Eve Polycarpou
Eve Polycarpou is a British[1][2] stage actress, singer and songwriter. She is best known for her roles in Mother Courage and Her Children and In the Heights.
Early life and education[edit]
Polycarpou was born in Brighton to Greek Cypriot parents.[3] She is the sister of actor Peter Polycarpou.[4]
She studied at Southgate Technical College.
Her singing style is inspired by Shirley Bassey and Vikki Carr.
In 1976 Polycarpou reached the final of the British TV talent show New Faces (You're a Star, Superstar) with her stage name Eve Adam.[5][6] She choose a 'less foreign' sounding stage name at the time, but said she started using her real name after seeing her brother Peter proudly using his onstage.
Career[edit]
Theatre[edit]
In 1986 Polycarpou (using stage name Eve Adam) played Jenny in the National Theatre production of The Threepenny Opera, alongside Tim Curry as Macheath.[7]
She joined the cast of Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse in 2004, in a new version of the tragedy by Frank McGuinness. The cast included Clare Higgins in the title role, Tim Piggott-Smith as Agamemnon , Alfred Burke as Talthybius, Susan Engel as the speaking chorus, Kate Fleetwood as Polyxena, Finbar Lynch as Polymestor and Eddie Redmayne as Polydorus.[8]
Polycarpou starred in the title role in Mother Courage and Her Children at The Lowry in Salford in 2013.[9]
In 2014 she was part of the Southwark Playhouse version of In the Heights as Abuela Claudia.[10] The cast included David Bedella as Kevin Rosario, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Daniela, Sam Mackay as Usnavi, Christina Modestou as Nina and Josie Benson as Camila. The show was directed by Luke Sheppard.[11]
In the same year Polycarpou also joined the cast of the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at the Charing Cross Theatre. She sang Brel's famous song "Ne me quitte pas' in French as part of the show.[12] The cast starred Gina Beck and Daniel Boys.[13]
Polycarpou then reprised the role of Abuela Claudia in In the Heights, when the show transferred to the Kings Cross Theatre in 2015–2016.[14] David Bedella returned to his role as Kevin Rosario, so did Sam Mackay as Usnavi and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Daniela. New cast members included Cleve September as Sonny, Lily Frazer as Nina and Joe Aaron Reid as Benny.[11]
In 2018 Polycarpou joined the cast of the musical Strictly Ballroom as Abuela for its West End run at the Piccadilly Theatre.
She played the role of Drosoula in the 2019 first major adaptation of the novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin. The show opened at the Curve in Leicester, before embarking on a UK tour.[15] The play later transferred to London's West End at the Harold Pinter Theatre for a limited summer season.[16]
In 2022 Polycarpou joined the cast of the revival of From Here to Eternity as Mrs Kipfer, at the Charing Cross Theatre.[17]
"Donna & Kebab"[edit]
In 1987 Polycarpou joined British Cypriot Martha D Lewis in a performance at the Edinburgh fringe festival, which led them to start a very successful collaboration as duo "Donna & Kebab". Their performances combine comedy, improvisation and original music.
From 1994 they mainly focused on music and changed their name to "Donna & Kbb" and with time they became and are now known as Martha and Eve.
They have recorded five albums together, of which their most popular remains Donna and Kbb are Martha and Eve (1996).[18]
In 2023 the duo will be back at the Edinburgh Fringe celebrating 35 years of partnership with a new show Donna & Kebab are Martha and Eve – A Celebration!, a celebration of past and present successes.[19]
Theatre credits[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Threepenny Opera | Jenny | National Theatre |
| 2004 | Hecuba | The Singer | Donmar Warehouse |
| 2013 | Mother Courage and Her Children | Mother Courage | The Lowry, Salford |
| 2014 | In the Heights | Abuela Claudia | Southwark Playhouse |
| 2014 | Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris | Charing Cross Theatre | |
| 2015–2016 | In the Heights | Abuela Claudia | Kings Cross Theatre |
| 2018 | Strictly Ballroom | Abuela | Piccadilly Theatre |
| 2019 | Captain Corelli's Mandolin | Drosoula | UK tour and Harold Pinter Theatre |
| 2022 | From Here to Eternity | Mrs Kipfer | Charing Cross Theatre |
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Holcroft Covenant | Manfredi's Secretary | (as Eve Adam) |
| 2007 | The Whistleblowers | Anna Charteris | TV series (1 episode) |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | Ensemble |
Awards[edit]
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | In the Heights | The Offies Awards | Best Actress | Nominated |
References[edit]
- ^ "UK Cypriots galore on TV today | Parikiaki Cyprus and Cypriot News". 2020-05-24. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Eve Polycarpou on Spreading the Importance of Love in 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin'". AMY STUTZ. 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ sparks68 (2020-04-26). "21 Feb 1976 – Series Four (10)". You're A Star, Superstar. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "TRAVEL: THE PLACE THAT CHANGED ME – PETER POLYCARPOU". The Independent. 1999-11-28. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ sparks68 (2020-05-31). "5 Jun 1976 – Series Four (25) – Viewers Winners Final 2". You're A Star, Superstar. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ sparks68 (2020-04-28). "28 Feb 1976 – Series Four (11) – Viewers Winners Final 1". You're A Star, Superstar. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "The Threepenny Opera (Royal National Theatre Production, 1986) | Ovrtur". ovrtur.com. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Hecuba at Donmar Warehouse 2004". London Theatre. 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
- ^ "Theatre review: Mother Courage and her Children at The Lowry, Salford". British Theatre Guide. 2013-02-22. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Exclusive rehearsal pics: Nathan Amzi, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and cast prepare for In The Heights". 2014-04-29. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ a b Johnson, Neil (2015-10-18). "In The Heights , King's Cross Theatre – Review". Everything Theatre. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Charing Cross Theatre)". 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Gina Beck and Daniel Boys star in musical revue at Charing Cross Theatre". 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "IN THE HEIGHTS – The Tony-Award Winning Best Musical – King's Cross Theatre". www.intheheightslondon.com. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Captain Corelli's Mandolin UK tour casting announced". 2019-01-16. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Captain Corelli's Mandolin stage show to transfer to the West End". 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ Boardman, Lucy (2022-11-09). "Review: From Here To Eternity, Charing Cross Theatre". Everything Theatre. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "About – Martha and Eve". Retrieved 2023-07-30.
- ^ "Donna & Kebab are Martha and Eve – A Celebration!". Theatro Technis. Retrieved 2023-07-30.