In our profile series, Tell Us In Ten, we ask cast members and creatives of top London shows to tell us all about themselves in just 10 questions. From how they got their start in the industry to their favourite shows, we want to know everything.
This time we’re chatting to Nadi Kemp-Sayfi who will be starring as Mary in Sherlock Holmes – a thrilling new adventure, hurtling through the streets of London and down the River Thames to the heart of Regent’s Park.
1) My route into theatre was…
Unconventional. Within months of moving to the UK, I responded to a call out for a flash mob. But so few of us turned up that the production team were forced to cast us as a dance troupe instead. Next thing I knew, I was in a full angel costume sipping tea in my very first green room, being persuaded by my new cast mates to go to an open audition across town.
2) My West End idol is…
Carole Hancock, the design genius behind some of the West End’s best wigs, and the person I have to thank for Mary’s gorgeous hair this summer.
3) My colleagues would describe me as…
Our play’s first and, frankly, loudest mega-fan. Most days, I can be found cackling loudly at all the scenes I get to watch in the rehearsal room.
4) My favourite show (that isn’t one I star in/work on) is…
Usually the show I’ve seen most recently – this week I’m still reeling from the meta genius, passion and skill of Paco Peña’s latest flamenco production at Sadler’s Wells.
5) The career moment I’m most proud of is…
Playing Feste at the Globe with no prior warning – complete with four solo songs, an elaborate jig, and some immaculate Elizabethan batter with Michelle Terry.
6) The hardest part about my job/role is…
Trying to fall asleep at a reasonable time after an evening show. The adrenalin can last for hours, and so I’ve started dousing my pillows in lavender oil to offset the performance buzz.
7) If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…
Some sort of scholar cooped up in a turret at an old university, surrounded by tomes and stationary. I do a lot of research as an actor and dramaturg, but getting to dive into the archives and natter to academics full time sounds like a dream.
8) Something people don’t know about me is…
That I come from an ancient cemetery in central Cairo called The City of the Dead. It’s an endangered UNESCO world heritage site, where my family still live today.
9) The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
To relish your morning routine. Even if it means waking up hours earlier than necessary, there’s something about a coffee and breakfast ritual that sets you up for the day.
10) The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is…
To trust my intuition. It turns out that trusting yourself is a much more important skill to practice than endeavouring to get things right.
Get your tickets to see Nadi in Sherlock Holmes today!
