Janie Dee (born 20 June 1962) is a British actress. She won the Olivier Award for Best Actress, Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Play, and in New York the Obie and Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer, for her performance as Jacie Triplethree in Alan Ayckbourn's '' Comic Potential''. She also won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in Nicholas Hytner's acclaimed production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

'' at the National Theatre. In 2013, Dee won the TMA Theatre Award UK for Best Performance in a Musical for her performance as Dolly Levi in '' Hello Dolly'' at Curve, Leicester.

Early life and education

Janie Dee was born in Old Windsor, Berkshire. She is the daughter of John Lewis and Ruth Lewis (née Miller) and the eldest of four sisters. She trained at the Arts Educational School in

Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district in West London, split between the London Borough of Hounslow, London Boroughs of Hounslow and London Borough of Ealing, Ealing. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist Wi ...

, London. On leaving ArtsEd, Dee began her career as a dancer, subsequently moving to Rome, Italy where she taught dance, took singing lessons, and learned to speak Italian.

Theatre career

1986–2000

Dee's first West End production was Gillian Lynne's 1986 revival of ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

'' in which she played Gertie and understudied the role of

Sally Bowles Sally Bowles () is a fictional character created by English-American novelist Christopher Isherwood and based upon 19-year-old cabaret singer Jean Ross. The character debuted in Isherwood's 1937 novella ''Sally Bowles'' published by Hogarth Pre ...

. This led to an invitation from Wayne Sleep, who played the Emcee in that production, to join his UK tour as The Singer. Subsequently, the choreographer Bill Deamer invited her to the Salisbury Playhouse to perform in '' A Chorus of Disapproval'' and as Jack in

Jack and the Beanstalk "Jack and the Beanstalk" is an English fairy tale with ancient origins. It appeared as "The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean" in 1734 4th edition :File:Round about our Coal Fire, or, Christmas Entertainments, 4th edn, 1734.pdf, On C ...

at Christmas 1987. This led to leading roles in musical theatre, including Sarah Brown in ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Run ...

'', Ellie May Chipley in the award-winning

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 opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

and Opera North production of ''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 Show Boat (novel), novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the per ...

'' at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

, Bombalurina in

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...

's ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

'',

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

's '' Sophisticated Ladies'', Claudine in

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

's ''

Can-Can The can-can (also spelled cancan as in the original French /kɑ̃kɑ̃/) is a high-energy, physically demanding dance that became a popular music-hall dance in the 1840s, continuing in popularity in French cabaret to this day. Originally dance ...

'', and Ado Annie in the national tour of ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

''. Dee's portrayal of Carrie Pipperidge in the 1993

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

's production of ''

'' earned her an Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. The role gained her an invitation from Sir Richard Eyre to play her first major straight role of Julie in ''Johnny on a Spot'' at the National Theatre. She subsequently went on to play

Helen of Troy Helen (), also known as Helen of Troy, or Helen of Sparta, and in Latin as Helena, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believed to have been the daughter of Zeus and Leda (mythology), ...

in '' The Women of Troy''. Dee has had an important working relationship with the playwright and director Alan Ayckbourn. This began with Paul Todd's fringe production of ''Between The Lines'' for which Ayckbourn wrote song lyrics and was followed by ''Dreams From A Summerhouse'' at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...

. She returned to work with Ayckbourn in 1996 in

Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He received three ...

's '' They're Playing Our Song'' after which Ayckbourn wrote '' Comic Potential'' 'with Janie in mind'. Her performance as Jacie Triplethree at Scarborough, subsequently in the West End and then at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York, won her the aforementioned Best Actress Awards in London and New York, as well as considerable critical acclaim. In

New York Magazine ''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Clay Felker and Milton Glaser in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker'' a ...

, John Simon wrote "Miss Dee's creation is a spectacular achievement. I am not sure that I have ever seen its equal, but I am certain I have never seen, nor ever will see, it's superior."

2001–2010

Dee is known for her versatility as a performer. She was invited by opera director David Pountney, to play Lidotchka in his production of Shostakovich's '' Paradise Moscow'' for Opera North. She followed this playing Masha in Brian Friel's translation of

Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...

