Anna Francolini
{{Short description|English actress (born 1973)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox person
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1972|10|30}}
| birth_place = Chertsey, England
| education = University of Warwick (BA)
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1994-present
}}
Anna Francolini (born 30 October 1973) is an English actress.
Early life
Francolini was born in Chertsey, Surrey, attended Bristol Grammar School and studied theatre at the University of Warwick.[http://www.whatsonstage.com/interviews/theatre/london/E8821056721252/20+Questions+With...Anna+Francolini.html "20 Questions With...Anna Francolini, Whatonstage.com, 30th June 2003"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615182019/http://www.whatsonstage.com/interviews/theatre/london/E8821056721252/20%2BQuestions%2BWith...Anna%2BFrancolini.html |date=15 June 2011 }} She also trained as a member of the National Youth Theatre.
Career
After appearances in Godspell and Oliver during the early part of her career, Francolini appeared in two acclaimed musical productions at the Donmar Warehouse – Company (1995) and Merrily We Roll Along (2000),{{cite web |title=20 questions with ... Anna Francolini |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/off-west-end-theatre/news/20-questions-with-anna-francolini_6194.html |publisher=WhatsOnStage.com |accessdate=21 December 2018}} both by Stephen Sondheim. She also played the Baker's Wife in the Royal Opera House production of Sondheim's Into the Woods in 2007. She won the 2009 TMA Award for Best Performance in a Play with her portrayal of Jean Brodie in Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,{{cite web |title=TMA Theatre Awards hat trick for Royal & Derngate and Watermill Theatre |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2009/tma-theatre-awards-hat-trick-for-royal-derngate-and-watermill-theatre/ |website=The Stage}} which was staged at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton. During the period from December 1997 to December 2004 Anna Francolini was a mainstay of London's tiny but influential Bridewell Theatre during the latter part of its decade as a professional venue. In December 1997 to January 1998 she played lead role Helen in the historic fully staged premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night.{{cite web |title=Saturday Night's all right for Sondheim |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4711386/Saturday-Nights-all-right-for-Sondheim.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226083500/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4711386/Saturday-Nights-all-right-for-Sondheim.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 February 2016 |website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |accessdate=21 December 2018}} This was to be followed in 1999 by Floyd Collins and later on during 2000-1 Anna appeared in revue shows created from the work of Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel and John La Chiusa, one of which, The Cutting Edge transferred to the Donmar Warehouse in 2002. Further Bridewell Theatre work included There's Always A Woman (2002); The Ballard of Little Jo (2003) and an appearance at the venue's 10th Anniversary Farewell Concert on 12 December 2004. Following the demise of the Bridewell Theatre as a professional venue, Anna's other appearances included Caroline, or Change at the National Theatre (2006),{{cite web |title=Caroline, or Change |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/oct/20/theatre |website=The Guardian |date=20 October 2006 |accessdate=21 December 2018}} Three Sisters on Hope Street at the Liverpool Everyman (2008) and Wolves at the Window at the Arcola Theatre during the same year, which gave her a New York debut at 59E59 in 2009.{{cite web |title=Wolves at the Window |url=https://variety.com/2009/legit/reviews/wolves-at-the-window-1200477427/ |website=Variety |date=16 November 2009 |accessdate=21 December 2018}}
