“Calling all actresses who have or can do, an authentic Hull accent. While playing slightly butch, early to mid 30’s”
Look no further Lucy Beaumont, you’ve found me!
The advertisement on Facebook filled me with excitement and a strange surge of confidence that made me hit the comment button and apply for the role. When stand up comedian and comedy writer Lucy Beaumont from Hull put out the advertisement, I knew it would have plenty of interest. I for one was one of those interested parties.
Lucy was looking to cast the role of her best friend Jean in a radio sitcom commissioned by the BBC, To Hull and Back.
I was delighted, if not a little shocked when I got the call saying I’d got the part. I mean I’ve always performed and have a wealth of experience in the field. By field I mean, dossing around with my mates once a week creating sketches for our comedy troupe Scarlet Lights. That’s experience right?
So landing this pro job with Lucy and the BBC took me back a little. Once I found out that I’d also be starring against another Hull born actress, Maureen Lipman, I wanted to revoke my application and run for the hills! This was too big time for a small fry like myself!
Despite worrying about my capability and suffering with the worst dry mouth I’ve experienced in my whole life, the pilot episode was recorded and when aired on BBC Radio 2 in 2014, was received very well and its success awarded Lucy with the commission of going to full series.
Recording the full series of To Hull and Back has been an amazing experience for me. I’ve enjoyed visiting the Big Smoke for rehearsals and getting the opportunity to work in a new genre for me, radio. To perform on the BBC Radio Theatre stage was a real experience that meant a lot to me. Many of my comedy idols have trod those boards before me and I did have a total geek moment when I first stepped foot up there.
Internally of course, I couldn’t lose my cool in front of the professionals could I now? Maureen and Lucy have taught me a lot, especially about remaining passionate about what you love and to always keep developing as an artist. They are both extremely funny too, so I stole a few jokes off them to claim as my own.
It’s a pleasure to announce we have been commissioned a second series that we start to record this summer and will be aired later in the year.
