Little Lark of London

“To be able to explain that my job is like having fun and making people laugh is really great”

After performing in Till The Stars Come Down at Theatre Royal Haymarket, actor Holly Sumpton is bringing her solo concert, A Journey Home, to Crazy Coqs in London. The show will blend a range of genres, including folk, pop and musical theatre, exploring what exactly it means to feel “at home.” Recently, we had the chance to speak with Sumpton before her upcoming performances. We discussed what it is like to put together a solo concert, being in Operation Mincemeat for two years and even what she hopes audiences will take away from the show.

So starting with a bit of a general question, how did you first get started in the world of theatre?

It’s nice, actually, because I do touch on this in the concert that’s coming up! So I started in the world of performing folk music. My dad played a lot at folk clubs around where we lived, and I got into it from that – would sing bits and bobs at folk clubs. I was also in my school choir. I loved the school choir, but we didn’t really have drama. We had more choral stuff. And then when I was about fourteen or fifteen, a friend of mine had joined the new local kids performing arts thing and was like, “Oh, you should come with me. I want a friend to come with me!” And I was like, “Okay,” and went along. From there, we all slowly realised that maybe I could do it, and we were like, “Oh, should we give it a go?” So it went from there!

So the theatre started because your friend brought you into it!

Yeah! She was like, “Oh, can you come with me? I don’t want to go on my own.” It wasn’t until a couple of years into that that it became clearer that it could be something that I could do. But even then, when you’re that age, people don’t want to set you up for disappointment, and they want to make sure you know what the world is like – it was always like, “It might not happen, and it’s really hard.” But miraculously, it all just fell into place.

And can you tell us a bit about some of your recent projects?

Most recently, I’ve been involved in a play called Till The Stars Come Down, which was a National Theatre production that went to the Haymarket, and I was understudying three roles on that. A very different type of understudying on this in comparison to the other things that I’ve done, but such an amazing play to be part of. It’s based in the East Midlands, which is where I grew up, so I have such a strong understanding of who those people were and some of the storylines that were woven in there. There was a lot about the miner strikes, and it encapsulated so much about that world so well. So that was incredible, to be part of an amazing cast and incredible creative team. And then before that, I was on Operation Mincemeat for two years, which was an amazing experience, a wild ride, a full-on experience.

What is it like understudying multiple roles in a show like you just did with Till The Stars Come Down?

Really interesting, because the characters are just so vast! They’re just so incredibly well-written that there’s so much you can find in each person. Exploring the emotional depths within those people is such a great way to stretch your muscles as well, covering three very different parts in such a meaty play. It really stretches the muscles, which is great.

And what was it like to go from something like Operation Mincemeat to something more serious, like Till the Stars Come Down?

It’s just a completely different experience! With something like Mincemeat, learning it felt so much more mathematical, because you’ve got this prop in your hand, you’re going off that entrance, you’re standing there . . . There’s so much character work within that, but there are so many technical things that you just have to cram into your brain, so it’s a very different experience. 

Would you say you had more freedom with Till The Stars Come Down?

Kind of! Mincemeat is so full-on with the track – where you have to be, what you have to hold, what you’re saying and what pose you’re doing. Whereas Till The Stars Come Down was much more explorative. 

And what was it like to be a part of Mincemeat for so long? Two years is quite a good run!

It’s a really good run! Yeah, it’s a long time to be part of something. I’ve been lucky in that I have had experience in a long-running job, because it is something that you have to get used to, but it’s amazing to be part of. You have the community of people in the building, everyone that’s been part of one production of it at one time or another, and then the fans of the show as well. It feels like a really big community, which is really lovely. And it’s hard work! You have to physically and vocally make sure that you’re trying to be where you need to be for it, because it is really demanding. Part of it is quite draining, but it’s so much fun. And it’s the kind of show that is such a joy to share with the five people that are on stage. When it feels like a tennis match between you five and the audience, it feels really fun. It’s a team effort.

And you had previous experience with comedy, with The Comedy About a Bank Robbery. Do you find you have a preference for comedic work, or does it depend on how you’re feeling?

It’s funny, really! When I was at drama school, I never expected that to be the direction I went in. I don’t think I ever really expected it to be something that I was necessarily strong at. But it just happened. And then, as you do it more, you learn more. You learn how to listen a lot quicker, and it becomes a whole skill in itself. And I love it. It’s so funny. I never expected that that’s the direction I would go in, but I have such a wonderful time doing it. And to be able to explain that my job is like having fun and making people laugh is really great. It’s a great thing. 

There are worse jobs to have!

Very true!

So you have an upcoming concert, A Journey Home, at Crazy Coqs. Can you tell us a bit about that? 

Yeah, I’m really excited about that! I’ve always thought about doing one, but never knew if it was the right time. But it felt like I had a bit of time this October, and I wanted to share a bit more of the music that I enjoy singing and that I’ve sung in my life. I touched earlier on the fact that I have grown up singing folk music. It’s not just musical theatre that I like singing! So there’s a touch of everything that I’ve liked singing across the years. Music has the ability to take you places and make you feel things that you’ve experienced before, however long ago that might be, and it reminds you of people, which gave me the idea of exploring what music has influenced where I am today, what people have influenced where I am today, and how music can connect with that. So I’m really excited. It’ll be good fun!

What’s the creative process like for creating a concert like this?

Coming up with a structure that wouldn’t feel too monotonous for an audience, trying to balance the blend of creating an interesting structure alongside what you want to perform. The easiest way to describe it is finding the balance between what you really enjoy and what you want to put across, and making sure that that fits within an interesting arc, and shows different sides of you and different skills. I wanted to make sure that I found songs that showed who I am.

And how did you come up with the name of A Journey Home for your solo concert?

Because a couple of the songs are about where I grew up, it just made sense! It was like, “Okay, these songs are taking me on a journey back where it started.”

What do you hope audiences take away from A Journey Home?

A form of connection. The idea of where we grew up, or what feels like home to you as a person, it’s so personal to everyone. It’s so different. But I think on other levels, it can be quite universal – that feeling of wanting to feel at home and to feel a sense of belonging. So I’d really like it to create a sense of connection. But also, just entertainment – let people have a nice time! See a bit more of who I am, because, being part of long-running shows, people see one particular version of you, so it’s really nice to be able to just share more of me and who I am outside of the Operation Mincemeat world.

And finally, how would you describe A Journey Home in one word?

Wholesome!

Holly Sumpton: A Journey Home runs on 13 and 20 October at Crazy Coqs. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.