In 2010, she played the role of Maria Callas in Martin Sherman's play Onassis at the Novello Theatre.{{cite web |title=Brief Encounter With ... Onassis' Anna Francolini |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/brief-encounter-with-onassis-anna-francolini_11498.html |publisher=WhatsOnStage.com |accessdate=21 December 2018}} During the following year, Anna played the role of Beatrice in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge at Manchester's Royal Exchange,{{cite web |title=A View From The Bridge review at Royal Exchange Manchester |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2011/a-view-from-the-bridge-review-at-royal-exchange-manchester/ |website=The Stage |accessdate=21 December 2018}} a venue to which she was to return in 2014 as Enid in That Day We Sang.{{cite web |title=That Day We Sang, Manchester Royal Exchange, review |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/10520495/That-Day-We-Sang-Manchester-Royal-Exchange-review.html |website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |accessdate=21 December 2018}} 2012 saw her take the lead role in Victor/Victoria at Southwark Playhouse{{cite web |title=Victor Victoria, Southwark Playhouse, review |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/9659097/Victor-Victoria-Southwark-Playhouse-review.html |website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |accessdate=21 December 2018}} and in February 2015 she made an appearance in Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory.{{cite web |title=Michael Xavier to replace Aaron Tveit in Menier's Assassins |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/uncategorized/2015/michael-xavier-replace-aaron-tveit-meniers-assassins/ |website=The Stage |accessdate=21 December 2018}} July 2015, she was part of the premiere cast of Damon Albarn's new musical Wonder.land at the Manchester International Festival which transferred to the National Theatre later during the same year.{{cite web |title=wonder.land review – occasionally dazzling, often garbled |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jul/05/wonderland-review-occasionally-dazzling-often-garbled |website=The Guardian |date=5 July 2015 |accessdate=21 December 2018}} 25 October 2015 saw Anna make an appearance in Stephen Sondheim's 85th Birthday Tribute Hey Old Friends. In 2016 she appeared as a female Captain Hook at the National Theatre in Peter Pan.{{cite web |title=Peter Pan review – spirited exuberance with a touch of sadness |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/dec/04/peter-pan-review-olivier-national-theatre-london-sally-cookson-jm-barrie |website=The Guardian |date=4 December 2016 |accessdate=21 December 2018}} From March to October 2018 she appeared in Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre.{{cite web |title=Strictly Ballroom review: Will Young steals the show in delightful Baz Luhrmann adaptation |url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/theatre/951712/Strictly-Ballroom-theatre-review-will-young-jonny-labey-zizi-strallen |website=Express |date=29 April 2018 |accessdate=21 December 2018}} In April 2023 she appeared in Tom Fool at Richmond's Orange Tree Theatre and in May-June 2024 she played Olivia in Twelfth Night at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Her screen credits include the movies Topsy-Turvy and Solo: A Star Wars Story and the TV series Rome, New Tricks and Vera.{{cite web |title=Anna Francolini |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0290693/ |publisher=IMDb |accessdate=21 December 2018}} In 2019, she voiced Gina on Thomas & Friends in the US/UK versions.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 2013
| Mrs. Clem | |
| 2015
| The Dark Room | Karen | Short film |
| 2018
| Imperial Emigration Officer | Her character was identified as "Falthina Sharest" in tie-ins |
| 2019
| Laura Briggman | |
| 2019
| Thomas & Friends: Digs and Discoveries | Gina (voice) | UK & US versions |
| 2023
| Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny | Mandy | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
!Title !Role !Notes |
|---|
| 1996
| Company | Marta | Television movie |
| 2003
| Coral | Episode: "The Coonskin Cap" |
| 2004
| Zoe Clarke | Episode: "Truth Will Out" |
| 2004
| Anna | Television movie |
| 2005–2007
| Rome | Clarissa | 8 episodes |
| 2009
| Doctors | Jo Reith | Episode: "Playing Away" |
| 2011
| Dr. Faye Morrison | 2 episodes |
| 2013
| Helen Levy | Episode: "Break" |
| 2019–2020
| Gina (voice) | UK & US versions |
| 2020
| Homeland | Dr. Foley | Episode: "Deception Indicated" |
| 2020
| Roadkill | HJ Keane | 4 Episodes |
| 2022
|The Man Who Fell to Earth | Ticket Agent | 1 episode |
| 2022
|The Ipcress File | Mrs. Dawson | 6 episodes |
| 2023
|Sweet Sue | |
| 2023
|Gloria | Recurring role |
| 2023
| Pippa | 2 episodes |
| 2024
| 1 episode |
| 2024
| DI Viv Gearing |Recurring role |
| 2024
| 2 episodes |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{imdbname|0290693}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Francolini, Anna}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick
Category:English film actresses
Category:English television actresses
Category:English musical theatre actresses
Category:English stage actresses
Category:English people of Italian descent
Category:English voice actresses
Category:National Youth Theatre members