Joan Iyiola

Joan Iyiola is a British-Nigerian actress based in London. She is best known for playing the title role in The Duchess of Malfi at the RSC.

Early life

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Iyiola initially trained to be a barrister and read Law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. Whilst studying, she worked with directors Annie Castledine and Robert Icke. Following seasons at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain she was awarded a place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Career

Theatre

In 2018 Iyiola returned to the RSC to work with Director Maria Åberg, starring as The Duchess of Malfi in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2018 summer season. Iyiola is the first black woman to play The Duchess in a major production. Her performance was met with praise from the British press, the Guardian’s Michael Billington wrote, “Any production, however, pivots on the performance of the Duchess, and Iyiola – following a long line of distinguished RSC forbears including Peggy Ashcroft, Judi Dench and Harriet Walter – acquits herself excellently.”[1] Dominic Cavendish, chief theatre critic at the Telegraph commented, “Superb as the Duchess, Joan Iyiola is first fierce, proud and stylish”.[2] In The Times, Maxie Szalwinska highlighted, “Iyiola’s raw-voiced final lament summons wider agonies of racial and feminist struggle. She dies, but still, somehow, she rises”.[3]

In 2017 Omeros transferred from the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse to the Jazz festival in St Lucia,[4] where it was performed with Joseph Marcell. In 2017, Iyiola starred in Boudica alongside Gina Mckee at Shakespeare’s Globe.[5][6]

In 2016 Iyiola performed in They Drink it in the Congo for The Almeida theatre and Omeros at Shakespeare’s Globe. At the Gate Theatre, Iyiola played in The Convert,[7] The Rise and Shine of Comrade Fiasco[8] and in the 2015 European Premiere of Eclipsed by Danai Gurira alongside Letitia Wright, her portrayal of Bessie was described as "Poignantly funny" and the play received several 5 star reviews, including TimeOut and WhatsOnStage.[9][10][11]

In 2013 Iyiola starred opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor as Pauline Lumumba in A Season in the Congo at The Young Vic, directed by Joe Wright.[12] Previous work for the RSC includes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The White Devil, Arden of Faversham, The Roaring Girl, A Life of Galileo, Boris Godunov, The Orphan of Zhao.

Credits

Film and Television

2016 New Blood TV series Karen Andrews Episode 3 &4
2016 Denial Film Laura Constantine Directed by Mick Jackson
2016 The Dead Sea Short Film Olu Film supported by Human Rights Watch and MSF
2016 Yonderland TV series Huffy Waitress 1 Episode
2018 Black Earth Rising TV series Beatrix Audifax Episode 3
2018 Show Dogs Film Afghan Directed by Raja Gosnell
2018 Enterprice TV series Fatima 3 Episodes by Kayode Ewumi

Radio

Year Title Station
2012 Skyvers BBC Radio 3
2015 Sunita BBC Radio 3
2017 Girls BBC Radio 4

References

  1. ↑ Billington, Michael (9 March 2018). "The Duchess of Malfi review – so bloody you need a blanket". The Guardian.
  2. ↑ Cavendish, Dominic (11 March 2018). "'Apparently 3,000 litres of stage-blood will flow during the six-month run' – The Duchess of Malfi, review". Telegraph.co.uk.
  3. ↑ Szalwinska, Jane Edwardes, Thomas W. Hodgkinson, Patricia Nicol and Maxie (18 March 2018). "Theatre review: The Duchess of Malfi; The Cherry Orchard; The Best Man; Frankenstein". Thetimes.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "St Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival celebrates 25 years". Jazzfm.com.
  5. ↑ Billington, Michael (14 September 2017). "Boudica review – Gina McKee reigns supreme in Brexit-baiting epic". The Guardian.
  6. ↑ "Boudica review: Gina McKee commands the stage". Independent.co.uk. 18 September 2017.
  7. ↑ Clapp, Susannah (29 January 2017). "The Convert review – full-blooded, with a dash of melodrama". The Guardian.
  8. ↑ Bassett, Kate (5 March 2015). "The Rise and Shine of Comrade Fiasco at Gate, W11". Thetimes.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "Eclipsed (Gate Theatre)". Waldorf-web-prod.whatsonstage.com.
  10. ↑ "Eclipsed - Review - Theatre - The Stage". Thestage.co.uk.
  11. ↑ "Eclipsed". Timeout.com.
  12. ↑ Brennan, Clare (20 July 2013). "A Season in the Congo; Too Clever By Half – review". The Guardian.
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