Recently in the press there has been plenty of much needed attention thrown at our female leader, thought provokers and change makers. This has led me to reflect on two important women in my life in a way I hadn’t before. The women in my life are very important to me and always have been. There are two young women in particular that are extremely close to me. Their names are Lisa and Sophie and they are not exactly “real” people but they are as real to me as my best friends. These are the names of two characters I have had the privilege of portraying onstage. I suppose when you spend lots of time with someone, even a fictional character, they can leave a lasting impression on you.
The first girl I want to introduce you to is Lisa Miles. I originated the role of Lisa in the Australian musical, Ladies in Black. Little did I know at the time, amid my excitement about the project, just how special she would be to play and know intimately. I would be the first person to inhabit her on the mainstage in front of an audience. Not only that, as a young, central, female character her main ambition throughout the narrative is to attend University. This was a rare thing for a girl in the late 50s to do or even aspire to. Consider also that at many Universities, globally, women were still not permitted to even enrol at this time. Throughout the play Lisa’s existence is not because of a man but in spite of it. Lisa represents all the clever girls past, present and future.
The second role I played is the beloved Sophie Sheridan from non-other than MAMMA MIA! fame. My experience on the show taught me so much both on and offstage. There was something very different about stepping into this world. All of a sudden, I had comrades all over the globe who were playing or had played the same role I was. Like the sisters I always wanted and never had. There is a strong theme of female friendship and love in this story. The main character being a Mother and Daughter duo who have lived together and not only survived but thrived without a male figure in their small family. Sophie has quite clearly inherited her Mother’s independent and strong-willed traits and is learning about the woman she wants to be.
Having played Sophie I feel a sort of instant bond with these other women, like being part of a very special club. We all know intimate details of Sophie’s world down to the fastest costume changes she has, the important breather she takes after Thank You For The Music before heading back for the marathon at the end of the first act. The feeling of being spun around on a bed in the dark and the predicament of needing to go to the toilet when already in the wedding dress. Then there’s incredible stillness that falls over the theatre with the last chords of I Have A Dream at the end of the show and all the songs she sings, made famous by ABBA and loved worldwide.
Opening nights are always exciting and buzzing with adrenaline and anticipation. It’s a special occasion and for everyone involved onstage, offstage and in the audience. On our opening night for MAMMA MIA! in Melbourne at the beautiful Princess Theatre, I met Kellie Rhode, the woman who played Sophie when I saw it as a little girl. The moment was in a word, overwhelming, it was beyond my wildest dreams to be there meeting her. There have been many women to play Sophie globally but only a handful of women have played Sophie in Australia and it is so special getting to meet them. It’s very hard to explain the feeling of sharing something so intimate with a person you’ve never met before. That can also be said of Natalie O’Donnell who played Donna on the show and had originated the role of Sophie in Australia which was such a special bond to share with the woman playing my Mum.
A special part of MAMMA MIA! was getting to discuss Sophie titbits like, how to put the clip-on earrings on easily and which order the letters should be in at the top of the show, A-B-C (Austin, Bright, Carmichael) and what a game changer it was when that was figured out! There were no understudies on Ladies In Black so there was no one else to share Lisa with. Until last year when the film version was released and watching the actors bring the story to life was so joyful. This year the amateur rights have been released with multiple versions soon to be playing out over Australia.
What is an experience if not to be shared with someone else? That is what is so special about talking to other women who have played Sophie all over the world, you are part of a legacy. I look forward to the generations of young women to step into the shoes of Lisa Miles and to hopefully one day share that with them too. I hope to continue to play strong female roles in my career and watch other women do the same. I hope to work with and be inspired by women making theatre, creating art and continuing to change the world for all the clever girls.
Sarah Morrison
Sarah Morrison is an actress and performer and recently finished a run in Mamamia the Musical! In Australia in the lead role of Sophie.
