Currently, Bridgette Amofah is in the cast of A Monster Calls at Rose Theatre in Kingston, with the show later heading to Bristol Old Vic and The Kennedy Center in Washington. The stage adaptation of Patrick Ness’ novel is written by Sally Cookson and Adam Peck, with Sally Cookson also directing. Last year, Bridgette played Mrs Cratchit in A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic, and as a singer, she performed a couple of shows at Ronnie Scott’s ahead of joining A Monster Calls, and performs with Rudimental as their singer. Catching up with Bridgette, she tells us about booking her role in A Monster Calls, playing Mrs Cratchit in A Christmas Carol and performing with Rudimental.

How much did you know about A Monster Calls before booking your role and was there anything that drew you to the script?

I had a dear friend in the first iteration of A Monster Calls, but unfortunately I was on tour and didn’t get to see it. In 2020, I witnessed the death of someone and receiving the script of A Monster Calls shortly after this event, felt like a strange but beautiful gift. The script is so poignant and confronts grief head on, which is something as a society (particularly in the Western world), we often fail to do.

Why would you recommend booking tickets to see A Monster Calls and who do you think it will appeal to?

A Monster Calls is so worth booking, because it is touching, confronting, thought-provoking, magical and just utterly beautiful. I genuinely believe it will appeal to everyone, as it deals with the universal topic of grief, but it is also a story of hope.

Is there anything you’re most looking forward to for continuing in your role at Kingston, Bristol Old Vic and The Kennedy Center, Washington?

I am so looking forward to travelling with this cast anywhere, because they are the nicest and most hysterical bunch of people to work with.

How was your time being part of A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic last year as Mrs Cratchit?

I absolutely loved being a part of A Christmas Carol, and made some lifelong friends. It was a fairly long rehearsal period, so it made getting to know people pretty easy. I was a bit of a Grinch about Christmas before working on that show, but you can’t help but love Christmas after being in it, or indeed seeing it! I loved the choral singing and the bell ringing so much, and I can add ‘bell ringer’ to my CV, which is a BONUS.

How is it having a theatre and music career?

Well, it’s very difficult to do at the same time! If I’m in a show, I find it hard to do any writing and definitely can’t get in the studio or do live performances. However, before starting this job, I managed to squeeze in a couple of shows at Ronnie Scott’s, which was great. The beauty of this show is the music is intrinsically linked to the story, and it’s stunning. So I still feel like I get my fix.

What are some of your highlights from your performing career over the years?

There are several! I think having a residency at The Blue Note in Tokyo twice, with songs I had written, is definitely up there as I have always been obsessed with Tokyo and the jazz culture there. Being at Glastonbury Festival with Rudimental is another, because we always have such a hysterical time. But honestly, at the risk of sounding insincere, I’m going to go ahead and say A Monster Calls is one of the most special jobs I will probably ever do.

Do you have any favourite theatre shows to watch and which music artists do you like listening to?

I am the biggest theatre fan. Last year I was in two shows and still managed to watch almost 30 shows! Some I even saw twice. The Normal Heart at The National and Back to The Future the Musical at the Adelphi, were two stand-out shows. Like most people, I have very eclectic musical tastes, but my all-time favourite artist is Nina Simone. I have so many friends who do music, and I genuinely love listening to what they are doing and how they are progressing.

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