's '' Three Sisters'' and Edyth Herbert, opposite

Tim Flavin Tim Flavin (born January 13, 1959) is an American actor. Flavin was the first American to be presented with a Laurence Olivier Awards, Laurence Olivier Award, for his 1984 performance in Rodgers and Hart's ''On Your Toes'' at the Palace Theatre i ...

in the

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...

musical '' My One and Only'', both at the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Mart ...

. ''My One and Only'' subsequently transferred to the West End and Dee was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. As a result, in 2003, Sir Peter Hall asked Dee to star in his season at the Theatre Royal, Bath, playing Gilda in

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

's '' Design for Living'' and Emma in

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...

's '' Betrayal'', opposite Aden Gillett and Hugo Speer. ''Betrayal'' subsequently transferred to the Duchess Theatre in the West End. Hall then invited her to play Beatrice in his production of ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. ...

''. In 2005 Pinter invited Dee to play Kate in '' Old Times'' at the

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Gearóid Ó Lochla ...

, Dublin and to participate in a celebration of his work, including a reading of his play '' Celebration'', with Jeremy Irons,

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen as well as for his work at the Royal National Theatre, he has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Award, two ...

Sinéad Cusack Sinéad Moira Cusack ( ; born 18 February 1948) is an Irish actress. Her first acting roles were at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, before moving to London in 1969 to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has won the Critics' Circle and ''Eve ...

, Penelope Wilton,

Michael Gambon Sir Michael John Gambon (; 19 October 1940 – 27 September 2023) was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career ...

, Stephen Rea and Stephen Brennan. Producer, Michael Colgan, subsequently transferred the piece to London's

Noël Coward Theatre The Noël Coward Theatre, formerly known as the Albery Theatre, is a West End theatre in St. Martin's Lane in the City of Westminster, London. It opened on 12 March 1903 as the New Theatre and was built by Sir Charles Wyndham behind Wyndham's ...

, for 3 performances, with Charles Dance playing the Maitre D. Six months later ''Celebration'' was filmed for

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...

, with

Colin Firth Colin Andrew Firth (born 10 September 1960) is an English actor and producer. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Colin Firth, several accolades, including an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA Aw ...

playing the role of Russell, opposite Dee as Suki. In 2006, Dee returned to musical theatre to play

Mabel Normand Amabel Ethelreid Normand (November 9, 1893 – February 23, 1930), better known as Mabel Normand, was an American silent film actress, comedienne, director and screenwriter. She was a popular star and collaborator of Mack Sennett in their K ...

in John Doyle's production of Jerry Herman's '' Mack and Mabel'' opposite

David Soul David Soul (born David Richard Solberg; August 28, 1943 – January 4, 2024) was an American-British actor and singer. With a career spanning five decades, he rose to prominence for portraying Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the Americ ...

at the Criterion Theatre. She followed this with the role of Lady Driver in

Michael Frayn Michael Frayn, FRSL (; born 8 September 1933) is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce ''Noises Off'' and the dramas ''Copenhagen (play), Copenhagen'' and ''Democracy (play), Democracy''. Frayn's novel ...

's '' Donkeys' Years'' at the Comedy Theatre. At the end of the run, Dee helped organise a reading for charity of William Nicholson's play '' Shadowlands'' which deals with the relationship between

C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer, literary scholar and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalen ...

and the American writer Joy Gresham. In 2007, Hall, Pinter, and Dee were reunited for the National tour of ''Old Times'' with Susannah Harker and Neil Pearson. Later that year, Dee was reunited with director Michael Barker-Caven and Charles Dance in the West End Production of ''Shadowlands''. The production began at Wyndham's Theatre and subsequently transferred to the

Novello Theatre The Novello Theatre is a West End theatre on Aldwych, in the City of Westminster. It was known as the Strand Theatre between 1913 and 2005. History The theatre was built as one of a pair with the Aldwych Theatre on either side of The Waldo ...

