Clare Perkins

Clare Perkins is an English actress born on 18 August 1965 in London.^[1][2] She trained at Rose Bruford College and has built a prolific career spanning theatre, television, and film over four decades.^[3] Perkins first gained recognition for her role as Denise Boulter in the soap opera Family Affairs and later portrayed Ava Hartman in the long-running BBC series EastEnders.^[1] Her television credits also include appearances in acclaimed shows such as The Crown, Holby City, Silo, The Outlaws, and The Wheel of Time.^[3] In film, she has featured in notable works like Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996), Bullet Boy (2004), and Medusa Deluxe (2022).^[1][4] On stage, Perkins has performed extensively with prestigious institutions, including the National Theatre in productions such as Bacchae, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (UK tour), and Welcome to Thebes.^[3] She has also appeared in West End transfers like Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre and Emilia at the Globe and West End, as well as the Donmar Warehouse's Sweat.^[3] Her radio work includes voicing characters in BBC Radio 4's The Archers.^[5]

Early life and education

Early years

Clare Perkins was born on 18 August 1965 in Lewisham, London, England.^[6] Details on her family background remain limited in public records, though she has mentioned having a sister and her mother playing a key role in fostering her early love for reading, introducing her to literature that would later influence her career.^[7][6] Growing up in Lewisham, Perkins developed a profound interest in acting from a very young age, recalling that as early as five years old, she knew she wanted to pursue it as a profession.^[7][8] She has described an unwavering certainty about her path, responding to questions about future aspirations by declaring, "I'm going to be an actress," rather than merely expressing a desire.^[8] This early passion was nurtured through her childhood immersion in books, which sparked her imaginative engagement with stories and characters.^[7] Perkins' formative years in south-east London provided the backdrop for these developing interests, shaping her before she transitioned to formal training at Rose Bruford College.^[6]

Education and training

Perkins enrolled at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in 1983, undertaking the two-year Community Theatre Arts (CTA) course, which she completed in 1985.^[9][10] She undertook this training as a young mother, with support from her mother and sister for childcare.^[6] This specialized program focused on community theatre practices, equipping students for roles in fringe theatre, theatre-in-education companies, and grassroots productions.^[11] It emphasized practical training in speech and drama techniques aimed at engaging diverse audiences through accessible and educational performances, fostering skills in collaborative storytelling, improvisation, and audience interaction that aligned with alternative theatre spaces in 1980s Britain.^[11] During her time at Rose Bruford, Perkins gained foundational experience in acting through the course's hands-on approach.^[6] This training built on her childhood interest in performance, providing the structured discipline that honed her abilities for professional stage work.^[7]

Career

Television

Clare Perkins has built a diverse television career over four decades, accumulating more than 30 credits across guest spots, recurring roles, and series regulars in British dramas, soaps, and international productions. Beginning with early guest appearances in the 1990s, she transitioned to prominent supporting roles in family-oriented comedies and children's dramas before achieving recognition in soap operas like Family Affairs and EastEnders. In recent years, Perkins has balanced ongoing series commitments with high-profile guest roles in prestige dramas such as The Crown and science fiction epics like Silo and The Wheel of Time. In addition to these highlighted roles, Perkins has made numerous guest appearances in series such as The Bill (as Delia Fisher, 1997), Death in Paradise (as Fabienne Jordan, 2018), and Young Wallander (as Becker, 2020), contributing to her extensive television portfolio.

Film

Perkins has appeared in the following films, listed chronologically with her role and the director where available.^[1]

