Erica Eirian
Additional Information
Born
and brought up in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, Erica trained at the
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Cardiff has been her home
ever since
After leaving college in 1977 she was drawn to theatre-in-education and community theatre and was a founder of member of Spectacle Theatre (based in the Rhondda). Her first professional acting role was as Polly Darton, a singing cowgirl, in the company’s production of Tim Baker’s play Do You Mind?
She left the company in 1982 and further offers of work from other theatre companies in Wales and a few in England have sustained her ever since. Favourite roles include: Eileen in Kick for Touch by Peter Gill, directed by Hugh Thomas, Nurse in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, directed by Geoff Moore (both for Moving Being), Jenny Diver in The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Rosamunde Hutt (Hijinx Theatre), Sarah Jacob in The Watching devised by the company, directed by Gary Meredith (Gwent Theatre), Doreen Slater in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend, directed by Phil Clark, Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, directed by Jamie Garven, Annie in Table Manners by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Phil Clark (all for the Sherman Theatre Company), Gertrude in Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Rob Lane (Mappa Mundi), Shirley Valentine in Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell, directed by Di Christian (Brewhouse Taunton), Second Voice in Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, directed by Michael Bogdanov (Wales Theatre Company), Annie Boggis in The Accrington Pals by Peter Whelan, directed by Ian Hastings and Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, directed by Robin Belfield (both for the Dukes Lancaster).
Erica is occasionally employed in radio drama and television and has dabbled in voice-over work: Favourite roles include: Bessie Bunter in Billy Bunter’s Christmas Party produced by Adrian Mourby for BBC Radio 4 and World Service, Brenda in two series of Clwb Clebran for BBC Radio Cymru, Mary Timms in one episode of Iechyd Da directed by Rhys Powys - a Bracan production for S4C, the Neighbour in one episode of Series Two Doctor Who, directed by Euros Lyn for BBC Wales TV, Beverly in Joanna Quinn’s animated film Body Beautiful – a Beryl Production for S4C/Channel 4
From time to time Erica also directs. She has no special skills – not even juggling – but can sing (alto), has learned Welsh and can drive a car.
If Erica wasn’t an actress/theatre director she’d love to be a Forensic Anthropologist. Lacking the necessary qualifications and training she just lives in hope of being cast as one.