BWW Interviews: Julie Atherton About THE IN-BETWEEN And SISTER ACT!

Hi Julie! Welcome to BWW:UK. I guess the obvious starter is how did you become involved with The In-Between?

Laura [composer Laura Tisdall] emailed me about it and sent me the song she thought she'd like me to sing. As I thought it was unusual having a female writer I jumped at the chance.

How do you approach creating the first-ever recording of a song - is it like creating a role on stage?

Yes. It's exactly the same - except in a studio sometimes you can't completely let go unless the composer trusts you. I try to treat all songs as monologues from the start!

You're well known for your involvement with new musical theatre writing through your links with Speckulation, and created a bit of an internet sensation with Portrait of a Princess - tell us a bit about that. Did its success surprise you?

Yes, it did, actually. It was supposed to be a bit of fun to promote Michael Bruce's album but it got round so fast we couldn't keep up with it! And there's more in the pipeline - so watch this space!

You're currently on tour with Sister Act - how are you enjoying life in the convent?

I'm loving the convent - ha! Never thought I'd ever hear myself say that sentence! I'll be so sad to leave this show, I've had an absolute ball! I'm welling up already and I leave in October.

And what do you have in the diary next?

Next in the pipeline is Cinderella at the Lyric Hammersmith with my best friend Stevie Webb playing Buttons. That could be dangerous! 

Keep up to date with Julie Atherton's news at her official website.

Find out more about The In-Between at its official website.

After spending her formative years reading books and ending up with a Masters degree in English literature from King's College London, it was inevitable that Carrie should be a journalist. Her pure and simple delight in the art-form of musical theatre led to the Guardian asking her to be their West End Girl. Since then, she's picked up a PhD, and also written for many other UK publications, including the Times and the Independent. She has many eclectic loves, including sport, karaoke, reality television, MMORPGs, three-volume Victorian novels, the British seaside, embroidery and Veronica Mars.

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