Sarah Parish, known for her roles in Industry, W1A, and Mistresses, is returning to the stage after a long break. She stars in Trouble in Butetown at the Donmar Warehouse, playing Gwyneth, a landlady of an illegal boarding house in Cardiff during the second world war. The play is by Nigerian-British playwright Diana Nneka Atuona.
Parish said she was drawn to the project because of her passion for new writing. 'I don’t really have a desire to do stage work that is done over and over again,' she explained. 'New writing and creating characters that have never been seen or heard before, I find that really fascinating.' She added that at her age, roles can be less challenging, so this play 'is really stretching me'.
Last year, the Donmar lost its Arts Council funding of about £500,000 a year. Parish called the decision 'a huge mistake' and said smaller West End theatres must be protected. 'It’s lovely to have great big musicals, but they cost hundreds of pounds to see. These smaller venues are so precious,' she said. 'I’m not surprised that our government has made this decision, but I’m also horrified.'
Parish also spoke about a series of injuries. She broke her back in 2021 while filming Industry, and last year she broke both ankles and suffered multiple calcaneal fractures after falling from a fence at a pop festival. 'I’ve got a terrible habit of breaking bones,' she said. The accident left her housebound for three months, leading to a period of depression. 'This play, in a way, has really saved me,' she said. 'It’s given me something to work towards.'
