Cathy Sole, who grew up in and around Norfolk, is starring in the National Youth Theatre REP company’s production of The War of the Worlds at Wilton’s Music Hall in London.
The production, co-written by rising star playwright Isley Lynn, takes inspiration from the public hysteria following Orson Welles’ famous 1938 radio adaptation of the HG Wells novel, updating the story to reflect contemporary concerns about fake news and Internet misinformation that feel particularly urgent in light of the impending US election.
The National Youth Theatre has cultivated some of the UK’s brightest stars of screen and stage – the likes of Rosamund Pike, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matt Smith, Zawe Ashton and Helen Mirren began their careers in the company.
We caught up with Cathy ahead of the show’s run.
How did you get in to theatre?
I started out at Primary school – playing Mary in the nativity and all that. Then I started partaking in my local village’s pantomimes, which was great fun. After that, I took drama as an A Level, which is when I started to treat theatre a bit more seriously!
Where in Norfolk holds most memories for you, particularly around theatre and performance?
I grew up in the countryside, so the Broads and marshes hold a lot of my memories. However, I lived in Norwich for a while, and saw some amazing theatre at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich Playhouse, Norwich Puppet Theatre and even the Cathedral, just to name a few spots!
What productions have you been in leading up to War of the Worlds?
Some of my favourite roles, which taught me so much about acting, were in Norwich. In 2022, I played Juliet at the Maddermarket Theatre, along with Isabelle in Ring Round the Moon at the Hostry, and Tatlin in Tatlin’s Tower at the Sainsbury’s centre.
The radio play of War of the Worlds famously caused lots of confusion. How do you think people would react today if they thought aliens had arrived?
I imagine there’d be another loo roll shortage! The rise of social media certainly means that there is more misinformation nowadays. However, I think that most of us are hesitant to take anything we read online for gospel. Back in the 1930s, as the news came from far fewer sources, I suppose that what was read in the papers or heard on the radio might’ve been more generally accepted as the truth than it is now.
The NYT has a great pedigree. What is it like to follow in such famous footsteps?
I feel incredibly grateful and inspired to be working with such amazing artists. It’s certainly improved my ability as an actor (or at least made me take acting much more seriously)! I really admire Ria Zmitrowicz, an NYT alumna who is currently mentoring me – she’s an amazing actress.
What is next for you after this show?
I’ll be playing Viola in Twelfth Night this December with NYT, which I’m very excited for. After that, we’ll be doing a filmed project until February, and then I’ll be released into the big wide world – who knows what comes after that!
- The War of The Worlds is at Wilton’s Music Hall in London, from 16 to 26 October 2024.
