About the play

Susan has worked at the supermarket in Oldham most of her life. Busy with her job, her kids and her elderly mother she’s never given much thought to role-models until she’s training for promotion and is forced to adopt one. But her life changes dramatically when she starts to ask herself, ‘What would Helen Mirren do?’

Anita Parry plays Susan, her boss, her management trainer, her grown-up kids and a host of other characters in this funny and moving play written by Josie Melia.

Peter Ellis, known for many years as Chief Inspector Brownlow in ‘The Bill’ directs his wife Anita for the first time.

What did Helen Mirren do?

On our opening night at Brighton Festival Fringe, Helen Mirren sent us a crate of champagne and a good luck message. Since then we have played to enthusiastic sell-out audiences in Edinburgh, Brighton, Bristol, Exeter, Winchester, Guildford, Oxford, Belfast, Salford and elsewhere. See our reviews from Edinburgh 2010.

Bring your friends and workmates for a great night out.
 

More about us

Anita Parry (actress) is an actress/director whose recent work includes The Seagull at Northampton Theatre Royal directed by Simon Godwin and ‘The Last King of Devonport’, directed by Steve Marmion. Until 2002 Anita was joint artistic director of Theatre and Beyond, the Brighton-based theatre company dedicated to platforming new writing. Anita has also played Shirley Valentine in Willy Russell’s one-woman stage play, for which she received a best actress award.

Josie Melia (writer)is an award-winning writer whose work includes ‘Six Inches of Travel’ for Brighton Festival’s main programme, the screenplay for the UK Film Council film ‘Feis’ starring Jean Boht, and several commissioned youth theatre productions. Josie has written comedy sketches and songs for topical review shows and several short plays - most recently a short play performed at Theatre 503 in July 2010.

Anita and Josie first collaborated as director and writer on ‘Six Inches of Travel’ with Theatre and Beyond, and then on the short film ‘Feis’. ‘What Would Helen Mirren Do?’ is their fourth collaboration, their first as actress and writer and the first to draw on their North of England upbringing.

Peter Ellis (director) was for many years known as Chief Superintendent Brownlow in ‘The Bill’. He recently toured with Theatre Royal Bath Productions as Mr. Bennett opposite Susan Hampshire in ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ His other acting credits include ‘Acorn Antiques’, Victoria Wood’s ‘Talent’ and numerous other television appearances including ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Emmerdale Farm’. Peter’s theatre work includes the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Old Vic Company and Prospect. Peter has directed for television in the UK and USA, and for theatre in the UK and Europe.

Peter and Anita first met when cast opposite each other in ‘Educating Rita.’ They have been a couple ever since. ‘What Would Helen Mirren Do?’ is the first time Peter has directed Anita.