Allison Harding Explained

Allison Harding (born 9 April 1964) is a musical and drama theatre actor, professional singer, musician, and writer/director from Hastings, Northern Ireland.^[1] Allison has performed in productions in theatres in the UK.

Early life

Allison Harding was born in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. She graduated from Arts Educational Schools, London, Drama (3 years; 1982–1985).^[2]

Career

Harding made her theatre debut in 1985 at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in The Snow Queen as Gerda.^[3] As a member of Birningham Repertory's Young Company she played in the piece about Russian revolutionaries, Dead Men by Mike Stott, as Anna,^[4] (1985) Ken Whitmore's adaptation of the Government Inspector (N.V.Gogol) La Bolshie Vita (1986),^[5] and The Wild Duck by Ibsen as Hedvig^[6] (1986). Harding later worked in theatrical musicals.

In the period 2002–2008 she Harding returned to the drama theatre. In Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, she played Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (2006), Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2005), and Landlady in Two (2006). While at Queen's Theatre she was a member of the Cut to the Chase company.^[7]

Filmography

Films

Year	Film	Character
2018	Mamma Mia! 2 "Here We Go Again"	Ensemble
2017	Beauty and the Beast (Walt Disney; 2017)	Head Washerwoman

Television

Year(s)	Series	Character	Notes
2000	The Bill	Mrs. Wakefield	Episode: "All fall down"
2000	London's Burning	Jean
2010	Moses Jones	Fish Monger

Theatre

Stage productions

• The Snow Queen, as Gerda, Birmingham Repertory Theatre (Young Company) (1985)^{[8] [9]}
• Dead Men by Mike Stott as Anna, Birmingham Repertory Theatre (Young Company) (1985)^[10]
• The Wild Duck, as Hedvig, Birmingham Repertory Theatre (Young Company) by Ibsen as Hedvig (1986)
• La Bolshie Vita by Ken Whitmore (1986)^[11]
• Piaf, as Toine, Torch Theatre (Wales) (1986)^{[12] [13]}
• Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime, as Jill, Gateway Theatre (Chester)^[14]
• The Cherry Orchard, as Dunyasha Bristol Old Vic (1988)^[15]
• Cabaret, as Sally Bowles, Century Theatre Keswick (1988)^{[16] [17]}
• Return to the Forbidden Planet, as Miranda (Original West End Cast), Pola Jones Ltd (1989)^{[18] [19]}
• From a Jack to a King, as Queenie, Ambassadors Theatre (London), (1992)^{[20] [21]}
• In the Midnight Hour, as Duffy, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (1994)^{[22] [23]}
• A Chorus of Disapproval as Bridgit Baines, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch (1995)^[24]
• Out With a Bang, as Dr Reade, Crucible Theatre Sheffield, South Yorkshire, (1996)
• Return to the Forbidden Planet, as Science Officer, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch National Tour (1996)^[19]
• Oliver, as Nancy, Lyric Theatre, (1997)^[25]
• From a Jack to a King, as Queenie, Theatre Royal, Bath, (1997)^[26]
• The Adventures of Robyn Hood, as Sheriff of Nottingham, Drill Hall, London, (1998)^{[27] [28]}
• Her Aching Heart, as Harriett, Drill Hall, London (1999)^{[27] [29]}
• The Beggars Opera, as Lucy Lockit, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (1995)^[30]
• Romeo and Juliet, as Lord Montague, Pola Jones Ltd (2000) Leicester Haymarket Theatre^{[27] [31]}
• Crazy Lady as Claudia, RADA Studios (formerly The Drill Hall), (2000)^{[27] [32] [33]}
• Todd! the Demon Barber of Fleet Street as Mrs Lovett, Kabosh Theatre, (2002)^[27]
• April in Paris as Bet, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2002)^{[27] [34]}
• Middle-age Spread as Elizabeth, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2003)^{[27] [35] [33]}
• In the Parlour with the Ladies: A Victorian Parlour Evening in 1893 as Arabella, RADA Studios (formerly The Drill Hall), (2003)^[33]
• In the Bunker with the Ladies A Wartime Bunker Evening in 1943 as Babe, RADA Studios (formerly The Drill Hall), (2003)^{[33] [36]}
• Nunsense as Sister Mary Hubert, Eastbourne Theatres, (2004)^[27]
• Sleeping Beauty The Rock 'n' Roll Panto as Fairy Morgana Clwyd Theatr Cymru, (2004)^[37]
• Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf as Martha, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2005)^[38]
• Cinderella as Fairy Godmother, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2005)^{[27] [39] [33]}
• Curses! as mrs Knight, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2005)^{[27] [40] [33]}
• The Marriage Bed an Uncivil Partnership as Val, RADA Studios (formerly The Drill Hall), (2006)^{[41] [33]}
• Room at the Top as Eslpeth, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2006)^{[27] [42]}
• Macbeth as Lady Macbeth, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2006)^{[43] [44] [45]}