. In 2008 Dee returned to the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park to play Olivia in ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

'' opposite her ''Carousel'' co-star, Clive Rowe. Ayckbourn then invited Dee back to Scarborough to play the title role of Susan in a revival of his play '' Woman in Mind'' for which she won critical acclaim and the production subsequently transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre in London. In 2009 Dee returned to Theatre Royal Bath to play Orinthia in

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

's '' The Apple Cart'', directed by Sir Peter Hall, and took over the role of Annie in '' Calendar Girls'' by Tim Firth in the West End. In 2010, Dee played The Countess of Roussillion in ''

All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the First Folio in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate about the date of its composition, with possible dates ranging from 1598 to 1608. ...

'' at Shakespeare's Globe which was filmed for DVD release by Opus Arte. She also appeared as Anna Leonowens in

Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their musical ...

's ''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...

'' at the

Curve In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight. Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point. This is the definition that ...

, Leicester, and as Natalya in Jonathan Kent's production of '' A Month in the Country'' at Chichester.

2011–2020

In 2011 she played Belinda in the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

revival of Michael Frayn's '' Noises Off'' which was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Revival and subsequently transferred to the

. In 2012, Dee was offered the role of women's magazine editor, Miranda in ''NSFW'', a new play by Lucy Kirkwood at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. At Christmas 2012 Dee played Dolly Levi in Paul Kerryson's revival of '' Hello Dolly!'' at the Curve, Leicester for which she won the TMA Theatre Award UK for Best Performance in a Musical. In 2013 she appeared in the

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

revue, '' Putting It Together'' for four performances in Guildford, alongside David Bedella, Daniel Crossley, Damian Humbly and

Caroline Sheen Caroline Sheen (born 7 January 1976) is a Welsh actress who has played leading roles on stage in the West End alongside TV and film appearances. She won a Helen Hayes award for playing the role of Mary Poppins on the National Tour of America ...

which subsequently transferred for a three-week run at the St James Theatre, London in January 2014. From March until June 2014, Dee co-starred in the London revival of Noël Coward's '' Blithe Spirit'' at the

Gielgud Theatre The Gielgud Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, at the corner of Rupert Street, in the City of Westminster, London. The house currently has 994 seats on three levels. The theatre was designed by W. G. R. Sprague and ...

, opposite Dame Angela Lansbury, who reprised her 2009

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-winning Broadway performance as Madame Arcati. The London cast included Charles Edwards,

Jemima Rooper Jemima Rooper (born 24 October 1981) is an English actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles. Early life Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journ ...

, Serena Evans, Simon Jones and Patsy Ferran. From September until December 2014, Dee played Titania/Hippolyta in

Dominic Dromgoole Dominic Charles Fleming Dromgoole (born 25 October 1963) is an English theatre director and writer about the theatre who has also worked in film. Early life and education Dominic Charles Fleming Dromgoole was born on 25 October 1963 in Bristo ...

's production of ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

'' on a tour of Asia & Russia by Shakespeare's Globe. The production opened at the Rose Theatre, Kingston and then toured to

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Aylesbury Waterside Theatre is a theatre in Aylesbury, England, presenting a range of West End and touring musicals and plays, along with performances of opera and ballet and a Christmas pantomime. History In 2003, Aylesbury Vale District Cou ...

before travelling to China, Taiwan, Russia, Singapore & Hong Kong. The cast included Aden Gillett as

Oberon Oberon () is a king of the fairy, fairies in Middle Ages, medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania ...

Theseus Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes desc ...

and Trevor Fox as Bottom. In January 2015 Dee starred as Desiree Armfeldt in a Gala Concert performance of Sondheim's '' A Little Night Music'' at London's Palace Theatre to mark the 40th anniversary of the original London production. The concert also starred Anne Reid, David Birrell, Joanna Riding,

Jamie Parker Jamie Parker (born 14 August 1979) is an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Harry Potter in the original cast for the West End play '' Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'', for which he received a Laurence Olivier Award ...

, Anna O'Byrne,

Fra Fee Fra Fee (born 20 May 1987) is a Northern Irish actor and singer. He is best known for playing Courfeyrac in Tom Hooper's 2012 film adaptation of ''Les Misérables'', and for his role as Kazi in the Disney+ series ''Hawkeye'', which is set in ...

and Laura Pitt-Pulford. It was directed by Alastair Knights and the producer and musical director was Alex Parker. Later the same year she played Helene Hanff in a revival of '' 84, Charing Cross Road'' at Salisbury Playhouse, co-starring Clive Francis as Frank Doel and directed by James Roose-Evans. In April/May she starred in a revival of

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...

