Claire Benedict (born 28 July 1951) is a British actress known for her work in classical productions on the British stage, but best known for portraying the principal character Mma Ramotswe in the continuing radio adaptations of '' The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency''. She won a ''

Time Out Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to: Time * Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team * Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken * Timeout (computing), an engine ...

'' Award for Best Performance for her portrayal of Sophia Adams in

Errol John Errol John (20 December 1924 – 10 July 1988) was a Trinidad and Tobago actor and playwright who emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1951. Biography Early years in Trinidad John was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on 20 December 1924, the ...

's ''

Moon on a Rainbow Shawl ''Moon on a Rainbow Shawl'' is a 1957 play written by Trinidadian actor-playwright Errol John. Described as "ground-breaking" and "a breakthrough in Britain for black writing," the play has been produced and revived worldwide since its premiere ...

'', directed by

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...

.British Black and Asian Shakespeare Database – University of Warwick, 2016
/ref> She lives in Manchester.

Early life

Benedict was born in

Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...

and began to act at Norwood Secondary School for Girls, then Kingsway Further Education College on

Gray's Inn Road Gray's Inn Road (or Grays Inn Road) is an important road in the Bloomsbury district of Central London, in the London Borough of Camden. The road begins at the City of London boundary, where it bisects High Holborn, and ends at King's Cross and ...

, London. After two years at Kingway College, she gained entrance to the

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal is ...

(LAMDA). After leaving LAMDA, Benedict worked with Theatre in Education (TIE) in London then trained with the

Black Theatre Workshop Black Theatre Workshop (BTW) is a non-profit theater company based in Montreal and is one of the oldest Black English-speaking professional theatre companies in the Canada. It was established by Clarence Bayne and Arthur Goddard, who previously al ...

of Montréal.

Career

In her first ten years after completing her training, Benedict worked on the British stage in leading roles for smaller theatre companies and supporting roles for larger theatre companies until in 1988, when she received a ''Time Out'' award for Best Performance for her portrayal of Sophia Adams in

's ''

'', directed by

. In 1992, Benedict joined the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

(RSC) to do three plays, ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Iliad'', ...

'', ''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'' and '' Tamburlaine''. On ''Cleopatra'', Benedict was taken on as an understudy for

Clare Higgins Clare Frances Elizabeth Higgins (born 10 November 1955) is an English actress. Her film appearances include ''Hellraiser'' (1987), '' The Worst Witch'' (2017 - 2020) '' Hellbound: Hellraiser II'' (1988), ''Small Faces'' (1996) and '' The Golde ...

when not many people of colour were playing the character of Cleopatra. In November 1992, Benedict was needed to step in at short notice and had not had time to fully rehearse the role. Carol Chillington-Rutter's book ''Enter the Body'' explores this subject with reference to Benedict's performance, where she explores why women of colour have traditionally been cast as Charmain and white women Cleopatra. By 1994, ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' included Benedict in a shortlist of "seasoned thoroughbred Shakespearians, gutsy actors who are assured verse speakers". She is now an associate artist at the RSC. Benedict has for many years worked in radio drama, where she is known for portraying the principal character Mma Ramotswe in the radio adaptations of

Alexander McCall Smith Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE (born 24 August 1948), is a British writer. He was raised in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He became an expert on medical law an ...

's '' The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'' novels. On television, she played a series regular in ''Call Red'', and numerous supporting roles. Benedict has played the part of ''Iyaloja'' in four separate productions of

Wole Soyinka Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...

's play ''

Death and the King's Horseman ''Death and the King's Horseman'' is a play by Wole Soyinka based on a real incident that took place in Nigeria during the colonial era: the horseman of a Yoruba King was prevented from committing ritual suicide by the colonial authorities. In ...

'':

Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

directed by

Phyllida Lloyd Phyllida Christian Lloyd, (born 17 June 1957) is an English film director and producer, best known for ''Mamma Mia!'' (2008) and '' The Iron Lady'' (2011). Her theatre work includes directing productions at the Royal Court Theatre and Royal Na ...

in 1990;

Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...

directed by

Rufus Norris Rufus Norris (born 16 January 1965) is a British theatre and film director, who is currently the Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre. Life and career Norris grew up in Africa and Malaysia, attended North Bromsgr ...

in 2009; and two productions for

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The sta ...

directed by

Alby James Alby James OBE FRSA (born 24 May 1954) is a British theatre director and a producer for film and television drama, screenwriter, script consultant and trainer, whose career spans more than four decades. Committed to promoting diversity and incl ...

in 1995 and directed by Pauline Harris in 2014. Benedict has worked with

Lenny Henry Sir Lenworth George Henry (born 29 August 1958) is a British actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and writer. Henry gained success as a stand-up comedian and impressionist in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in '' The Le ...

on many occasions: supporting roles in his television series; playing his character's father's girlfriend then wife in all four series of ''Rudy's Rare Records'' on

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...

; playing the lead role in the first radio play he wrote ''Corrinne Come Back and Gone''; and in two of the series of ''Bad Faith'' radio plays in which he played the lead role. In February 1994, during rehearsals for the

Young Vic The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has been Artistic Director since February 201 ...

's ''Omma'', the entire cast, including Benedict and

Toby Jones Tobias Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. Jones made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama '' Orlando'' in 1992. H ...

, quit the production when they thought director

Tim Supple Timothy Supple (born 24 September 1962) is a British born, award-winning international theatre director. He is the son of the academic Barry Supple. Career Supple has directed and adapted theatre in London and the UK as well as across the world ...

was failing to give them appropriate direction.''Theatre: All together: exit, stage left: Why did a whole cast walk out on the Young Vic? Robert Butler hears both sides of the story'' – Robert Butler, The Independent, 20 February 1994
/ref>

Credits

Theatre

This list from the original author to be verified and moved into table above: :1985 The Contact Theatre Co. Manchester. Oedipus Rex; The Messenger; Director: Anthony Clark. :1994 The Young Vic Theatre, London. Oedipus Rex; Antigone/Jocasta; Director: Tim Supple.
:1999 Centre Line Productions. Women on the Verge of H.R.T. Get away; Tassa.
The British Theatre Guide's review doesn't mention Claire
:2005 The Royal Shakespeare Co. Canterbury Tales;Wife of Bath/ Miller's Wife/ Pertelote. :2006 The Royal Shakespeare Co. Canterbury Tales;Wife of Bath;/ Miller's Wife/ Pertelote; Directors' :Greg Doran / Jonathan Munby /and Rebecca Gatward. :2010 R.S.C. Silly Masque (opening of the new R.S.T); Goddess Juno; Director: Greg Doran.

Film

Television

Radio

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, Claire 1951 births Living people Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art British stage actresses British radio actresses British television actresses British film actresses British Shakespearean actresses Royal Shakespeare Company members People educated at The Norwood School