Spotlight on Ony Uhiara
Ony Uhiara in Eurydice
British Nigerian Ony Uhiara is no stranger to the spot light.
For many she is most famous for her role in the ill fated BBC sitcom The Crouches which made its way to our screens back in 2003. But she has also appeared in Doctors, Walking the Dead, Holby City, Rosemary and Thyme and The Bill.
Uhiara has also worked extensively on stage and has appeared in four Royal Shakespeare Company productions, Fall Out by Roy Williams at the Royal Court Theatre and in 2008 she played the lead role in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water at the Young Vic.
She now returns to the Young Vic as part of ATC Theatre Company’s international tour of Eurydice, directed by the Olivier winning director Bijan Sheibani who is most famous for also directing the critically acclaimed The Brothers Size.
Catch a Vibe recently caught up with her to find out more about it.
Catch a Vibe: I would describe Eurydice as a little bit odd. What attracted you to the play?
Ony Uhiara: (Laughs) When I first read the play it just spoke to me on a really personal level and there was a lot that I could very easily relate to in the themes of the play. I enjoyed the oddness and I enjoyed the quirkiness of it as well. Things like the stage directions saying “he throws her into the sky” and random things like that make you go ‘hmmm, I wonder how they gonna do that.’
CAV: You were at the Young Vic Theatre back in 2008 staring in In the Red and Brown Water: how did you feel coming back?
Ony Uhiara: Quite strange actually. Strange but nice and then the strangeness went and then sometimes it keeps coming back again. But I feel really honoured to be part of their work again. It’s an amazing place to work and it’s always buzzing; it’s really lovely working here.
CAV: ATC Theatre Company has made some incredible work over the past two years. Were you ever apprehensive about joining the company?
Ony Uhiara: (Surprised) Not at all! No way!
CAV: Excitement rather than apprehension then?
Ony Uhiara: Definitely! Especially because when I was doing In the Red and Brown Water and The Brothers Size was on at the same time, just watching them I would think ‘Oh Wow!’ So I was really excited to be a part of that.
CAV: How did you find working with award-winning director Bijan Sheibani?
Ony Uhiara: (Laughs) He is thoroughly amazing and brilliant and such a cool guy. He’s just on it and sees what needs to be done. (Long awe-filled pause) He’s great.
CAV: It has been stated that Black theatre is doing really well at the moment. Is that something you agree with?
Ony Uhiara: There is no doubt that there are a lot of good things out there at the moment. Including Lynn Nottage’s Ruined starring Jenny Jules and Lucian Msamati at the Almeida. You can’t deny that there is a lot of good material out there and great performers and writers.
CAV: More specifically with Black British theatre, there is a strong argument that we are seeing the same story from the black community; a “theatre of the ghetto”. What’s your opinion?
Ony Uhiara: Rather than the stories that are put out there I think it’s more, maybe the perception of how we see ourselves. Or how we analyse work that we ourselves do…or judge the work that we do.
CAV: Do you think we are too critical of ourselves?
Ony Uhiara: Sometimes. No one wants to go and watch something that is absolutely dire. You don’t want to be crap at your job, you want to be the best that you can be but I do feel that…(pause) we need to kind of interact just in a different way in how we are creatively and how we respond to things. I don’t like perpetuating that it is all so very difficult for Black British artists or writers or directors.
CAV: Finally, what are your plans after this production?
Ony Uhiara: I have been knocking back and forwards with different projects so I think I’m going to have about 3 weeks off when we come back from Barcelona and then on to a next project.
CAV: Is it a top secret project or can you tell us a little more about it? You seem quite tight lipped.
Ony Uhiara: Yeah! (Laughs)
Eurydice will be playing at The Young Vic theatre until 5th June 2010. For more information or to book tickets please visit www.youngvic.org or call the box office 020 7922 2922
I also agree when Ony Uhiara about how we “analyze” the work that we do. It seems like nowadays a black film or theatre cannot be judged only by its artistic merits only, which is sometimes a shame.
Completely agree with Ony on her observations of how cynically ‘black’ theatre is analysed by some.
‘I don’t like perpetuating that it is all so very difficult for Black British artists or writers or directors….’
Good for you lady!
Shalom x