's '' Ah, Wilderness!'' at the Young Vic. Whilst appearing in the O'Neill play, Dee also performed a special one-off show, ''Dream Queen'' in the

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is an indoor theatre forming part of the Shakespeare's Globe complex, along with the recreated Globe Theatre on Bankside in Southwark, London. Built by making use of 17th-century plans for an indoor English theatre, ...

at Shakespeare's Globe, as part of the London Festival of Cabaret. It drew on her experiences on the Shakespeare's Globe tour of Asia and Russia with inspritations from

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

and

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

. She was joined by special guests,

Juliet Stevenson Juliet Anne Virginia Stevenson, (born 30 October 1956) is an English actress of stage and screen. She is known for her role in the film '' Truly, Madly, Deeply'' (1991), for which she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Le ...

and Kit Hesketh-Harvey. In the summer she played Irina Arkadina in Torben Betts' version of ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' () is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 in literature, 1895 and first produced in 1896 in literature#Drama, 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramati ...

'', directed by Matthew Dunster at

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is an open-air theatre in Regent's Park in central London, established in 1932. Originally known for its Shakespearean productions, the theatre now features a wide variety of performances, including musicals, ope ...

. In 2016 she starred in the West End transfer of Tony-nominated Broadway comedy '' Hand to God'' at the Vaudeville Theatre in London, alongside Harry Melling, Neil Pearson,

and Kevin Mains. The production was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2016 as Best New Comedy. In April 2017 Dee completed a critically acclaimed run playing the title role in ''Linda'' by Penelope Skinner at Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City for which she was nominated for an

Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town news ...

for Outstanding Actress in a Play. She also starred as Phyllis Rogers Stone in '' Follies'' at the National Theatre in London, opposite

Imelda Staunton Dame Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956) is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre pr ...

, Tracie Bennett and Philip Quast. The role earned her nominations for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical Performance, and the WhatOnStage Award for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2018 Dee starred in ''Monogamy'', a dark comedy by Torben Betts. That year, she also appeared in ''Moonlight'', directed by Lyndsey Turner and ''Night School'', directed by Ed Stambollouian as part of the Jamie Lloyd Company's ''Pinter at the Pinter'' season. The following year Janie starred in the UK premiere of

Christopher Durang Christopher Ferdinand Durang (January 2, 1949 – April 2, 2024) was an American playwright known for works of outrageous and often absurd comedy. His work was especially popular in the 1980s, though his career seemed to get a second wind in th ...

's Tony Award-winning play ''

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike ''Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike'' is a comedy play written by Christopher Durang. The story revolves around the relationships of three middle-aged single siblings, two of whom live together, and takes place during a visit by the third, ...

'' at Theatre Royal Bath, directed by Walter Bobbie which subsequently transferred to the Charing Cross Theatre in London. She played Fosca in Stephen Sondheim's musical '' Passion'' at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte di Montepulciano, Italy directed by Keith Warner and returned to London to star in Off-Broadway play ''The Niceties'' by Eleanor Burgess at the Finborough Theatre opposite Moronkẹ Akinola. This was followed by a revival of Sandy Wilson's '' The Boy Friend'' at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

2021–present

In spring 2022, Dee starred opposite

Griff Rhys Jones Griffith Rhys Jones (born 16 November 1953) is a Welsh actor, comedian, writer and television presenter. He starred in a number of television series with his comedy partner, Mel Smith. He and Smith came to national attention in the 1980s for ...

in ''An Hour And a Half Late'' at Theatre Royal Bath and on a UK tour. In May, Dee, along with a host of West End stars, paid tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim in ''Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends A Celebration.'' The production was staged by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman, with choreography by Stephen Mear, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh at the Sondheim Theatre. Further Sondheim tributes took place at Cadogan Hall, conceived and conducted by Alex Parker with his Luminaire Orchestra, at the Garrick Club, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, where Dee performed a cabaret as part of ''The Art of Making Art: Staging Sondheim''. From September to October 2024, Dee starred in ''Janie Dee's Beautiful World of Cabaret''. The show featured a range of music from different artists and composer, performed by Dee. The performance mixed

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

and spoken word, exploring the idea of being more

environmentally friendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that c ...