Radio

Perkins has maintained an extensive career in radio, primarily with the BBC, where her voice work has contributed to long-running audio dramas and acclaimed productions. She has been a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company, enabling her to take on diverse roles in narrative-driven audio formats.^[9] One of her most enduring radio roles was as Mel Richardson in the BBC World Service soap opera Westway, which she portrayed from 1997 to 2005, spanning eight years and showcasing her ability to sustain a character across hundreds of episodes.^[18] In 2011, Perkins starred in several BBC Radio 4 dramas, including Landfall as Hudson, directed by Marc Beeby, alongside productions such as Corrinne Come Back, Gone, and Best Intentions.^[19][7] Her radio portfolio also includes notable performances like the title role in The Lamplighter for BBC Radio 3 in 2007, a lyrical exploration of enslavement written by Jackie Kay and produced by Pam Fraser Solomon.^[20] More recently, she played Janell Mason in the 2019 BBC Radio 4 drama Eight Point Nine Nine by James Fritz, which earned a Gold Award at the ARIA Awards for its production.^[21] Since 2021, Perkins has portrayed veterinary nurse Denise Metcalf in the long-running BBC Radio 4 serial The Archers, bringing depth to the character's ongoing storylines involving community and animal welfare in the fictional Ambridge.^[22][23] This role highlights the longevity of her contributions to audio drama, with Denise integrated into the series' narrative fabric as of 2025. Her theatre training has informed her versatile approach to voice acting, emphasizing emotional nuance in non-visual storytelling.^[22]

Theatre

Clare Perkins began her stage career performing at prestigious London venues including the Royal Court Theatre, Young Vic, and National Theatre, where she honed her craft through diverse roles that showcased her versatility in contemporary and classical works.^[7][3] Her early appearances at these institutions, often in ensemble pieces addressing urban life and identity, established her as a dynamic presence in British theatre, collaborating with innovative directors and companies focused on new writing.^[6] In 2019, Perkins achieved a notable milestone by starring in two major West End productions back-to-back: she portrayed one of three actresses embodying the titular Emilia Bassano in the feminist historical drama Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre, a role that highlighted the play's innovative structure of multiple performers sharing a single character to explore themes of female authorship and suppression.^[24] Transitioning directly from that run, she reprised her role as Cynthia in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning Sweat at the Gielgud Theatre, a transfer from the Donmar Warehouse that examined deindustrialization and racial tensions in working-class America.^[25][26] This consecutive involvement in high-profile transfers underscored her demand in politically charged ensemble dramas. Perkins' recent stage work has included leading roles in adaptations emphasizing female agency and societal critique. In 2021, she originated the part of Alvita, the bold Wife of Willesden, in Zadie Smith's verse retelling of Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale at the Kiln Theatre, a production that later transferred to the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for its North American premiere in 2023.^[27][28] In 2024, she played the innkeeper Mistress Quickly in Robert Icke's modern adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 and 2, titled Player Kings, at the Noël Coward Theatre, bringing comic vitality to the character's interactions amid themes of power and loyalty.^[8] Most recently, in 2025, Perkins portrayed Vida, the leader of the Bacchae chorus, in Nima Taleghani's reimagined production of Euripides' Bacchae at the National Theatre's Olivier stage, directed by Indhu Rubasingham, where the role drew parallels to contemporary feminist protests.^[29][30] Throughout her theatre career, Perkins has gravitated toward roles that illuminate social issues and women's narratives, from the economic disenfranchisement in Sweat to the patriarchal constraints in Emilia and the unapologetic sexuality in The Wife of Willesden, contributing to productions that amplify marginalized voices and challenge gender norms.^[30][31][24]

Awards and nominations

Film awards

Clare Perkins won the Best Actress award at the Screen Nation Film and Television Awards in 2005 for her performance as Beverly in the 2004 British drama Bullet Boy.^[9]

Television and other nominations

In 2013, Perkins received a nomination for Best Soap Newcomer at the TV Choice Awards for her portrayal of Ava Hartman in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.^[32] Perkins has also been involved in acclaimed radio productions that earned production-level recognition. She contributed to Eight Point Nine Nine, which won a Gold Award at the Australian Radio Industry Awards (ARIA).^[27] Additionally, her work on Lifelines, a BBC Radio 4 drama series, was part of the production honored with the Best Original Series award at the Audio Drama Awards.^[27]

Filmography

Film

Perkins has appeared in the following films, listed chronologically with her role and the director where available.^[1]

Television

Clare Perkins has built a diverse television career over four decades, accumulating more than 30 credits across guest spots, recurring roles, and series regulars in British dramas, soaps, and international productions. Beginning with early guest appearances in the 1990s, she transitioned to prominent supporting roles in family-oriented comedies and children's dramas before achieving recognition in soap operas like Family Affairs and EastEnders. In recent years, Perkins has balanced ongoing series commitments with high-profile guest roles in prestige dramas such as The Crown and science fiction epics like Silo and The Wheel of Time. In addition to these highlighted roles, Perkins has made numerous guest appearances in series such as The Bill (as Delia Fisher, 1997), Death in Paradise (as Fabienne Jordan, 2018), and Young Wallander (as Becker, 2020), contributing to her extensive television portfolio.

