PADDINGTON Bear swept Wokingham writer and director Jessica Swale into being awarded the prestigious Olivier award for best new musical.
Jessica who was brought up in Winnersh, wrote the words for the highly-acclaimed show Paddington Bear the Musical. It was her second Olivier award.
The show dominated the awards night, winning seven prizes at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday.
Jessica, honorary patron at Wokingham Theatre, spoke exclusively to Wokingham Today, about the extraordinary steps to making such a successful show.
“It’s been such a wild and wonderful ride, making this show,” she said.
“Strange how something that begins as a kernel of an idea, with just three of us in a room, scheming and dreaming, throwing ideas around, has become something so huge and (delightfully) successful.
“It’s been the greatest privilege to be trusted to look after this bear.
“Writing a show inspired by books and films which are so beloved has felt like it comes with a huge amount of expectation and pressure, but it’s also been the greatest joy, especially working with such a brilliant team.
“The act of making theatre is a team effort. I’m responsible for writing ‘the book’ – the story, dialogue and shaping the show with my co-creator Tom Fletcher, who also writes the music and lyrics.
“We work with the director, Luke Sheppard, to transform our bits of text and music into a musical shape, which Luke is then responsible for staging.
“And then, in some magical leap, the team keeps expanding exponentially, not only to include actors, dancers and musicians, but the most enormous and brilliant creative team- choreographer, designers, bear-makers, video designers, wardrobe, wigs.
“There are so many moving parts, it’s just the biggest joy for someone (like me) who loves being part of a team.
“And working in theatre, you always hope people see your work and enjoy it, but this sort of global reaction is a once in a lifetime experience. I’m very lucky to be on board this huge ship which will, we hope, soon set sail out of London to take our bear off on future adventures.”
Ten years ago Jessica won an Olivier for her play Nell Gwynn, the orange seller who became Charles II’s mistress. A critic said the play was “ripe and juicy as the fruits its heroine hawks”.
Wokingham Theatre staged Nell Gwynn and also Jessica’s play Blue Stockings about Cambridge University’s women students’ struggle in 1896 to graduate.
Chair of Wokingham Theatre Claire Lawrence said: “We are delighted to see our theatre patron, Jessica Swale, getting the recognition she deserves with her Olivier award for Paddington the Musical this week, adding to the Olivier she previously won for Nell Gwynn in 2016. “We are so proud to have a local and esteemed playwright playing an active interest in the high standard of plays produced at Wokingham Theatre.”
Jessica was part of the screenplay team producing the film Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans
Jessica has praised her former schools. Kendrick School at Reading was “a hugely inspiring place: at 14 I had the chance to direct plays.”
At St Nicholas Primary, Hurst “being part of drama activities and creative days certainly piqued my interest. Our teachers enjoyed inventing novel themed activities on topics or events like the Olympics or the Boat Race.”