Film and television career

Dee has appeared in numerous TV dramas, including '' Love Hurts'', ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop (The Bill), Woodentop" (part of the ''Storyb ...

'', as Remy in 8 episodes of '' London's Burning'', '' Heartbeat'', '' House of Cards'', ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...

'', ''A Tribute to Harold Pinter'', the South Bank Show with Sir Peter Hall and ''In Love With Shakespeare'' for Sky TV. In 2003, Dee played Emma Lavenham opposite Martin Shaw's Adam Dalgliesh in two P.D. James adaptations for the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

; '' Death in Holy Orders'' and '' The Murder Room''. In 2008 she played

Zac Efron Zachary David Alexander Efron (; born October 18, 1987) is an American actor. Efron began acting professionally in the early 2000s and rose to prominence as a teen idol for his leading role as Troy Bolton in the ''High School Musical'' film ...

's mother, Mrs Samuels in '' Me and Orson Welles.'' In 2013, Dee filmed ''Dare To Be Wild'', written and directed by Vivienne Decourcy, in Dublin for Oasis Films and ''The Trouble With Dot And Harry.'' She starred opposite Neil Morrissey, directed by Sundance Festival Grand Prize-winner, Gary Walkow. In January 2016, Dee appeared as Cara in comedy series '' Crashing'' written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It was produced by Big Talk Productions for

. In 2019, she appeared in the film '' Official Secrets'' with Keira Knightly and

Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Prince Philip in Netflix's historical series ''The Crown ( ...

and the Channel Four adaptation of Lucy Kirkwood's Chimerica with Sophie Okonedo. Dee made an appearance in Jamie Davis’ 2023 London-set three-part drama ''You & Me'' for ITV and ITVX, with Harry Lawtey, Jessica Barden and Sophia Brown. That year, she co-starred in '' The Burning Girls,'' produced by Buccaneer Media for

Paramount+ Paramount+ (formerly known as CBS All Access in the United States and 10 All Access in Australia) is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, stream ...

. The show was a 6-part adaptation of the novel by CJ Tudor, with

Samantha Morton Samantha Jane Morton (born 13 May 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her work in independent film with dark and tragic themes, particularly in period dramas. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including the BAFTA Fellowship ...

and Ruby Stokes.

Radio

Dee has recorded a number of musicals, concerts and dramas for radio, including ''Carousel'' and '' Finian's Rainbow'' for

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the List of most-listened-to radio programs, most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the sta ...

, and she has played

Ian Fleming Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer, best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his ...

Miss Moneypenny Miss Moneypenny, later assigned the first names of Eve or Jane, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M (James Bond), M, who is Bond's superior officer and head of the British Secret Intelligence Serv ...

in radio dramatisations of the

James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...

classics '' On Her Majesty's Secret Service'', '' From Russia With Love'', '' Dr No'' and Thunderball, as well as a role in Michael Frayn's '' Skios'', all directed by Martin Jarvis. In 2013 she was invited by composer Guy Barker to be the narrator in his new orchestral work ''That Obscure Hurt'' which was premiered at the

Aldeburgh Festival The Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the town of Aldeburgh, Suffolk and is centred on Snape Maltings Concert Hall. History of the Aldeburgh Festi ...

2013, as part of the

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

centenary celebrations and was broadcast live on

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, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

. She has also appeared as a guest on the quiz show '' Quote... Unquote'' for

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

Recordings

* ''Cabaret (1986 London Revival Cast, First Night Records OCRCD6010)'' * ''Can Can (1988 London Revival Cast, Virgin CDV 2570)'' * ''Salad Days (1994 Studio Cast, EMI Classics CDC 5 55200 2)'' * ''The Shakespeare Revue (1998 Original London Cast, TER Records)'' * ''Fred Astaire: His Daughter's Tribute (2001 London Cast Recording, First Night Records CASTCD81)'' * ''Act One: Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange (2008 Dress Circle Records)'' * ''Janie Dee at the BBC (2017 Auburn Jam Music)'' * ''Follies (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording, Warner Classics 093624900955)''

Personal

Janie Dee was married to the actor and barrister Rupert Wickham and they have two children. Her sister-in-law is actress Saskia Wickham. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Theatrical Fund and supports a number of charities including

Stop the War Coalition The Stop the War Coalition (StWC), informally known simply as Stop the War, is a British group that campaigns against the United Kingdom's involvement in military conflicts. It was established on 21 September 2001 to campaign against the impe ...

