Claire Machin

Claire Machin is a British actress, best known for her work in musical theatre.

Claire Machin
BornStoke-on-Trent
Alma materSylvia Young Theatre School
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present

Career

At the age of 16, Machin trained at Sylvia Young Theatre School, taking part in an adult drama course.[1] Through the 1990s and early 2000s she appeared in the ensemble of several major West End shows including roles in Les Misérables, Oliver! and My Fair Lady. She took part in workshops for the stage adaptation of Mary Poppins[1] and in 2004 was part of the original cast playing the role of Miss Lark, for which she appears on the Original London Cast Recording.[2]

In 2009, Machin played Mamie Eisenhower in the UK professional premiere of First Lady Suite by Michael John LaChiusa, with the Whatsonstage.com review describing her performance as "particularly memorable".[3]

In 2013, she played the role of Mabel in the Chichester Festival Theatre production of The Pajama Game. The production then transferred to the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre from May to September 2014.[4] In 2014, she originated the role of Gladys in the West End production of Memphis, for which she was nominated for the Whatsonstage.com Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.[5]

In 2016, Machin played the role of Alice Beane in Titanic at the Charing Cross Theatre. She received great acclaim for this role, with reviews describing her as a "standout"[6] and "firm audience favourite".[7]

In 2017, Machin played the role of Cora in the West End production of The Girls, a role which she had previously played when the production premiered at the Grand Theatre, Leeds and The Lowry, Salford. For this role she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical alongside fellow cast members Joanna Riding, Claire Moore, Sophie-Louise Dann, Debbie Chazen and Michelle Dotrice.[8]

In 2019, she played a number of roles in the UK premiere of the Michel Legrand Broadway musical Amour at the off-West End Charing Cross Theatre, followed by the role of Mrs Brill in the major West End revival of Mary Poppins which re-united Machin with her ‘The Girls’ co-star Claire Moore. The production was halted mid-run on 16 March 2020 due to COVID-19.

Musical stage credits
Year Production Role Theatre
1988 Blood Brothers Linda Studio One
1995 My Fair Lady Mrs Higgins Maid Manchester Opera House
1995 Les Misérables Swing / Understudy Eponine Palace Theatre, West End
1996 Oliver! Charlotte London Palladium, West End
1999 Les Misérables Ensemble / Understudy Mme. Thénardier Palace Theatre, West End
2003 My Fair Lady Clara Eynsford Hill / Servant Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, West End
2004–2008 Mary Poppins Miss Lark / Understudy Miss Andrews, Mrs Brill & Mrs Corry Bristol Hippodrome / Prince Edward Theatre, West End
2008 High School Musical on Stage! Ms Darbus UK Tour
2009 First Lady Suite Mamie Eisenhower Union Theatre, London
2011 Salad Days Tim's Mother / Asphynxia Riverside Studios, London
2010–2012 Oliver! Widow Corney Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, West End / UK Tour
2012 Betty Blue Eyes Mrs. Metcalf / Understudy Mother Novello Theatre, West End
2013 The Pajama Game Mabel Chichester Festival Theatre / Shaftesbury Theatre, West End
2014 Memphis Gladys Shaftesbury Theatre, West End
2015/2016 The Girls Cora Grand Theatre, Leeds / The Lowry, Salford
2016 Titanic Alice Beane Charing Cross Theatre, West End
2016 Made in Dagenham Barbara Castle Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch
2017 The Girls Cora Phoenix Theatre, West End
2019 Amour Whore/Claire Charing Cross Theatre, London
2019 Mary Poppins Mrs Brill Prince Edward Theatre, West End
2023 Les Misérables Madame Thénardier Sondheim Theatre, West End

References
  1. Swain, Marianka (20 January 2017). "'BWW Interview: Actress Claire Machin Talks THE GIRLS Ahead of West End Opening". Broadwayworld. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  2. "Mary Poppins – Original London Cast". Castalbums.org. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  3. "First Lady Suite". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  4. "'Peter Polycarpou, Gary Wilmot and Colin Stinton complete Pajama Game cast". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  5. "'Shortlists announced for 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, voting opens". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  6. Billington, Michael (8 June 2016). "Titanic review – the best piece of musical staging in London". Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  7. Everett, Lucinda (7 June 2016). "Titanic, Charing Cross Theatre, review: 'moments of magnificence'". Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  8. Bowie-Sell, Daisy (6 March 2017). "Full list of Olivier Award nominees announced". Retrieved 28 March 2017.
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