Julia G. Addison
News
July 2011
World's Largest Ever History Lesson at Hatfield House

In front of an audience of 1,198 Hertfordshire schoolchildren, myself and the rest of the Living History team at
Hatfield House took a quick romp through the last 400 years of the history of the house, in what was verified
by an adjudicator from Guinness World Records as officially the largest ever history lesson. The outdoor event took
place on stage with the action being projected onto a huge screen above our heads, so everyone could get a good
view. At the end we were joined on stage by Lord Salisbury and Lord Charles, High Sherriff of Hertfordshire, and a
new World Record was declared, to tumultuous applause!!
I played 2 Queens of England - both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria - within about 20 minutes, which was
quite a challenge when it came to getting the costumes and hair sorted out in time!
Left picture: Jean Hornbuckle ("1st Marchioness of Salisbury"), Ellis Pike ("1st Earl of Salisbury"),
Sue Jessup - holding our World Record Certificate, Richard Duncombe ("3rd Marquess of Salisbury")
myself ("Queen Victoria") and Gary Fisher ("2nd Marquess of Salisbury")
Right picture: Cast on stage with Lord Charles, Lord Salisbury & his lovely dogs!

March 2011
A 'Meal with the Mob'... in India

Just got back from a fleeting visit to India, where myself and the rest of the Absolute Murder team
were flown out to to perform Meal with the Mob, a 1920s gangsters murder mystery, for Vascon Limited.
This took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Pune, and was an utterly amazing experience in an incredible country!
Pictured (Left to Right): James Lawne, Kirsty Bennett, Clive Ward, myself (in blonde wig!) and Derek Hirst

Spring 2010
The Victorians at Hatfield House

The Victorians, a Living History project for schools in which I play Queen Victoria,
got off to a flying start in April 2010 at Hatfield House, and is now taking bookings into 2011.

December 2009
Hatfield House

Having been part of the Elizabethan Banquet at the Old Palace, Hatfield House, for
many years as a Lady-in-Waiting, I was recently promoted to the role of QE1 herself, and
had a great Christmas season with lots of festive banquets.
On a similar theme, in 2010 Hatfield House launches a second "Living History" project for
schools (I am already involved in the Tudor Living History at Hatfield, where I play Mary I).
The Victorians launches in April 2010. And, as I am getting used to playing the Queen
these days, I was delighted to be asked to play Queen Victoria!

Details of the Banquets and the award-winning Living History project
can be found on Hatfield House's website:

October 2009
ATS Briefs....scenes from my love life
Monday 19th October
A celebration of the First Birthday of the Above The Stag Theatre! This is a fantastic and friendly
fringe venue where I appeared in Blink! earlier this year, and I am delighted to have been asked
back to play a part in the celebrations! The evening will feature favourite scenes from the first year
of shows at the theatre, including Blink!, Gay School Musical, Bathhouse the Musical and lots more.
All tickets are £ 10, including a celebratory glass of wine!
There will be a second performance for invited guests on October 26th
To book please

Cabaret at Lauderdale House

Sunday 11th October
I recently appeared at Lauderdale House as the guest of my friend and fellow Blink! cast member
Alexander Bradford, singing with Alexander and helping kick off the new season of Cabaret in The House.
We performed Here on this Night, a lovely duet from the show "The Pirate Queen", written by Boublil and
Schoenberg, which to date has not been staged in the UK. Alexander entertained us with a wide range of
material from Cole Porter to Stephen Schwartz, accompanied beautifully by Mark Stanford on the piano.

July and August 2009
Blink...and you missed it!!

A celebration of the best songs from musicals that have flopped
....blink and you missed it!
The show, devised and directed by Tim McArthur and Peter Bull, starred Alexander Bradford,
Nikki Gerard, Tim McArthur, Elena Rossi, and yours truly.
We ran at the Above The Stag Theatre, London Victoria, from July 15th to August 16th 2009.
We had an amazing time, lots of fun and laughs, and rumours abound that the show may go on tour next year....watch this space!

28th January to 8th March 2009
Casanova

I appeared in Casanova once again, having been in the same show the year before at the Greenwich Playhouse. This time we were at the Kings Head Theatre in Islington. Lots of the original cast were back, as well as some new faces!
For further info about the show, please see the official website...

