Women With Balls: Tracy-Ann Oberman

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The Spectator

News Commentary, News, Daily News, Society & Culture

4.4 • 785 Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2024

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Actress and writer Tracy-Ann Oberman is well known for her roles across theatre, radio and television, including Dr Who, Friday Night Dinner, It’s a Sin and, of course, EastEnders. Most recently, she has taken on one of the most famous, and problematic, Shakespearean roles: as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Inspired by her great-grandmother, she has reimagined the role as a Jewish matriarch, and the play returns to London’s West End this December.

On the podcast, Katy Balls talks to Tracy about her obsession with the Roman Empire, what it was like spending a term in Moscow towards the end of perestroika, and her career from soap to Shakespeare, hero to villain. As she has found herself viewed as an unofficial spokesperson for the Jewish community, Tracy also talks openly about challenging the hate and abuse that many members of the community sadly receive.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Spectator magazine is home to wonderful writing, insightful analysis and unrivaled books and arts reviews.
0:06.2	Subscribe today for just £12 and receive a 12 week subscription in print and online, along with a free £20 £10, John Lewis or Waitrose Voucher.
0:15.0	Go to spectator.com.uk forward slash voucher.
0:21.7	Hello and welcome to Women with Balls,
0:23.7	where I, Katie Balls, speak to today's Trailblazers.
0:27.2	As an actress and a writer,
0:28.8	my guest today has been involved
0:29.9	of many different productions
0:31.1	across theatre, radio and television.
0:33.4	She has starred in Doctor Who,
0:34.7	Friday night dinner,
0:35.7	It's a Sin and many others.
0:37.7	But as Chrissy Watson EastEnd,, Londoner who became a household face and name across the country.
0:43.9	She has previously said that her identity was never a major part of her creative life,
0:47.7	but in recent years she has found herself as an effective spokesperson for the Jewish community,
0:53.4	challenging the hate and abuse that many members
0:55.6	sadly receive, particularly on social media. Most recently, she has been channeling her identity
1:01.5	through one of the most famous Shakespearean characters, Shylock, in the Merchant of Venice.
1:06.7	The first ever female to play the role, the characters reimagined as a Jewish matriarch,
1:11.4	inspired by her late great-grandmother, who in real life stood in the front line against fascists
1:16.8	about the Battle of Cable Street. The production has won Claudits, and following a West End run,
1:21.3	returns by popular demand in December to London for four weeks for embarking on a UK tour.
	...

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