Our favourite Sheridan Smith roles
Posted on 6 March 2024
A West End icon who made her stage debut more than 25 years ago, Sheridan Smith knows a thing or two about opening nights! The Lincolnshire born legend began her award-winning career at the Donmar Warehouse, starring as the hooded hero in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. She then swapped the picnic basket for a pink briefcase, originating the West End role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical, where she picked up the first of her two Olivier awards.
Just like Woods, Smith hasn’t just bent the rule book, she’s snapped it in half. She has transcended genres and mediums, refusing to stick to one discipline or creative outlet. Smith has portrayed countless colourful characters throughout her illustrious career, playing real life people including Cilla Black and Julie Bushby, as well as fictional favourites such as Rudi in Gavin and Stacey and Brandy in Benidorm.
Her latest role, directed by Olivier award winner Ivo Van Hove, sees her play world weary actress, Myrtle Gordon, as she battles addiction and crippling adoration. The new musical, adapted from John Cassavetes’ 1977 film features new songs from Rufus Wainwright and will play at the Gielgud Theatre for a strictly limited run.
Ahead of Opening Night’s opening night (or Opening Night²) we’ve listed some of our favourite Sheridan Smith performances, both on stage and off.
Shirley Valentine
Smith’s sympathetic performance of the Liverpudlian housewife in Willy Russell's acclaimed comic play earned her 5-star reviews and critical acclaim. The one woman show, which played at the Duke of York’s Theatre last year, showcased Smith’s emotional range, vulnerability and cooking skills (she made the famous egg and chips live on stage each night!). It wasn’t just the dinner that was sunny side up, the life affirming show set on the Greek beach left audiences in high spirits and was met by glowing reviews by the critics.
Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps
Swapping the Perk for the pub and cappuccinos for cold pints, Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps was the UKs answer to Friends. Set in a local boozer the British sitcom followed a group of twentysomethings as they navigated their way through early adulthood, with varying degrees of success. One of Smith’s first television roles, the show was an instant hit and dominated television screens up and down the country throughout its ten-year run. The programme was nominated for the Best Comedy Show award and catapulted Smith into the limelight. Cheers!
Legally Blonde
Smith’s wry, knowing take on the sorority sister turned badass barrister was completely different to Broadway’s portrayals of Elle, and the West End audience loved it! The pithy and playful performance saw Smith pick up the Best Actress in a Musical at the 2009 Olivier awards and contributed to the show winning the Best New Musical award the same year. Audiences and critics were ticked pink by the fresh and funny show and were like totally blown away by Smiths performance, with one reviewer stating ‘blessed with vitality, warmth, great comic timing and sudden moments of touching vulnerability. She is infinitely more likable than Reese Witherspoon in the film’.
Flare Path
Refusing to be typecast, Smith went on to star in Terence Rattigan’s 1942 war drama Flare Path. The highly tense tale of a love triangle in World War II was one of Churchill's favourites when it was first performed in the capital almost 60 years previously, claiming the production was ‘A masterpiece of an understatement’. Smith played Doris, the wife of a polish pilot, as she anxiously awaits his return from the RAFs latest mission. Smiths performance simultaneously won and broke hearts, and saw her pick up the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress in addition to a second Olivier.
Joesph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat
Vaudevillian quick-changes, acrobatic dance numbers, and a knockout solo, the role of the narrator was reinvented for the 50th anniversary of this technicolour treat, and Smith relished it. The hugely popular revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical took the London Palladium by (sand)storm in 2019, with its success changing the way the narrator was portrayed for future reincarnations of the production. Smith’s charm, infectious grin and winks to the audience set the tone for the piece, giving the heavy subject matter lightness and warmth. Critics praised the new interpretation of the musical and the 5-star reviews flew in.
Mrs Biggs
Smith played the wife of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs (portrayed by another theatre favourite, Daniel Mays) in this semi-biographical drama. Her heartbreaking performance saw her character grow from a naïve young woman to a steadfast and strong mother, who sacrifices everything to keep her family together. The TV drama may have been a limited series, but it had a lasting impact on audiences and critics alike. Smith’s captivating performance earned her several awards, including a BAFTA for Best Actress.
Inside Number 9
A jet-black anthology series, Inside Number 9 has produced 48 completely individual episodes, and has seen hundreds of characters feature in its stories, from witch hunters in 16th century England to a pair of silent slapstick burglars. Smith’s episode, The 12 Days of Christine, is routinely cited as the fans favourite, and often tops the lists of the Best Inside Number 9 Moments. Which in part is down to Smiths incredible performance. The 30-minute episode sees Christine (Smith) randomly skipping through moments of her life. We celebrate birthdays, witness awkward one-night stands, and endure her utter devastation at a shock piece of news. We experience a whole lifetime with this character, and when it comes to its climactic end, we don’t want to let go.
Book Opening Night tickets today
Playing for a strictly limited run, don’t miss your chance to see Sheridan Smith live on stage.
