HAVING recently been seen on TV in Richard Gadd’s Half Man, Julie Cullen is looking forward to treading the boards again in a one-woman play.
Cullen, who was named as one of Screen’s rising Scottish stars, is appearing in Remember you are beauty full, which was described as “the best play in any theatre in Scotland” when it was first staged at Glasgow’s Òran Mór in 2012.
This time it will be at Perth Theatre where director Patrick Sandford began his career 40 years ago.
Cullen is looking forward to coming back to theatre after several years in TV and film, even though she is a little nervous about starring in her first one-woman show.
However, she was given good advice by Gadd who told her that being scared of doing something wasn’t enough of a reason to avoid it.
“You’ve got to do stuff that scares you and do stuff that challenges you and this definitely scares me and it definitely challenges me but it’s nice,” she said.
Cullen confesses she was also nervous about playing Joanna, the girlfriend of one of the main characters in the Netflix show Half Man.
“It was a big challenge but in the best way and something that I’m really proud of,” she said. “It was great working with a team who were all on top of their game.”
As a fan of Gadd’s first hit Baby Reindeer, she burst into tears when she was offered the part.
“Funnily enough I was not feeling well the day my agent called,” she said. “I was on the sofa laid out when she phoned me.
“She was crying and I thought she had maybe phoned the wrong Julie – a close friend or something.
“I was asking if she was all right but she said she was just crying because I’d been offered the part in Half Man.
“Then I started crying and I was instantly off the sofa pacing around.
“But Richard’s great – he’s so hard working and dedicated to the craft and I feel lucky to have been part of an amazing show that has really taken off. It’s had a great reception in the UK but I think it has taken off more in America which is really interesting.”
Since it aired, Cullen has been getting more recognition which she finds “lovely”.
“People really like Joanna as a character and love the show so that’s great,” she said.
This time she will play a woman called Alanah whose life has lost its shine. Since her marriage evaporated, she’s distracted herself by holding everyone else’s life together – elderly neighbours, endless clients at the family planning drop-in centre and her high-maintenance friend’s impending wedding.
Then inexplicable and flattering graffiti appears on the wall outside her flat and she becomes caught up in a mystery.
The play was written by Matthew McVarish and Cullen was entranced as soon as she read it. “Matthew’s writing is amazing and there is so much people can relate to,” she said.
“He writes really beautifully about normal lives and I feel very grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to portray this story.
“It’s a comedy and I think audiences will laugh and they might even shed a wee tear – it’s just a very joyful, heartfelt story and I hope people will leave feeling they’ve had a nice time at the theatre,” she said.
Cullen said she couldn’t have taken on a one-woman play unless she could connect to it.
“You’ve got to love it or at least have a strong attachment to it in some respect and I can really relate to the way Alanah deals with things through comedy,” said Cullen.
“She’ll say something really sincere and heartbreaking and then goes and throws it away with a bit of humour which I can relate to.
“It’s just such a beautiful play – you laugh and then you are hit with these gorgeous heartfelt moments which have been set and directed so well by Patrick to make sure we get the most out of them.”
Cullen added that she was excited about being back in front of a live audience.
“I think it’s really special that you can all experience something in the room together and Perth Theatre is gorgeous,” she said.
Remember you are beauty full is at Perth Concert Hall and Theatre from September 24 until October 3
