London based actor.

Spotlight number 2773-3425-0014

Helen can be seen 27th- 29th November 2009 as Miss Bumbury at Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard where she will be performing Miss Bumbury's Victorian Schoolhouse- a thirty minute monologue complete with naughty school children, cane sack and dunce hat!

Helen has recently filmed for BBC as a challenger for children's programme "Blue Peter". In a surprise set-up two young boys are set a scary challenge. Helen also filmed the new commercial for Virgin Media recreating "When Harry met Sally", filmed in July and now being screened.

Helen also read the role of Wendla in "Spring Awakening" for audio book. This audio play has just gone on sale and can be purchased online at http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/audiobooks/theatre/spring_awakening.htm 

 

Helen has recently recorded another audio book, cast as Regine in Ibsen's Ghosts for audio book. Produced by Fantom Films, details to follow.

Scroll to the bottom of the page to read some press reviews and articles.

Helen Oakleigh

Hair: Blonde, long.     Eyes: Blue.     Height: 5'6"

TV & Film 

 Blue Peter  Challenger  BBC  2009
 A Midsummer Nightmare  Titania  NDTC Films  2006
 Gasoline Blood  Amy  YOTD Films  2006
 Screaming Blue Murder  Becky Chandelier Films  2006
 Wolf Curse  Louise  Working Title Productions  2006
 Explode (parts 2 & 3)  Gemma  Fantom Films  2005 
 Mersey Ties  Jade  James Heath Productions  2005
 What's In A Name?  Phoebe  Paul Prescott Films  2005
 Last Play  Mum  Red Apple Productions  2005
 Roundabout  Marie  Roundabout Films  2002
 Perception  Sarah  UOP Films  2002

Corporate

 Scenes from films
  Various  'Raindance' training for directors
  2007
 School Leavers
  Natalie
  Rotunda Films
  2002
 Courtroom  The accused & various witnesses  Training for solicitors
  1998

Commercials

 When Harry Met Sally; Virgin Media 50 Meg Broadband

  Meg Ryan  Styder Productions  2009
 I Want A Baby!  The Girlfriend  More Four (channel 4)  2005
 The Link- Train Doors  Crossword Lady  M&C Saatchi Limited  2003

 Voice Over

 Ghosts  Regine Engstrand
  Fantom Films
  2008
 Spring Awakening
  Wendla   Fantom FIlms   2008 
 Music Countdown  DJ  Radio Westminster  2005
 Britney  Britney  Rotunda Films  2002

 Theatre

 Miss Bumbury  Miss Bumbury  Victorian Festival of Christmas  2009
 The Naked Truth  Bev, Trisha and Gabby (understudy all main roles)  No. 1 UK Theatre Tour, Theatre Productions.  2009
 Queen Elizabeth
  Shakespeare's Tales
 Groombridge Place
 2008
 Various characters
  London Dungeons
  Merlin Entertainment
 2008
 Wizard of Oz  Wicked Witch of The West  M & M Theatrical Productions (Tour)  2007
 Cinderella  Fairy Godmother  Hammond Productions/ Cresset Theatre  2007
 Stepping Out  Sylvia  The Kings Theatre, Southsea  2006
 A Midsummer Night's Dream  Titania & Hippolyta  Groundlings Open Air Tour  2006
 The Magician's Nephew  White Witch  Groundlings Open Air Tour  2006
 F***Art  Nadia Conningway  Old Red Lion Theatre  2006
 Fear to Bully  Nadine  Futures Theatre Company  2005
 Time and Place  Susan  Big Fish Theatre Company  2005
 The Recruit  Julie  Old Red Lion/ John Gielgud Theatre  2005
 Cleopatra  Cleopatra  Working Space Theatre  2004
 As You Like It  Audrey  Shakespeare Festival  2004
 The Snow Queen  Snow Queen  Festival of Christmas  2003
 Comedy of Errors  Luce & Courtesan  Groundlings on Tour  2003
 Macbeth  First Witch  Weald & Downland Open Air  2003
 1664  Helen  Chichester Festival Theatre  2002
 A Night of the Music Hall  Mrs Moore  The Kings Theatre, Southsea  2002
 The Tempest  Miranda  UOP Theatre Company  2001

Training: Central School of Speech and Drama (private tuition) Degree in Acting (3 years) Redroofs Film and Television School (Post graduate diploma in screen acting).

Other Professional Experience: AD for film sets, Drama Teacher, Workshop leader, Producer, Stage Manager, Director, Head of Drama Department (Year 6), Professional Writer (most genres), Registered matron/ children's chaperone, CRB certificate.

Skills: Sword Fighting, Stage combat, Rifle shooting, Hockey, Netball, Piano, Recorder, Elizabethan Dancing, Abseiling, Physical Theatre, Improvisation, Mime.

Accents: Cockney, Essex, Liverpool, Hants, RP, Standard American, Sth American, West Country.

 

The above CV represents only a selection of Helen's acting experience. Click here to download a copy of Helen's CV.

Gasoline Blood is part of a three part horror trilogy due for release Autumn 2008 under the name of "The San- Gwyn City Trilogy". Gasoline Blood (in which Helen plays the female lead) has already been screened in Cannes, Edinburgh, London, Toronto and many other famous film festivals around the world. The Trilogy will be released very soon. Below is the poster (Helen is hiding in the car!)


