2011 – an amazing year!
2011 was an incredible year for me professionally for many reasons. At the beginning of January I was looking forward to returning to London, Ontario to play Madge Larrabee in the Grand Theatre‘s production of Sherlock Holmes, the Final Adventure. I was delighted to have something in the pipeline. In the second week of January my agent called and said that I had an audition for The Railway Children. Rehearsals would start two weeks after Sherlock Holmes closed. It was too good to be...
Read MoresoulOtheatre recital: The Tale of the Little Princess
Twice a week for five weeks we met together and shared our stories. Six fabulous women plus the most incredible of them all: Tracey Erin Smith. Quite by chance at the beginning of November I happened to see Muniza Rauf-Miller’s post on Facebook, saying that there was one spot left in Tracey Erin Smith’s one-person show class at Second City. My gut told me I had to do it. My bank balance disagreed. It’s been an up-and-down year for the Wexes financially. Although The Railway...
Read MoreThe Railway Children closes
All good things must come to an end. But I think the entire company wished this could have gone on longer. Yesterday The Railway Children had its very last show at the Roundhouse Theatre in downtown Toronto. There was a packed house, a great performance, lots of tears and three parties to celebrate over 100 journeys to Oakworth. It was a challenging show to be a part of in many ways – the long traverse stage meant a lot of running around for all members of the company, but especially...
Read MoreThe Railway Children makes it to its 100th show!
Despite having got our two weeks’ notice last week, there was still cause for celebration yesterday when the Toronto production of The Railway Children reached its 100th show. It’s been an interesting journey – working in a tent with no hot running water, dealing with the heat when the sun beats down on a few hundred square feet of plastic, smelly chemical toilets and audience members passing out or throwing up – but this is a show that we’re all very, very proud...
Read MoreThe Railway Children opens at the Roundhouse Theatre
The Railway Children are go! On Sunday we had our opening show at the Roundhouse Theatre. The atmosphere was electric. After the slightly nerve-racking last preview on Saturday night (where Alison Deon had to go on for Laura Schutt who was pretty sick having caught the gastric bug that’s been making its rounds through the cast) we were all ready to do our very best for the Sunday matinee opening. We had a full house and with our two comps each there were friendly faces everywhere when we...
Read MoreThe Toronto Railway Children Trailer!
A couple of weeks ago I posted a trailer for The Railway Children for your delectation. Well now Mirvish Productions have produced a new one with us in it! You can clearly see me running down the platform closest to the camera as the slightly over-excited Mrs. Viney waving her hankie at around the 14th second. And my hands in the grape eating scene. Huzzah! Enjoy. And come and see the...
Read MoreTeching in a tent
We knew that the technical rehearsals for The Railway Children would be long (two weeks to be precise) but thank goodness we have those two weeks! A brand new theatre has been constructed in the Roundhouse Gardens around the railway tracks at the base of the CN Tower. The high-tech tent with heating and air conditioning has two banks of seating units built around the two platforms either side of the tracks that make up the stage for the show. The sound and lighting designs are state-of-the-art...
Read MoreThe Roundhouse Theatre takes shape
Today the cast of The Railway Children were introduced to the Roundhouse Theatre and Vicky the steam train for the first time. We were all blown away by the space and the train and the scale of everything. I admit it – I had a little cry in the theatre! It’s gigantic – but Damian Cruden, our director, assured us that the theatre feels very intimate despite its size. After our tour of the theatre we got to actually go on the train! Needless to say we’re all very...
Read MoreMarilla who?
I am a British-born actress and stand-up comic who does lots of voice work (for commercials, cartoons and corporate clients) and sometimes, when I'm very lucky, tv and film. When I was in England I did mostly theatre. Now I'm in Canada I spend the majority of the time writing and performing stand-up. When I'm not making episodes of Talking Bollocks, that is. And that's me for you.