Nicola Shall Go to the Ball

Inverness-born actress and singer NICOLA DALEY makes her panto debut at Eden Court this month as Cinderella
 

NICOLA DALEY was all set to take her first steps in a career in law when a change of heart saw her opt for the more precarious road into showbiz. Nicola was preparing to start her university course in law in the summer of 1997 when doubts began to creep in.

“The summer before I was due to start I really began to think seriously about whether law was what I really wanted to do in career terms. I hadn’t really considered theatre as a serious option, but I realised that was what I really wanted to do. I took a year out just to make sure that was how I really felt, and the upshot was that I went to drama school in Newcastle instead.

“I did two years there, and then I got my first job touring in a national UK production of ‘Godspell’, with Jonathan Wilkes and Daniel McPherson. Daniel was in ‘The Bill’ recently, but started off in ‘Neighbours’. It didn’t get as far north as Inverness, but we did do the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh.”

Nicola was a pupil at Charleston in Inverness, and has recently been part of an Eden Court education project visiting schools in the area.

“The new project is called ‘A Good Night Out’. The idea is that the schools set up their own theatre group and look at the organisational and business and marketing side of things as well as performing and putting on a play, and they asked me to come along and help out with the performance side.

“It’s a way of giving them an opportunity to see that theatre is not only about performing, that there are other potential careers as well.”

As well as acting, Nicola is also a nifty ice skater, and has performed in an ice spectacular at Alton Towers. Very often, though, the people paying her wages on the conventional stage aren’t to keen on seeing her indulge in such activities.

“Most of the acting contracts I have had actually banned me from skating in case I picked up an injury – they think it’s a bit risky!”

Her track record on stage includes performances in two different productions (and two different roles) of ‘Godspell’, and the role of Sally Bowles in ‘Cabaret’. This will be her first go at panto.

“It is a nice one to start off, I think, and especially in my home town. Cinderella is such a classic fairy story. I think it’s going to be great fun – the script is really funny, and I think it’s a matter of finding my way into it.

“Different directors will have different ideas on how they are going to do it, so it’s probably best not to go in with too firm an idea of what I plan to do. I’m looking forward to working with Gwyneth Guthrie, though – my gran is an avid ‘Take the High Road’ fan, and I used to watch it with her. Mrs Mack was such a staunch character – it’s hard to think of Gwyneth in other roles!”

Cinderella runs at the Eden Court Theatre from 3 December 2004 until 8 January 2005.

© Kenny Mathieson, 2004