INTERVIEW: Jenna Russell, a master Sondheim interpreter, goes to ‘Lunch’ on The Theatre Channel

Photo: Jenna Russell performs “Ladies Who Lunch” on The Theatre Channel. Photo courtesy of Edward Johnson / Provided by BBB with permission.

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Jenna Russell has become one of the world’s preeminent interpreters of the music and lyrics of the great American composer Stephen Sondheim. The British actor has turned in memorable performances in Sunday in the Park With George, which transferred from the West End to Broadway, and also Merrily We Roll Along, which transferred from the intimate environs of the Menier Chocolate Factory to the West End. Throughout her illustrious career there have been many other roles and musicals — and numerous awards and nominations along the way.

Now, Russell finds that her professional life has been turned upside down. The pandemic has shut London’s West End, and many of her planned productions, including playing Edith Piaf in Piaf at the Nottingham Playhouse and Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! with Imelda Staunton, have been postponed indefinitely.

“Well, we’re hoping for 2021,” Russell said in a phone interview. “That’s the plan. I’m not sure whether they’re going to do that with a socially distanced audience. I’m not sure. And Helly, Dolly!, I think the plan is to do it in 2022 because Imelda Staunton, who is playing Dolly, is doing the Queen in The Crown. She has to do that, and I think probably 2022 fingers crossed we’ll be OK for that date in terms of this awful virus. Next year, much like America, we’re hoping that we can start getting back to work, start putting shows on again. But no one knows. It must be very hard for producers to put the time and money into things that they’re not sure whether there’ll be time to open them, so we’re all just crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.”

Russell doesn’t live in London, but rather on the Kent Coast of England, so she’s able to stay away from the sad images of dark marquees and closed businesses. But when she does venture into the capital city, the sights and sounds — or the lack thereof — are distressing.

“It’s like a ghost town,” she said. “Our theaters are closed, but it’s been very sad to see all the businesses that thrive on the theater business — the restaurants, the independent cafés, all those places — they’re also closed. It’s really quiet. Generally people wear masks, but it’s not the law in our country. And most people do it on the tube and stuff, but there’s no one to enforce anything. So if you see people without masks, people don’t do anything, and I’m sure it’s a similar thing in America. People can be quite chippy about it if you do ask them to keep their distance. … I guess the less people that get infected, the quicker we’ll be able to get back to some semblance of normality. But much like America, I’m sure there are people who are being very responsible and looking out for other people, and there are other people that just think it’s all ridiculous, which is horrifying. But there we are. There we are.”

To keep busy during these unprecedented times, Russell connected with an old friend, Adam Blanshay, who runs Adam Blanshay Productions. He was one of the producers on the Chocolate Factory production of Merrily We Roll Along, and his company, along with The Theatre Café, recently launched The Theatre Channel, a new web series showcasing beloved classics from the musical theater canon.

Russell is featured in the first episode, where she sings “Ladies Who Lunch” from Sondheim’s Company. She is joined by other theater stars, including Tarinn Callender, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Oliver Ormson, Matt Henry MBE, Lucie Jones and Jodie Steele.

“I’ve known Adam for a good few years, and it was such a lovely phone call to get when he said, ‘I’ve had this idea. I would love you to be part of it. How do you feel,’” Russell remembers. “I was thrilled to be doing it and thrilled to be asked to do some Sondheim, who is my favorite composer. I do a lot of Sondheim’s work over here. … I’ve always loved performing his work, but I’ve never got to sing ‘Ladies Who Lunch.’ So to do that was fabulous.”

The Theatre Channel achieves a certain level of intimacy that is difficult to create in a theatrical setting. It’s simply the performer and the camera, and the audience is able to view this deep interpretation of the music and lyrics.

“I’s just really nice for artists to get an opportunity to perform these well-known songs and be more intimate with them,” she said. “Of course, you have a camera rather than having to fill an auditorium. It was a really lovely excuse to be intimate, although she goes for it, Joanne in ‘Ladies Who Lunch.’ I’m as intimate as I can be with still staying true to the spirit of the song. That’s how Adam asked me to do it, and I was thrilled, really thrilled to get asked to do it. It was a lovely few days.”

As a performer, Russell was first introduced to Sondheim’s work when she was 14 years old. A friend came over her house and played some selections from Sweeney Todd, and Russell couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It’s been a musical love affair ever since.

“I always loved music, but something about it just hit me in the solar plexus,” she said. “And I was forever hooked. We had a Sondheim group at school, and we did a medley of songs from Pacific Overtures and Marry Me a Little … and I think I was 15 singing an excerpt of ‘Send in the Clowns’ and ‘Not Getting Married Today.’ Because I’ve listened to the music so much, it’s always been in my DNA, so to speak, and I’ve been super-lucky to have worked on a lot of his shows over here. I did Follies when I was 20, playing Young Sally, and that’s when I first met Steve and continued to do his shows. And hopefully in the future we’ll do more of them. You know, his stuff is so good. He writes especially so brilliantly for women. He writes complex women that are funny, sharp, heartbroken, angry. All these characters encompass lots of different facets, so as an actor, they’re brilliant to play because you get to show all the colors. You never quite get to the bottom of it. The lyrics are always so rich. I stop everything to do Sondheim work always.”

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

The Theatre Channel recently premiered its first episode, featuring Jenna Russell singing “Ladies Who Lunch.” Click here for more information.