Anoushka Lucas

Anoushka Barbara Lise Lucas (born 1988) is an English singer, composer, actress, and playwright. She began releasing music in 2009. She later went into theatre and earned a number of accolades, including a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

Anoushka Lucas
Lucas in 2012
Born
Anoushka Barbara Lise Lucas

1988
Fulham, London, England
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
Years active2009–present
Websitewww.anoushkalucas.com

Early life

Lucas was born in Fulham, West London, to Anglo-Indian father Chris from Southampton and French-Cameroonian mother Any, and grew up in a council flat in Hammersmith.[1] Her parents were both musicians when they met in the 1980s. She has two younger sisters and an older half-brother.

Lucas attended the French Lycée on a scholarship. She went on to graduate from the University of Oxford in 2009 with a degree in Russian and Italian. During her time at Oxford, she joined a choir and did open-mic nights.[2]

Career

Lucas released her first self-titled EP in 2009 after graduating from Oxford.[3] This was followed by another EP, Left to My Own Devices, in 2011.[4]

In 2013, Lucas won a contest to perform at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival, beating hundreds of applicants also looking to perform at the new event alongside headliners Bryan Ferry and Jools Holland.[5]

After meeting playwright Ché Walker in 2010 at the age of 22,[6] Lucas began writing music for theatre, including her contributions to Walker's 2014 production of Klook's Last Stand (or The Ballad of Klook and Vinette) at the Park Theatre. The following year in 2015, Lucas collaborated with Sheila Atim on The Etienne Sisters at the Theatre Royal Stratford East.[7]

Lucas performed in theatre bands[8] before making her official acting debut in 2016 when she was cast as Mary Magdalene in the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar.[9][10] Lucas composed 8 songs for Jessica Butcher's Sparks, which won Best Musical at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[11]

In February 2017, Lucas performed live on BBC Introducing performing her single "Dark Soul".[12] The single featured on her debut album of the same name, which was released in 2019, with production credits from Martin Terefe and Oskar Winberg.

Also in 2019, Anoushka appeared in the production of Chiaroscuro at The Bush Theatre.[13]

For her performance in After Life at the National Theatre, Anoushka was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2021 Black British Theatre Awards. Lucas returned to the Bush Theatre in 2022 for her debut play Elephant, a monologue on being mixed-race in Britain.[14] She also played Princess Katherine opposite Kit Harington in Henry V at the Donmar Warehouse.[15]

Lucas starred as Laurey Williams in the 2023 London revival of Oklahoma! at the Young Vic[16] and then Wyndham's Theatre[17] alongside Arthur Darvill. For her performance, Lucas was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Artistry

Lucas began writing music at the age of 14. She has cited the likes of Carole King, Zadie Smith, Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday as her songwriting inspirations. Her debut album Dark Soul incorporated classical and jazz elements, and earned her comparisons to Norah Jones and Laura Mvula.[2]

Discography
  • Anoushka Lucas (2009)
  • Left to My Own Devices (2011)
  • Dark Soul (2019)

Stage
Year Title Role Notes
2014 Klook's Last Stand — Music
Park Theatre, London
2015 The Etienne Sisters — Music
Theatre Royal, Stratford East
2016 Jesus Christ Superstar Mary Magdalene Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
2018 Sparks The Musician Music
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2019 Chiaroscuro Opal Bush Theatre, London
Faces in the Crowd The Musician Gate Theatre, London
2021 After Life Katie Watkins National Theatre, London
2022 Henry V Princess Katherine Donmar Warehouse, London
Elephant Lylah Playwright
Bush Theatre, London
2023 Oklahoma! Laurey Williams Young Vic and Wyndham's Theatre, London

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival Best Musical of the Fringe Sparks Won
2021 Black British Theatre Awards Best Supporting Actress After Life Nominated
2023 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress in a Musical Oklahoma! Nominated [18]

References
  1. Thompson, Jessie (29 April 2022). "Anoushka Lucas interview: 'Being an artist in a capitalist society with no backing is a nightmare'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  2. Gustafson, Alice. "Anoushka Lucas on her accidental theatre career: 'I thought I'd be signed within a year, and it didn't turn out that way'". Headliner.
  3. Morgan, Fergus (21 October 2022). "Anoushka Lucas: 'I never meant to act, and I certainly never meant to write a play'". The Stage. Retrieved 5 July 2023.(subscription required)
  4. "Anoushka Lucas". 606 Club. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  5. "Singer scoops jazz festival slot after year of hard knocks". Evening Standard. 5 June 2013.
  6. Azeez-Harris, Semper (25 July 2023). "Anoushka Lucas – A lesson in perserverance". Flavour. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  7. "Meet a Tutor: Anoushka Lucas". Wac Arts. 19 February 2019.
  8. Lukowski, Andrzej (28 February 2023). "Anoushka Lucas: the struggling singer-songwriter who became a theatre star by accident". Time Out London. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  9. O'Hanlon, Dom (27 June 2016). "Interview with Jesus Christ Superstar's Mary Magdalene, Anoushka Lucas". London Theatre.
  10. Mancuso, Christina (6 June 2016). "Tyrone Huntley, Anoushka Lucas and More Join Declan Bennett in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre – Full Cast Announced!". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  11. Paskett, Zoe (1 February 2018). "Jessica Butcher and Anoushka Lucas on Sparks and taking control of writing women". Ham & High. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  12. "Anoushka Lucas". EFG London Jazz Festival.
  13. "Anoushka Lucas". Bush Theatre. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  14. Putnam, Leah (26 October 2022). "See Anoushka Lucas in New Play Elephant at London's Bush Theatre". Playbill. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  15. "Interview: Anoushka Lucas, "I think you can expect a Henry like you haven't seen before"". The Understudy. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  16. Masso, Giverny (17 March 2022). "Anoushka Lucas and Arthur Darvill among full cast of Oklahoma! at Young Vic". The Stage. Retrieved 5 July 2023.(subscription required)
  17. Wild, Stephi (23 November 2023). "Arthur Darvill, Anoushka Lucas, and More Will Reprise Roles in West End Transfer of OKLAHOMA!". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  18. "Olivier Awards 2023: Complete List of Nominations". The Guardian. 28 February 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
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