, St Mungos, Medecins Sans Frontieres and

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...

. In March 2003, Dee devised and produced the ''London Concert For Peace'', a charity concert celebrating the joy of life which was performed at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

with a cast including Dame

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...

, Sir

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cu ...

and

David Tennant David John Tennant (; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the Tenth Doctor, tenth and Fourteenth Doctor, fourteenth incarnations of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction series ''Docto ...

. Proceeds from the concert were donated to Amnesty International,

CARE Care may refer to: Organizations and projects * CARE (New Zealand), Citizens Association for Racial Equality, a former New Zealand organisation * CARE (England) West Midlands, Central Accident Resuscitation Emergency team, a team of doctors & ...

Oxfam Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent non-governmental organizations (NGOs), focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International. It began as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief ...

and the

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

. In June 2014, Dee organised a Noël Coward charity cabaret, entitled ''I Went to a Marvellous Party'' at London's historic Cafe de Paris, as a celebration of and farewell to Angela Lansbury, marking the end of the run of ''Blithe Spirit'' in London. The ''Blithe Spirit'' company performed songs by Noël Coward, a charity auction was hosted by Christopher Biggins and there were special guest appearances by

and

Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries (17 February 1934 – 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He was best known for writing and playing his stage and television characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He appeare ...

. Proceeds from the event were donated to Asylum Link Merseyside, Combined Theatrical Charities, Masterclass, Mousetrap, the Noël Coward Foundation and the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

The London Climate Change Festival

In 2020, Dee organised the London Climate Change Festival to inspire, inform and bring hope around climate change. It brought together people from science, the arts, business and activism to discuss what can be done with regard to the climate crisis. The London Climate Change Festival was scheduled to commence on Monday 23 March 2020. Due to COVID-19 Pandemic it took place online. However, Dee produced a TV programme of performances and interviews at the London Coliseum, titled ''Song for Nature'' in 2021 for Sky Arts, including many of the artists and activists who were to take part in the Festival. It can still be seen ‘on demand’ on Sky Arts. The London Climate Change Festival is now a ‘not-for-profit’ company set up by Dee and co-director Steven Levy. In 2024, Janie took the ''Beautiful World Cabaret'' to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it received rave reviews, returning to London and playing to sold out audiences at the Jermyn Street Theatre, the Playground Theatre and Tabard Theatre. In September 2024 ‘'Old Friends Meet New Friends'‘ was created and produced by Dee in the Delfont Room at the Prince of Wales Theatre, to inspire young writers and performers to engage with nature and write and perform with this theme in mind. In May 2025 Crazy Coqs will host a series of twelve ''Beautiful World Cabarets'' co-produced by Dee with world-class performers including Dame Felicity Lott, Wayne Sleep OBE,

Rob Brydon Robert Brydon Jones (; born 3 May 1965) is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. He gained prominence for his roles in film, television and radio. He was appointed Order of the British Empire, Member of the Order ...

(gala only), Laura Pitt-Pulford, Ian Shaw (singer), Carly Mercedes Dyer, Barlow & Smith, Josefina Ortiz Lewis, Sister Mary, Em Hoggett, and Dee herself.

Theatre work

Plays

Musical theatre

Cabaret

Filmography

Film

Television

Audio work

Radio

Podcast

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website
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Janie Dee
at IOBDB {{DEFAULTSORT:Dee, Janie English women singers English musical theatre actresses English stage actresses English television actresses Laurence Olivier Award winners Royal Shakespeare Company members British Shakespearean actresses Living people Actors educated at the Arts Educational Schools English film actresses Actresses from Berkshire Theatre World Award winners People from Old Windsor 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses Musicians from Berkshire 1962 births Actors from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead