For Natalie Spriggs, stepping out onto the stage at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London in the hit West End production of Wicked is a dream come true, and not one she takes for granted.
She’s achieved a level of success that has allowed her to move away from the hustle of central London, whilst still being able perform in the show she clearly adores.
Natalie studied drama and English jointly, spending most of her time at the University’s Wolverhampton City Campus. Her entry into the world of acting, though a possibility, wasn’t a given, especially as she was surprisingly shy as a child. She found that the mix of academic study and stage work at university suited her interests and ambitions.
“Growing up, I performed in the amateur dramatics company in my area, I sang in the church choir, but there was nothing like that in my family, no-one is theatrical: my mum’s from Birmingham, so she’ll call me ‘bab’ or ‘babby’ more than ‘luvvie’ and ‘darling’!
“I think that’s kind of what helped me choose Wolverhampton, because it was more of an academic course, rather than going to a drama school that early. Financially it also wasn’t really an option for me, so I commuted to uni.
“Honestly, I think it was the best foundation for where I am now. I look back so fondly. Having that academic basis really helps me still – we work with a lot of schools and do a lot of Q&A sessions, and I find my background makes that easier.
“I love working with charities like Go Live Theatre Projects, who unlock theatre for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. My story shows that you don’t have to go to a high-end drama school, that there are other routes in.
“In our cast, everyone’s background is so different. For me, I don’t know that I would have thrived in a drama-school setting for three years because I was actually really shy, even though growing up I loved performing. I remember applying and mum being really surprised.
“I never really performed at home, so when I got the part of Lola in Copacabana in our local drama production and that was my first part, my mom was “What?!” She’d never seen that side of me, but when she saw me on stage, she knew that I loved it.
“I’ve loved every musical since I was young. We went to London to see Oliver! I was so happy. I didn’t talk the whole way through. I thought it was amazing but never considered it would be my future career.
“After graduating from Wolverhampton, I went to Warwick and did my PGCE in English and drama. They complement each other, and you get a deeper understanding of texts.
“Starting my NQT (newly qualified teacher) year was a crossroads for me. My auntie very kindly offered some money, and my family helped a lot financially at the time. I thought: “OK, you can continue with your teaching or apply and try to get into Mountview [drama school in London] to do postgraduate study for a year.
“I actually had to defer for a year, and could have deferred again, but I didn’t want to lose the opportunity. My family were amazing. I moved to London, we found me place to live, and I had to go from there! I honestly think the reason I enjoyed it so much is because I had the academic foundation I’d got at university – though I do love English and love to read, so that helps too.
“At the end-of-year showcase that agents attend just before graduating, I was fortunate to get an agent. I didn’t just walk into a West End job – though some people do. My agent was amazing at supporting me through that difficult time, as I didn’t have a job lined up.
“At that point I was teaching, doing workshops, drawing on everything that I could to keep going, and then I auditioned for Disney Cruise Line and was fortunate enough to get a job! My first cruise ship!
“It was probably one of the best years of my life. I felt 'Oh my gosh, this is amazing. I’m performing. I’m getting paid, I’m travelling. It’s Disney!' I played Ursula and Cruella de Vil and all their villainous characters. It was super fun.
“We rehearsed in Canada in Toronto. We did the Caribbean, Europe and the Med… it was amazing. The shows on ship were incredible: we had trapdoors, we had pyrotechnics – it blew my mind.
“After that year, I was auditioning lots. I worked for different cruise lines on-and-off for about five or six years. I did a few UK tours, and then stumbled into gigging for a while: doing cabarets, corporate shows, birthday parties etc to pay the bills. It was lots of standing and singing at a microphone, but I loved it.
“At this point I’d been doing loads of singing, of all genres. And then I made a decision. I thought: ‘This has to be my last one. I want to be on land, and I want to be in a musical. That’s what my dream is.’
You get used to missing friends’ weddings and birthdays. Being a performer is one of those careers where if you don’t love it and you’re not passionate about it, it’s not for you. But my friends and family are used to me not being able to do anything on Friday and Saturday nights: I graduated 15 years ago so have had this life for a long time now.
“On the ships I’d been doing loads of singing, of all genres, and the time felt right for me for musical theatre… and now I’m in Wicked, which has been in the West End for 18 years!
“The pandemic had such a massive impact on the performing arts. I was so pleased to get an initial audition – which because of Covid-19 was a self-tape I recorded in my bathroom in our tiny flat. We had to sing two contrasting songs, so I sang Into the Unknown from Frozen, and How Could I Ever Know? from The Secret Garden.
“When I got my recall, it was in person, though we were still social distancing, wearing masks most of the time. In the audition room we came in one door and had to leave the other, there was no waiting around or mingling.
“It was a mad time, with many callbacks, but in a way it actually helped me chill out a little bit and confirmed for me that ‘this is what I want.’ I think it was a crossroads for so many people. Obviously, I was still concerned about the arts. There’s no real certainty with any of it, no guarantees. But with a show like Wicked you’d hope after running for 18 years and still selling out that the audiences will return. With the film version coming out soon too, that’s hopefully going to give it a big burst of interest again.
“It’s my dream show. I still feel so fortunate. When I’m on stage listening to Elphaba sing Defying Gravity I still get butterflies. I’m in Wicked. It’s amazing.
I still get butterflies. I’m in Wicked. It’s amazing.
“We have such a diverse fan base, from tourists who don’t really know anything about it to diehard fans who are so amazing and supportive. They’ll wait at stage door. A lot of them are a bit younger, and a lot of the themes of the show really speak to them, which is partly why I think it’s been so enduring and popular.
“Maybe they’re affected by some of the issues in the show. On the surface they wear pretty dresses and sing fun songs. But, underneath… this is not a panto. It has substance: themes of bullying, discrimination, friendship, love, authority.
“Things may change, but at the moment I’m in my dream job. I want to stay. A full show schedule can be demanding, but I love it. I think that’s the thing with theatre. If you’re lucky, you get to follow and achieve a dream. But it’s still hard work!
“We have a make-up team who do some of the other characters’ make-up, like Elphaba, or Doctor Dillamond – a goat – because it’s very specific, but I do my own. We have specific diagrams of what we’re meant to do, are shown how to do it initially, and then left to it. Our hair is easier because we wear wigs, which are maintained by our phenomenal wig department.
“I’d love to be in Mamma Mia! It’s just super fun. I would also love to do a play, something more serious that isn’t a musical. I’d love to be in a thriller, a murder mystery. Something with lots of plot twists. It would also be amazing to work at the Royal Shakespeare Company or The National Theatre, something where I can draw on my Shakespeare studies and English reading from my degree.”
Natalie is clearly enjoying her time on stage, and Wicked in particular, far too much to consider giving it up, though she’s pleased to know she could return to teaching in the future. For now, that’s certainly not the case, still full of theatrical ambition she’ll continue to tread the boards… or sometimes even fly above them.
