Sophie Cox

Starring in the coming-of-age hit Playfight has taken actress Sophie Cox from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to London’s famous Soho Theatre - what and where next for the Yorkshire native?

How long have you been acting?

I’ve been acting since I was about 4! I fell in love with musical theatre at a young age and was a part of amateur groups throughout my childhood. I did loads of musical shows with Stage Door Academy in my hometown of Goole, was a member of Pick Me Up Theatre in York, and I remember one of my first times on a big stage was with NAPA in Hull, where we did Billy Elliot at the Hull New Theatre. All of these experiences as a young person helped fuel my passion for acting!

You attended Guildhall school - how was your time there?

My time at Guildhall was both amazing and challenging. Not only did I grow as an actor, but also a person. I really feel like the training, although tough, prepares you for the industry and gives you so many tools to maintain and better your craft. I went there when I was 19, and moved from a rural Yorkshire town to London, which was a big step but every second was worth it!

There doesn't seem to be very many young northern actors around - would you recommend drama school to others wanting to find a way into the industry?

I think it all depends what you want. There are so many ways of getting into the industry, but if you see drama school as a training opportunity to help better your craft it’s definitely an amazing option that’s becoming way more accessible over time, which is great. Training isn’t for everyone, however I would really recommend it, especially if you are wanting to pursue more theatre work. Drama school has been so helpful for me in that way.

You've recently finished a tour of Playfight, a coming-of-age play about female friendship which was first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year. How did you land this role?

I went through an audition process - I sent in a tape and then the team saw me in person. A couple weeks later I found out I booked the job, so I was delighted!

Much of your work has been on stage, and you've done a radio play too. Would you like to take on film or TV soon?

Yeah, 100% - I would love to take on film and TV. It’s something that I feel really passionate about, and screen work really excites me as an art form. Something I love about theatre is you get to experience the story every day with the whole team. You don’t really realise how many people it takes to put on a show, and then to share it with an audience is a great feeling. I love the buzz!

Left, with Lucy Mangan and Nina Cassells in Playfight

What do you specifically look for in a project, a character?

Not so much a character, moreso a storyline that draws you in, whatever genre it may be. The biggest perk is working with great people and a passionate team!

Do you have any suggestions as to how the arts scene in the north could be improved, how aspiring actors could be helped in beginning their careers?

I’d love to see more schools up north - especially in rural areas - put more into their arts departments and potentially be better connected with the regional theatre scene. I feel like, from my own experience growing up in a small town, there was a lack of opportunity and awareness of the industry. We need to work towards making these creative careers more accessible no matter where you live, and encouraging young people to see that it is possible.

With something like Playfight, which you've been performing on and off for several months, do you find that your understanding of the character and the way you play her changes over time, in a way that it might not for, say, a shorter-term role?

Yeah definitely, especially because there was some time between now and when we first performed it last August at the Fringe, it’s really given me time to sit with her and get to know her on a deeper level. The way I portray the character now is very different to last year, as I’ve been able to add more layers.

What was the last thing you saw - a play, a film, a TV show - that you really loved?

I’ve just started watching Bad Sisters and I’m loving that at the moment, but a recent one to remember has to be Adolescence.

Words: Scott Bates

Second photo credit: Paul Blakemore