Below are a couple of extracts from reviews.

As You Like It Review printed in The Stage 23/07/04. Two-month open air tour to Castles and Stately homes with The Groundlings Theatre Company.

"They effortlessly create another superbly acted production where teamwork is the keystone. As usual, the Groundlings produce a high energy performance and manage to extract every comedy situation and more from the Bard's work.

The principals, including Claire Wardle as Rosalind, Aubrey Woodruff's Celia and Robert Cann in the role of Orlando are all quite superb but for many the courting scene between Touchstone and Helen Oakleigh's Audrey is one of the show's most enjoyable moments. Many other memorable and unexpected delights come from Ralph Mondi as Oliver, Peter McCrohon as the wonderfully camp Le Beau and Paul Lancaster as Adam/Jaques de Bois.

Completing the admirable cast are Emma Lucas, Jon De Ville and Tim Molyneux."

The Taming of the Shrew Review printed in The Stage 19/07/04. Two-month open air tour to castles and stately homes.

"There is nothing quite like a warm summer evening, within the old battlements of an English castle, to enjoy the delights of Shakespeare. This quite brilliant production is directed by Claire Wardle. The company brings a refreshing glow to Shakespeare, making it much more accessible and enjoyable. The group of young actors works hard and their obvious talents and enthusiasm radiate from the very first minute, so that the entertainment never slackens. This exquisite production proves there is enormous fun to be had in the Bard's work. The team work is exceptional, superbly presenting the classic tale.

Aubrey Woodruff is visually electrifying as Kate... and Helen Oakleigh's Widow also contribute much to this quite brilliant interpretation."

Helen Relives The Dream
August 6-23: That old theatrical adage 'The show must go on' certainly looms large in Helen Oakleigh's career. She first stepped into the role of Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream one evening when desperate measures were needed.
Now she is to miss a prestigious film premiere in London to play the same role in A Midsummer Night's Dream - again with the Portsmouth-based Groundlings Theatre Company. 'It's the UK's biggest horror-movie festival.

'But it's the final Friday of the Groundlings' open-air tour, and I have to be there.'
Helen, 25, has been working with the Groundlings since their 2000 production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, having arrived at the University of Portsmouth the previous year to take a degree in English and creative studies.

Other Groundlings experience has included the title role in The Snow Queen and Toad in The Wind in the Willows.

But the day A Midsummer Night's Dream had to be interrupted lives in the memory.
Helen says: 'Several members of the cast were ill during the performance and the stage manager told the audience: "You have two options: you can come back another day with your tickets still valid, or we can put people on who have never done the roles."

'An enormous cheer went up from the audience, so backstage they were saying "There you are, here's your script." And we went on and read our parts.'

The current Groundlings tour also features another Shakespeare play, The Tempest, which Helen is directing, and The Magician's Nephew, the precursor to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, where she plays the White Witch.
Of The Tempest she says: 'I want as much spectacle in it as possible, a lot of magic and a lot of music, with a flute thoughout the play and lots of percussion. I'm going to be playing the drums and various different things but you probably won't see me.'
Groundlings tour venues include Winchester Cathedral (Sunday, August 6, Tuesday and Wednesday; Wickham Vineyard, August 17-20; and Stansted House, Rowlands Castle, August 22-23. Details at www.groundlings.co.uk Tickets: (023) 9283 7370.

Printed in The Guide, The News, 04 August 2006.

Stepping Out Review- The News, Tuesday October 24th 2006.

"... the play provides the Groundlings Theatre Company with  good vehicle to display its range of youthful abilities under Richard Stride's directorship, with a dazzling tap routine. Lewis Robinson is suitably game as the only male, Chinelo Onyiagha is gloriously Caribean in costumes and personality, and Megan Metcalfe plays bossy to the manor born. Helen Oakleigh and Elizabeth Goble also emerge with particular credit, and the use of a junior singing chorus to cover scene changes works to good effect."

Stepping Out for fun

The stage of the ornate Kings Theatre at Southsea will be transformed into a dingy church hall in north London for two days next week. Groundlings Theatre Company will perform Richard Harris's comedy Stepping Out, about a group of women- and one man- attending a wekly tap-dancing class.

Portsmouth-raised director Richard Hurdle says: "Stepping Out is a play although it has two big dance numbers, and I'm delighted that we are staging only the second drama production at the Kings in two years... We are keen to help it move towards a wider range of shows."

The Groundlings mingle professional performers from their own Portsmouth-based theatre school, which has produced several performers for the Nationl Youth Theatre.

The Stepping Out cast is headed by Southsea-based professional Helen Oakleigh, who featured in this year's open-air production of A Midsummer Night's Dream that has been nominated for a guide award. Stepping Out won an award in London as Comedy of the Year in 1984, and now Richard is hoping his production can earn further honours.

Helen will be supported by 12 Groundlings students aged 15- 25 who have been working hard in rehearsing the two big numbers. One is supposed to be a flop and the other is a hit as the members of the church-hall dancing class go from hopeless chaotic beginners to accomplished performers.

Choreographers are Nicole Louise and Matthew Newman, professionals who trained together at Performer College, Essex and in 2002 danced with Kylie Minogue. Nicole says: "On this project all except two of the dancers were novices. It's quite difficult choreography but they have excelled expectations."