Emma Thompson
Of the many hundred of actors who have appeared in RDG productions since 1949, Emma (formerly Emma Frier) can claim to have been the youngest. In 1987 she appeared in Lark Rise when only three months old! There was an eighteen year gap before her next appearance - as Theresa in A Little Like Drowning ~ although she was a keen and active member of our youth group The Sundowners in her younger years and continues to be involved with Sundowners on the stage management side.
Emma was a member of the multi-award winning production of Interview, the first presentation of the RDG Youth workshop in 2005. In 2006 she appeared in The Pilgrimage followed a month later with her performance in the twenties musical - Thoroughly Modern Millie. Emma played the highly pregnant Imogen in the dark comedy The Lightning Play followed by her appearance in the popular musical Mack and Mabel. She gave a deeply-felt performance of Mary Warren in The Crucible and her strong singing was a feature of All that JazZ - an A - Z of Musicals. She made a spirited Molly in our 2010 production of Tom Jones following which she featured in the musical 42nd Street. She shared the part of Mary Bagenal in our 2012 production of Making History and along with her father and brother made up part of the eccentric Starkadder family in Cold Comfort Farm. 2013 was a busy year for Emma. She began by directing the Sundowners musical show whilst rehearsing for her important role in Proof - a contrast to her role as the blousy Lottie Grady in When We Are Married. She ended the year with her enthusiastic appearance in the musical Crazy For You. In 2015 Emma gave a vibrant performance in the musical Nine to Five following which she appeared in our successful production of Quartermain's Terms. One of Emma's most spirited performance came in The Beggar's Opera where she played the feisty Lucy Lockit. Emma gave further spirited performances as Martha in our lively production of White Christmas and Nancy in Nell Gwynn. In 2019 she played the central character in Sister Act in a performance full of fun and fiery energy. That same fiery energy was again displayed in The Beaux Stratagem where she played the cheery Cherry, the innkeeper's daughter. In 2002 Emma made her 30th appearance with the group when she gave a strong performance as the abrasive Arbiter in our popular musical Chess After directing the Sundowners 2024 musical Emma gave a lively performance in our award winning festival play To Know When My Time Will Come.