Theatre credits

1990s–2000s

Perkins began her professional stage career in the early 1990s with roles in community and fringe theatre productions, transitioning to more prominent venues like the Royal Court by mid-decade. Her work during this period often featured in new writing and adaptations, showcasing her versatility in ensemble and character roles across diverse narratives. In 1990, she played the title role of Meridian in Meridian by May Alberton, directed by Paulette Randall at the Contact Theatre in Manchester.^[19] She followed this in 1991 with the role of Viola in an outdoor production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, staged by London Bubble Theatre Company.^[37] In 1996, Perkins portrayed Bridie in Winsome Pinnock's Mules, a Clean Break Theatre Company production directed by Roxana Silbert at the Royal Court Theatre, running from April 30 to May 25.^[38][19] The next year, 1997, saw her taking on various roles in Ready or Not?, directed by Jo Martin at the Theatre Royal Stratford East.^[19][39] In 2001, she appeared as Lenore in Generations of the Dead by Michael Bhim, directed by Afia Nkrumah at the Young Vic Studio.^[19][27] Perkins had a busy 2002, first playing Liz Morden and Lieutenant Dawes in Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good, directed by Georgia Bance at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton. Later that year, she performed multiple roles including Lise, Mother, and Usherette in Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, directed by Patrick Sandford at the same venue.^[19][40] In 2006, she appeared in the ensemble of How Long Is Never? Darfur - A Response, directed by Nicholas Kent at the Tricycle Theatre.^[19][41] Later in 2006, she took on the roles of Mother, Caseworker, and An Inmate in Lynn Nottage's Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine, directed by Indhu Rubasingham at the Tricycle Theatre, running from February 10 to March 25.^[19][42] In 2008, she played Sylvia in Any Which Way by Only Connect Theatre Co, directed by Maggie Norris and Emma Kruger.^[19] Also in 2008, she appeared in A Fag Burning The Carpet, directed by Mark Bromley at the King's Head Theatre.^[19] In 2009, Perkins played Alice and Patience in The Hounding of David Oluwale by Oladipo Agboluaje, a co-production by Eclipse Theatre Company directed by Dawn Walton at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, from February 7 to 28.^[19][43][44] That same year, she appeared in multiple roles as Cook, Farmer's Wife, and Jussup's Mother in Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle, directed by Nancy Meckler for Shared Experience at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and on tour, running from September to November.^[45][46]

2010s–2025

In the 2010s and into the 2020s, Clare Perkins solidified her reputation as a versatile stage actor through a diverse array of roles in contemporary British drama, often tackling themes of race, gender, and socioeconomic strife that built upon her earlier work in socially conscious theatre. Her performances in high-profile productions at major venues like the National Theatre and West End garnered critical praise for their emotional depth and commanding presence, contributing to sold-out runs and award nominations.