• Two as Landlady, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2006)^[46]
• It's a Fine Life as Mrs Begleiter, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2006)^{[27] [47]}
• Smilin' Through as Nelson Eddy Birmingham Repertory Theatre, (2007)^[48]
• Blonde Bombshells of 1943 as Betty, TEG Productions, (2008)
• Honk! the Ugly Duckling as Grace, Dot, and Lowbutt, The Watermill Theatre, (2009)^[49]
• Sister Act (original cast) Ensemble/Cover and played Sister Mary Lazurus, Whoopi Goldberg/Stage Entertainment Ltd. London Palladium, (2010)^[50]
• Pick Yourself Up as Tallulah, Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, (2011)^[51]
• Once as Baruska, Phoenix Theatre, London, (2014)^{[52] [53]}
• The Girls Cover: Chris/Cora/Marie/Miss Wilson, David Pugh Productions (2014)
• Sister Act (original cast) Sister Mary Teresa/First cover Mother Superior, Jamie Wilson Productions UK TOUR, (2017)^{[54] [55] [56]}
• Dick Whittington & his cat as Fairy Bow Bells, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, (2017)^[57]
• "Alice" the Musical as Queen of Hearts, Lyric Theatre, (2018)^{[58] [59] [60]}
• Peter Pan as Captain Jess Hook, Lyric Theatre, (2019)^{[61] [62] [63]}
• Kiss Me Kate as Ralph, Northern Ireland Opera, (2020)^[64]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hastings actress lands role in Beauty and the Beast . . 13 March 2017 . 12 August 2020.
2. Web site: Allison Harding . Spotlight.
3. News: 23 January 1986 . The Stage . 24 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
4. News: 31 October 1985 . The Stage . 14 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
5. News: 13 February 1986 . The Stage . 9 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
6. News: 23 May 1986 . Sandwell Evening Mail . 25 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
7. Web site: Cut to the Chase . Cut to the Chase.
8. Web site: The Snow Queen. Theatricalia.
9. Web site: The Snow Queen. iainglen.com.
10. Web site: Dead Men. iainglen.com.
11. News: The Inspector calls again . 20 February 1986 . 28 . Grimley . Terry . Sandwell Evening Mail . . subscription . 13 August 2020.
12. Web site: Torch Theatre Show Archive. Torch Theatre.
13. News: Play Reviews: Metallic Little Sparrow . 9 October 1986 . . 13 . Stoddart . Vivien . . subscription . 13 August 2020.
14. News: Panto Listings Chester Gateway . 18 December 1986 . 33 . . . subscription.
15. Web site: The Cherry Orchard. theatricalia.com.
16. Web site: Cabaret. theatricalia.com.
17. News: 27 October 1988 . The Stage . 10 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
18. Web site: Return to the Forbidden Planet. Theatricalia.
19. Web site: the programme The Queen's Theatre. yumpu.com.
20. News: 29 July 1992 . Hayes & Harlington Gazette . 15 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
21. News: 20 February 1992 . The Stage . 1 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
22. Web site: The Queens Theatre Hornchurch. The Queens Theatre Hornchurch.
23. Web site: In The Midnight Hour. theatricalia.com.
24. News: 18 May 2000 . The Stage . 47 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
25. Web site: Oliver, Theatre programme. Digital Theatre Archive.
26. Web site: From a Jack to a King. Theatricalia.
27. Web site: Theatre Program. yumpu.com.
28. News: 10 December 1998 . The Stage . 23 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
29. News: 24 June 1999 . The Stage . 10 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
30. News: The Stage . 13 April 2000 .
31. News: 17 February 2000 . The Stage . 55 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
32. News: 23 November 2000 . The Stage . 15 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
33. Web site: Archive listings for Allison Harding. UK Theatre Web.
34. News: 5 September 2002 . The Stage . 14 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
35. News: 12 June 2003 . The Stage . 12 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
36. Web site: theatricalia.co.uk. theatricalia.co.uk.
37. News: 16 December 2004 . The Stage . 18 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
38. Web site: Cut to the Chase. cuttothechase.50webs.com.
39. News: 22 December 2005 . The Stage . 28 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
40. News: 10 November 2005 . The Stage . 29 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
41. News: 30 November 2006 . The Stage . 43 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
42. News: 4 May 2006 . The Stage . 21 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
43. Web site: William Shakespeare The Queen's Theatre. yumpu.com.
44. Web site: Cut to the Chase. Cut to the Chase.
45. News: 30 March 2006 . The Stage . 31 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
46. Web site: THEATRE, COMEDY AND DANCE. bbc.co.uk.
47. Web site: London musicals 2006 . 31 . issuu.com.
48. News: 12 May 2005 . The Stage . 10 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
49. News: 29 November 2007 . The Stage . 23 . subscription . British Newspaper Archive.
50. Web site: Sister Act: The Musical. theatermania.com.
51. Web site: Pick Yourself Up at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch. londontheatre.co.uk. 8 June 2016 .
52. Web site: Once. abouttheartists.com.
53. Web site: Once. Cast. oncemusical.co.uk.
54. Web site: Full casting announced for the new UK tour of Sister Act!. whatsonlive.co.uk.
55. Web site: Cast announced to join Alexandra Burke in SISTER ACT UK Tour. westendwilma.com. 4 June 2016 .
56. Web site: London musicals 2016. issuu.com. 25 March 2017 .
57. Web site: Dick Whittington and his cat. jordanproductionsltd.co.uk.
58. Web site: Alice The Musical. lyrictheatre.co.uk.
59. Web site: ALICE: THE MUSICAL IS BACK AT THE LYRIC THEATRE. belfasttimes.co.uk.
60. Web site: Be Enchanted by Alice: The Musical. Ulster Tatler. 22 November 2018 .
61. Web site: Peter Pan. Lyric Theatre.
62. Web site: Peter Pan . 2 December 2019 . No More Workhorse.
63. Web site: Peter Pan the Musical. . 2 December 2019.
64. Web site: Kiss Me, Kate . Northern Ireland Opera.