Sunday 23rd November 2008
Back at Lauderdale House!
I made a brief "guest" appearance during Anthony Flaum's cabaret at Lauderdale House.
I was in Casanova with Anthony (who played the title role) earlier this year at the Greenwich
Playhouse, and we performed the duet Every Moment from this show. After Anthony, we heard from
West End star Susannah Fellowes. Both she and Anthony played superb sets.

Thursday 20th November 2008
Concert Celebrating the 450th Anniversary of the Ascension of Queen Elizabeth 1st to the throne
Hosted by Lord Salisbury at the Old Palace, Hatfield House, this was a special concert with a choir of 70
performing music specially composed for the event by Scott Stroman.
I played the role of the younger Queen Elizabeth, while the more mature Queen was played by Davilia
David. It was quite a spooky moment for me, to stand in the very hall where Elizabeth held her first
council of state, saying the exact words she spoke on that same day, 450 years ago.
I wonder if her ghost was watching us?!

From left to right: Lord Salisbury - me - Lady Verulam - Davilia David, with some of children of the choir.
For an article about the event in the St. Albans and Harpenden Review...

October 26th 2008
Cabaret at Lauderdale House, supporting Nigel Richards
Thanks so much if you came to see me in Cabaret on Oct 26th! What a lovely audience.
Nigel was fantastic with his theologically themed cabaret and Valerie Cutko hosted the whole thing with her usual elegance and poise!
The songs I performed were:
The Trolley Song - Will He Like Me? - My Ship - Stars and The Moon - The Girls of Summer - I Can Cook, Too
How Could I Know? - Dosvedanya Mio Bombino - Always a Bridesmaid - Defying Gravity
Tremendous thanks to Derek, as always, for accompanying me so beautifully on the piano.

I mentioned that Derek and I perform at Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire - if you are interested in coming along
one Sunday then please click here for dates when we will be playing, directions to the hotel and further details...

May-June 2008
Casanova

In May and June this year, I was lucky enough to take part in a new musical version of Casanova by Phillip Godfrey, at the Greenwich Playhouse. I played the role of Henriette - the real love of Casanova's life (if any one woman can claim that title!), as well as a crazy Welsh woman (Fragoletta) and a maid with an outrageous Northern accent! Musical supervision was by Stephen Hose, Tim McArthur directed us and the production was managed by Katherine Ives of Trilby Productions. I had a brilliant couple of months with a fabulous cast and team.
Casanova played from May 14th to 8th June 2008
More info on the official website

October 2007

Cabaret Confidential is a monthly cabaret show where four different performers present their own take on what cabaret is and what they have to say!
I had a wonderful time making my cabaret debut at one of these events, organised by Millionth Muse Productions, accompanied by my husband Derek on piano. There was no "theme" for our bit of the show - just songs we damn well like! They were: The Trolley Song (Meet Me in St. Louis), then Take Me to The World (Evening Primrose), Dosvedanya Mio Bombino (my little tribute to Pink Martini), I Can Cook Too (On the Town) and we finished up with Defying Gravity from Wicked.
We had a lovely audience (so often said, but they really, really were), and were expertly hosted by Jamie Anderson.
The other performers that evening were Peter St James, Sarah Newbury and William Ludwig, all of whom did a sterling job.
The Space in East London is a converted Chapel from the 1600s, with many original features including stained glass and Minstrels Gallery, and it was a beautiful setting for the show.

May 2007
I recorded three songs with Dan Harrison's Techno/Trance band Skyline for their album Sonic Architecture.
These are available to download on Skyline's myspace. Click the logo below to visit....

The songs are "Wing and a Prayer" (my personal favourite!), "Time" and "Sueno del Mar"

April 2007

In April I took part in Linnie Reedman's play The Little Dressmaker at the Tabard Theatre, Turnham Green. This play with music is a Chekhovian tale of obsession and celebrity - and vodka, centering around the loves of Olga Ivanovna (Sarah Desmond, pictured above with yours truly). The play is based on Chekhov's short story The Grasshopper, and the music was written by Joe Evans. I played the Bohemian actress Mitya Komissarzhevskaya, and we ran for three weeks. The show went very well, and was a hugely rewarding experience. Tremendous thanks to Linnie and Joe for giving me the opportunity to be a part of "their baby"!

Sweet Swan of Avon
In March 2007 I filmed the above documentary about William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon, in which I played the role of Elizabeth Ist, at Jesus College Oxford.
This is for television in Norway and international release on DVD, directed by Jorgen Friberg for Miramar Films. I had a brilliant day with a lovely team... here is a photo I got someone to take on my phone of me having my Royal moment!!