The star of Lyric Hammersmith’s Cinderella speaks to Pride
The festive season means it’s a time for people, presents, and of course – panto! It’s the time of year where classic tales of childhood get given a contemporary spin for the stage, and this year marks no exception, with dozens of new productions opening in theatres nationwide.
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre welcomes Cinderella as their pantomime of the season, with Timmika Ramsay taking the lead. As a Black woman with curves, it’s so refreshing to see someone like her represented as a fairy tale princess! We caught up with her to find out what it’s like stepping into the most infamous glass slippers in history, as well as her favourite part of panto life…
Hi Timmika, congratulations on the role of Cinderella, very exciting! What’s it been like taking on this role?
It’s been super fun! I’ve never done panto before – obviously, I love acting but I didn’t really know how to approach it at first because a panto is broader strokes. Would I be too detailed? Would I be too naturalistic? I’ve learnt so much from people in the cast, so it’s really just been a lot of fun, but difficult! It’s a new adventure and it’s going well.
Growing up, did you ever see yourself in the role of a princess? Do you remember having any kind of fairy-tale representation?
I love Disney and because of that I always wanted to be a princess, even though I never saw any that were like me. Personally, I didn’t really see colour as the problem – I always thought: “Okay, they’re whatever they are – they’re that colour but I’m going to add myself into that mix.” I was one of those girls who was like, “yeah, you might look like that, but I’m the real Cinderella, I’m the real Snow White.”
When I was younger there wasn’t representation, which was quite difficult – not because of the way I thought of myself but because of the way other people thought of me; it was other people who had difficulty in seeing me as a Princess, and that made me doubt myself…But, what I would say is you have to be confident in yourself, and believe that one day you’ll be a princess. And now I’m playing Cinderella!
What’s your favourite part of playing Cinderella?
My favourite part is that I’m living my childhood dream – and I absolutely love the costumes. When I come into the ball I feel so pretty, and I hope other people will see me and think I look really pretty as well. I also love how cool and down to earth Cinderella is. She’s just like me when I’m at home! Literally scrubbing, sweeping, cleaning all day long and then going out in the evening looking like a badass.
Stepping into a role, and into a story that’s so well known, does it feel like there’s pressure to bring something completely new to it?
Absolutely. There have been so many Cinderellas and I keep asking myself: “How can I make it my own?” But me just being me is all the difference it needs. The fact that I’m from Luton and the way I grew up is all I need. I feel like a Gangsta Princess. And my shape, too – that’s all I need to bring to this Cinderella. Luckily, we also have an amazing playwright in Jude Christian, so the text does a lot of work for us.
It is so inspiring to see a princess lead character that’s curvier – I think it lets younger people especially know that there is not just one body type that can be on stage. Have you seen much body diversity in your personal experience working in the theatre before now? Are things getting better?
Things are getting better, but there are still boxes that people are placed in. I know that when some casting directors see me, they would see me as the comical best friend and not the lead – but my body shape doesn’t make me funny… There’s still a long way to go, and I think that representing all bodies is important. Seeing someone that looks a little bit like you can change your entire mindset and make you feel confident. I went through so much anxiety about my body and wanting to change it, but as soon as I saw Lizzo or Jennifer Hudson doing their thing, I realised that there was nothing to worry about. It’s definitely important that they’ve cast someone who’s got a bit of a booty because all those little girls won’t put that much pressure on themselves.
Some might dismiss panto as being a theatre form just for children. What would you say to that?
We talked about this a lot in rehearsals. Children will definitely come and enjoy the show, but there are little hidden jokes in there for the adults as well. I think it’s beautiful and I don’t think people should discredit panto as ‘for children’. It takes a special kind of actor to do panto – believe me, this process has taught me how hard it is! It’s for kids but everyone should come. Families are loving it.
How did you get into acting professionally?
I’ve always wanted to perform. I grew up singing and doing little plays in church – so as I got older I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do. My family pushed me to go for my dreams, and the more I sang the more I realised I could act as well. I applied for drama school, got in, and just went with the flow. With a lot of love and support, you can do it.
What’s a dream role you’d like to play in the future?
I mean, I’d love to work with people like Ava DuVernay and Tyler Perry and all of that, but I’d also love to be a curvy superhero in Marvel… Marvel if you’re hiring, hook a sister up!
And finally, what’s something you’ve done in 2019 that’s made you feel proud?
As I’m sure you can tell I’m hugely proud of Cinderella, but I was also hired in a Channel 4 show called Adult Material. I felt so proud because I had to be so vulnerable and portraying someone in the ‘adult industry’ requires me to show my body (not all of it!), but definitely more than I ever thought I’d be comfortable showing on TV. I’m proud of myself because of the way I look. And I’m proud of myself for going and showing people what a real body looks like.
Cinderella plays at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre until 05 January 2020. Tickets available online: https://lyric.co.uk/shows/cinderella/