• 2010: Played Helia, US Pargeia, and Aglaea in Welcome to Thebes at the Royal National Theatre, directed by Richard Eyre, a modern adaptation of Euripides exploring post-colonial African politics.^[19]
• 2012: Portrayed Moretta in The Rover at Hampton Court Palace, directed by Amy Hodge, a Restoration comedy revival emphasizing female agency.^[19]
• 2012: Appeared as Manny in Neighbours at the High Tide Festival, directed by Melanie Spencer, a new play examining community tensions.^[19]
• 2014: Took on multiple roles including Elaine and doubles with Hindrey Road Mum in Little Revolution at the Almeida Theatre, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, a verbatim piece on the 2011 London riots.^[19]
• 2014: Performed as Teacher in Twelve by the Kali Theatre Company, directed by Janet Steele, addressing South Asian immigrant experiences.^[19]
• 2014: Starred as Marie Josephine in The House That Will Not Stand at the Tricycle Theatre (now Kiln), directed by Indhu Rubasingham, a family drama set in 19th-century New Orleans.^[19]
• 2014: Played Henrietta Lacks, Deborah Lacks, and Loretta Pleasant in How to Be Immortal by Penny Dreadful Theatre, directed by Kirsty Housley, inspired by the HeLa cells medical ethics scandal.^[19]
• 2015: Featured as Mrs. Shears, Mrs. Gascoyne, and ensemble in the Tony Award-winning The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the National Theatre (UK and Ireland tour), directed by Marianne Elliott and co-directed by Katy Rudd, adapting Mark Haddon's novel for its empathetic portrayal of neurodiversity.^[19]
• 2016: Portrayed Beatrice in Removal Men at the Yard Theatre, directed by Jay Millar, a comedy-drama on male friendship and vulnerability.^[19]
• 2016: Performed as part of the ensemble in Play On, a 24-hour play marathon at the Almeida Theatre, directed by Rupert Goold, featuring original short works by leading playwrights.^[19][47]
• 2017: Portrayed Monica and Belinda in Daisy Pulls It Off at the Park Theatre, directed by Paulette Randall, a nostalgic boarding school comedy revival.^[19]
• 2017: Played Khady in Three Mothers at Waterloo East Theatre, directed by Janys Chambers, exploring migrant women's stories.^[19]
• 2017: Starred as Krista in Nora: A Doll's House at the Corn Exchange, directed by Eoghan Carrick, a reimagining of Ibsen's classic.^[19]
• 2017: Took various roles in Primetime at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs and UK tour, directed by Hamish Pirrie, a satirical take on reality TV.^[19]
• 2017: Appeared as Ring Mistress in Roundelay at Southwark Playhouse, directed by Anna Ledwich, a circus-themed ensemble piece.^[19]
• 2017: Portrayed Mia Tamba in The Convert at the Gate Theatre, directed by Christopher Hayden, a drama on religious extremism.^[19]
• 2018: Led as Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs Dalloway at the Arcola Theatre, directed by Thomas Bailey, an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's novel.^[19]
• 2018: Played Emilia 3 in the original run of Emilia at Shakespeare's Globe, directed by Nicole Charles, a feminist history play about Emilia Bassano.^[19]
• 2018: Performed as Larissa and Sharon in Genesis Inc. at Hampstead Theatre, directed by Laurie Sansom, a sci-fi exploration of grief and cloning.^[19]
• 2018: Starred as Ama in The Immigrant at Hoxton Hall, directed by Karena Johnson, a musical on Windrush generation experiences.^[19]
• 2019: Portrayed Cynthia in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sweat by Lynn Nottage, first at the Donmar Warehouse directed by Lynette Linton, then transferring to the West End's Gielgud Theatre, depicting Rust Belt working-class struggles.^[19][48]
• 2019: Returned as Emilia in the West End transfer of Emilia to the Vaudeville Theatre, directed by Nicole Charles, earning acclaim for its bold revisionist take on Shakespearean authorship.^[19]
• 2021–2023: Starred as Alvita (the Wife of Willesden) in Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden at the Kiln Theatre, directed by Indhu Rubasingham, a modern riff on Chaucer's Wife of Bath; the production transferred to Off-Broadway at the American Repertory Theater (2023) and Brooklyn Academy of Music, highlighting Caribbean-British diaspora narratives.^[19][49]
• 2024: Portrayed Mistress Quickly in Robert Icke's Player Kings, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 and 2, at the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End, praised for its contemporary political resonance.^[19]
• 2025: Led the chorus as Vida in Indhu Rubasingham's production of Bacchae at the National Theatre's Olivier Theatre (September 12–November 1), a reimagined Euripides tragedy infused with hip-hop and feminist themes inspired by global women's rights movements.^[29][30]