder Most Horrid (1999, TV Series) as Gloria Twigge
The Escort (1999) as Jessica
Bremner, Bird and Fortune (1999, TV Series)
Esther Kahn (2000) as Rivka Kahn
Shiner (2000) as Georgie
Superstition (2001) as Isabella Flores
Gimme Gimme Gimme (2001) as Janine
Manchild (2002, TV Series) as Elizabeth
The Red Siren (2002) as Eva
24 heures de la vie d'une femme (2002) as Betty
Flyfishing (2002) as Frances
My Family (2003, TV Series) as Vanessa
Boudica (2003) as
Agrippina
Monkey Dust (2003, TV Series) (voice)
Suzie Gold (2004) as Joyce Spencer
Evilenko (2004)
Goal! (2005) as Carol Harmison
Dead Fish (2005) as S & M Prostitute
Agatha Christie's Marple (2005, Episode: "
A Murder Is Announced ") as Lizzie Hinchcliffe
Funland (2005, TV Mini-Series) as Connie Woolf
The IT Crowd (2006, Episode: "Aunt Irma Visits") as Doctor Mendall
New Tricks (2006, Episode: "Dockers") as Anita Walsh
Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) as Carol Harmison
Hustle (2007, TV Series) as Clarissa
Beautiful People (2008, TV Series) as Miss Prentice
King Lear (2008, TV Movie) as Goneril
Agatha Christie's Poirot (2009, Episode: “The Clocks”) as Merlina Rival
The Fattest Man in Britain (2009, TV Movie) as Janice
The Royal (2009)
Midsomer Murders (2010, Episode: "Master Class") as Constance Fielding
Doctor Who (2011, TV Series) as Eye Patch Lady / Madame Kovarian
Great Expectations (2011, TV Mini-Series) as Mrs. Brandley
Friday Night Dinner (2011, TV Series) as Sheila Bloom
We'll Take Manhattan (2012, TV Movie) as Diana Vreeland
May I Kill U? (2012) as Bernice
Vexed (2012, TV Series) as Pat Poynter
Silk (2012–2014, TV Series) as Caroline Warwick QC
The Life of Rock with Brian Pern (2014, TV Series)
Mapp and Lucia (2014, TV Mini-Series) as Amelia, Contessa Di Faraglione
Mr. Holmes (2015) as Matinee 'Madame Schirmer'
Benidorm (2016, TV Series) as Daisy
The Chosen (2016) as Natalia Sedova
Medici: Masters of Florence (2016, TV Series) as Piccarda
Father Brown (2017, Episode: “The Labyrinth of the Minotaur”) as Davina Malmort
Midsomer Murders (2017, Episode: "Crime and Punishment") as Ingrid Lockston
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017) as Joy
The Escape (2017) as Alison
The Bookshop (2017) as Jessie
An Ideal Husband (2018) as Mrs. Cheveley
Blue Iguana (2018) as Princess
The Queen and I (2018, TV Movie) as Margaret
Queens of Mystery as Viv Collins (2 episodes "Death by Vinyl")
Casualty (2008/2019, TV Series) as Nancy/Claire Wakelins
Cold Feet (2020) as Maxine Ibsen
Whitstable Pearl (2021, TV Series) as Dolly Nolan
The Mezzotint as Mrs Ambrigail
The Chelsea Detective (two episodes 2022, TV Series) as Olivia Arnold
Inside No. 9 (2023) (1 episode: "
Love Is A Stranger " as Lesley
A Bird Flew In (TBA)
Music video
See also
References
^ Sleeman, Elizabeth, ed. (2001).
The International Who's Who of Women 2002 (3rd ed.). London:
Europa Publications . p. 41.
ISBN
1-85743-122-7 .
OCLC
59532283 – via
Google Books .
^
"Wolverhampton Municipal Grammar School" . Tameclan.me.uk .
^ Barnett, Laura (21 April 2009).
"Portrait of the artist: Frances Barber, actor" .
The Guardian . London.
ISSN
1756-3224 .
^
British Theatre Guide – RSC Double Press
Archived 26 September 2007 at the
Wayback Machine . Britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
^
"The British Theatre Guide : Reviews – The Seagull (RSC at the New London Theatre)" . Britishtheatreguide.info. 12 January 2008. Archived from
the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2009 .
^
"The British Theatre Guide : Reviews – King Lear (RSC at the New London Theatre)" . Britishtheatreguide.info. 12 January 2008. Archived from
the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2009 .
^
BBC One – Doctor Who, Series 6, A Good Man Goes to War . BBC. (23 August 2011). Retrieved 8 June 2012.
^ Cormack, Morgan (27 April 2023).
"Inside No. 9 season 8 cast: Meet the guest stars in new episodes" . Radio Times . Retrieved 2 May 2023 .
^
"Reece Shearsmith on the new series of Inside No 9" . Great British Life . 22 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023 .
^
"Actress sparks fury with 'Nazi' SNP comparison" .
The Herald . Glasgow. 10 May 2015.
ISSN
0965-9439 . Retrieved 18 December 2019 .
^
"What Remainers should have done differently | the New European" . Archived from
the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021 .
^
"Labour Used to be the Party of Democracy - I Don't See That Any More" . 2 October 2017.
^ Adejobi, Alicia (8 June 2017).
"Labour vs Conservatives: Who are celebrities voting for in the general election 2017?" .
International Business Times .
Newsweek Media Group . Retrieved 26 September 2017 .
^ Wearmouth, Rachel (26 September 2017).
"Labour in Fresh Anti-Semitism Row as Speaker Calls for Free Speech to Cover Holocaust Denial" .
HuffPost UK .
Oath Inc . Retrieved 26 September 2017 .
^
"General election: Celebrities reveal who they're backing" .
^
"Women's groups claim 'silencing' on transgender concerns" .
TheGuardian.com . 14 October 2018.
^ Flockhart, Gary (28 September 2020).
"JK Rowling receives support from Ian McEwan and Frances Barber amid 'transphobia' row" .
The Scotsman . Retrieved 18 August 2022 .
^
"Actress Frances Barber receives honorary award" .
University of Wolverhampton . 21 August 2006. Archived from
the original on 18 February 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2009 .
^
http://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/productions/hard_feelings.html [
permanent dead link ]
^
http://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/productions/turning_over.html [
permanent dead link ]
^ Thaxter, John (6 July 2006).
"Reviews: Antony and Cleopatra" .
The Stage . London.
ISSN
0038-9099 . Retrieved 13 August 2009 .
^
"Off Broadway Reviews – The School For Scandal " , The Stage Review , 27 April 2016
^
"Kate Bush - Deeper Understanding - Official Video" .
YouTube . 25 April 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2022 .
External links
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