Best Actress in a Musical Nominees 2013

Imelda Staunton (Sweeney Todd), Hannah Waddingham (Kiss Me Kate), Summer Strallen (Top Hat) & Heather Headley (The Bodyguard)

(Source: thefleetstreetvicomte)

Okay so I guess this rant has been a long time coming…! I’m sure most of you recognise these four people… possibly because there is four of them, or because you recognise one or two of them so assume who the other two are… or maybe you do actually know who all four of them are. But the thing is the Strallen sisters are more than just “Strallens”. I am sick and tired of hearing them referred to as “a Strallen”. Like the only way of identifying one of them is by their last name, like their last name makes them some kind of different species or something. Phrases that make me want to punch someone include: “you know a show is going to succeed if it has a Strallen in it!” or “doesn’t that have one of the Strallens in it?” or “I finally met a Strallen!” or “well of course she can dance, she’s a Strallen!” or - and I think this one makes me the maddest - “every stagey has a favourite Strallen!” Here’s the thing - yes they are a family that have very talented parents, a very talented aunt, and happen to all be performers. But they’re also individual people. I can’t bear it when people make judgements on me based on their knowledge of my brother, so why the hell is this somehow different? I actually discovered Scarlett by seeing her in Mary Poppins, and absolutely adored her in that role. I then found out I had seen Summer in Cats, but not before I had tuned into Hollyoaks and seen her on there (which I realise is not the most credible way of discovering a theatre actress), and then went to see her in the Sound of Music. Because I liked her not because I was a fan of her sister. Similarly, I have seen Zizi in Rock of Ages, and I will see Sasi in the 9to5 tour, but not because they are Summer and Scarlett’s sisters. Because they are also talented performers who happen to be in shows I wanted/want to see. And yes they do happen to all (well I can’t comment on Sasi since I’ve never seen her) be very talented dancers, but they are also very different, both in performance style, and in person off-stage. So maybe next time you want to mention how brilliant one of them is, could you possibly refer to them as their actual name, rather than their last name? They are people, not a species.

(Source: brooke-wyndham)

five years ago today…

(Source: brooke-wyndham)

Summer and Scarlet!

(Source: brooke-wyndham)

Bathing Beauty - Summer Strallen

(From before the show changes)

Summer being interviewed in Italy about being in Cats and other shows.

As tweeted by @HugoHHarrison

Blizzardy tweed flat white with @SummerStrallen1

Summer Strallen by Gregory Michael King

(Source: europeanactresses)