This week Elaine chats with the inspirational Valerie Edmond.
We cover so much in today’s episode. Everything from the outdated views on the physical appearance of actresses, to knowing your worth in an industry that doesn’t always encourage you to value your own time and effort to embracing and loving where you come from. As well as the importance of being an artist and remembering to always say exactly what you are.
An uplifting, inspiring beautiful episode from a immensely talented, gifted and giving human.
VALERIE EDMOND
Valerie is an award-winning actress who began her life in a single end tenement in Springburn, Glasgow before moving to a council estate in Balornock - built in the shadow of The Red Road Flats. To escape break time bullying at her secondary school an English teacher gave Valerie the keys to a long forgotten drama studio and there, using a torch to see, she stepped from darkness into the technicolour world of William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Christina Rosetti and Edwin Morgan. Valerie became the youngest person to ever attend the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Conservatoire) set up her own theatre company on leaving, and has gone on to work with Stephen Frears, Gavin Millar, Vadim Jean, Daniel Craig, Greta Scacchi, David Harewood Peter Capaldi and Brian Cox amongst others, winning nominations and awards for her performances on film and television. She also uses her voice - currently narrating a series of award-winning campaigns promoting health throughout Scotland for the Scottish Government, the BBC and remains a key worker throughout COVID-19 for services to broadcasting. In 2020, when Covid prevented the Scottish Legion/Poppy Scotland from collecting funds, Valerie approached the barracks of Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish War Memorial Monument and read the battalion names of those who died for Scotland in WW2 as the sun came up. Remembrance Sunday
Like Elaine, Valerie Edmond is a founder member of the Class Network for Equity, a curator of the ‘Who’s Afraid of the Working Class” event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, an award-winning actor, producer, and author currently writing, Working Class Heroes in the Performing Arts - A Handbook. She has appeared in Outlander, Succession and Lessons of the Hour- Fredrick Douglass - a ten screen immersive film installation by artist Isaac Julien currently showing around the world and last month on the giant Piccadilly Circus screens in central London.
Still raising her children, Valerie returns to an industry mired in controversy and has switched on her torch once more, campaigning for ERA, speaking in Parliament on behalf of Equity, The Musician’s Union and the Writer’s Guild to support working class portrayal, content and representation across all platforms in the arts finding ways to shine a light for those who would otherwise stay in the dark.
LINKTREE
P&N Linktr
PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/persistentandnasty for those who can donate. A million thanks and love.
Resources
https://www.samaritans.org/?nation=scotland
http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/
https://rapecrisisni.org.uk/
https://rapecrisis.org.uk/
https://www.artsminds.co.uk/
https://www.bapam.org.uk/
https://freelancersmaketheatrework.com/sexual-violence-support-services/
Stonewall UK Trevor Project Mermaids UK Switchboard LGBT+
GATE
Join our Zoom Coffee Morning every Friday at 11am GMT, email persistentandnasty@gmail.com
WeAudition offer:
For 25% off your monthly subscription quote:
NASTY25
Backstage Offers:
Get a free 12 months Actor Subscription:
https://join.backstage.com/persistentnasty-uk-12m-free/
Or if you've got a project to cast, you can Post Castings for free:
Apply promo code PERSISTENTANDNASTY at the checkout
