Triple Olivier nominee actress and singer Issy van Randwyck is best known for her roles in London’s West End including the wonderful A Little Night Music alongside Dame Judi Dench (National Theatre), Kiss Me Kate (New Shakespeare Company), Once in a Lifetime (National Theatre) and The Go Between (Apollo Theatre).

Issy started her stage career as the only female singer in the world renowned Madame Jojo’s, before becoming one of the longest serving members of the popular satirical cabaret acts Fascinating Aida, for which she received two Olivier nominations, touring the UK extensively over those years with sold out shows in New York, Australia, New Zealand, Berlin and in London's West End at The Garrick, Apollo, Vaudeville, Haymarket Theatre Royal and Lyric Hammersmith.

Issy also appeared at Regents Park Open Air Theatre as Helena in A Midsummer Nights Dream and Lois in Kiss Me Kate (receiving an Olivier Award nomination).  A string of plays at Chichester including The Man Who Came to Dinner, Arcadia, A Small Family Business and the hugely successful Song of Singapore (pictured below), which transferred to London's West End. She returned to Regents Park to play Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Sylvia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Back in the West End, she created the role of Helen in Calico (Duke of York's Theatre) and played Helen Hobart in Once in a Lifetime (National Theatre).

From the mid 1990's, she has appeared in numerous productions at the Jermyn Street Theatre including The Betrayal of Nora Blake, Anyone Can Whistle, Closer Then Ever (receiving two Offie nominations) and more recently Anything That Flies. At Hampstead Theatre her credits include No Naughty Bits, Raving and A Further Education. 

More recently Issy starred in The Go Between (Apollo Theatre) and a UK Tour of Rough Crossing.

In 2018 she wrote and performed her one woman show Dazzling Divas for two sold out runs at The Pheasantry. In 2019 she had two further sold out shows at Crazy Coqs and Minerva Theatre (Chichester).  Dazzling Divas was part of the Jermyn Street Theatre Footprints Festival June 2021, receiving an OffFest nominations. More shows will be announced soon.

In 2020 Issy starred in The Boy Friend, pictured with Adrian Edmonson, at The Menier Chocolate Factory.

From 2015-2019 Issy curated The Festival at Hampstead Theatre, an annual three day drama and literally festival featuring over 30 unique events including workshops and panel discussions with artists. Events in the festival included Lolita Chakrabarti and James Graham; children's laureates Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell, Paul O'Grady; David Williams, Anthony Horowitz, William Boyd, Rupert Everett, Darcey Bussell, Lynda La Plante, Mark Baldwin (Ballet Rambert), Polly Samson, Nina Raine, Paulette Randall (co director of London Olympic Opening ceremony), Dame Janet Suzman, Kate Mosse, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Tim Piggot Smith, Tim McInnery, Gary Kemp, Matthew Bourne, Claire Tomalin, Francesca Simon, Heather MacGregor, Kathy Lette, Ronnie Anconna, Gus Christie (Glyndebourne), Celia Imrie, Sheila Hancock, Nell Gifford (Giffords Circus), Julian Fellowes, Sir Michael and Lady Heseltine, Howard Brenton, Christopher Wheeldon, Freddie Fox, Mike Leigh, Meera Syal, Sir David Hare, Zoe Wanamaker, Penny Smith and so many more.

She produced the fundraising concert 'Ukraine Unplugged' raising approximately £40k for Choose Love and the White Eagle Appeal helping Ukrainian refugees.

Issy is also a successful screen actress with film credits including The Danish Girl, Christopher and His Kind, The Hippopotamus and Blithe Spirit, a reimagining of the Noel Coward classic starring Dan Stevens, Dame Judi Dench and Isla Fisher.

TV credits including Partners in Crime (BBC1), Kingdom (ITV), Downton Abbey (ITV),  Endeavour (ITV), Spooks (BBC), Action Team (ITV) and Waiting for God (BBC).

Dazzling Divas, written and performed by triple Olivier nominee Issy van Randwyck is a spellbinding musical journey through the lives of seven incredible talents who left us too soon.

Sold out shows at:

The Pheasantry, Crazy Coqs, Minerva Theatre (Chichester) & Jermyn Street Theatre. More dates to be announced soon.

‘All I ever heard was girls don’t play drums – I picked up a pair of sticks and it was the most natural-feeling’  Karen Carpenter

Featuring songs and stories on divas Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Mama Cass, Karen Carpenter, Marilyn Monroe, Patsy Cline and Dusty Springfield.

“One of the fizziest talents in British Showbiz - the singing is golden”.

Daily Telegraph

★★★★
The Times

★★★★
Musical Theatre Review

“You can be up to your boobies in white satin with gardenia’s in your hair and no sugar cane for my miles but you can still be working on a plantation …’ Billie Holiday

Pictures ©sallymaisphotography.com

“You know when a producer calls an actress into his office to discuss a script that isn’t all he has in mind – I've slept with producers. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t. But you can’t sleep your way into being a star though. It takes much much more – but it helps” Marilyn Monroe

The Divas

Eleanora Fagan (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), better known as Billie Holiday, was an African American jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing.

Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter who sang rock, soul and blues music. One of the most successful and widely known rock stars of her era, she was known for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage presence.

Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen; September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and actress who is best known for having been a member of the Mamas and the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums.

Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) was an American singer and drummer who, along with her older brother Richard, was part of the duo the Carpenters. She was praised for her contralto vocals, and her drumming abilities were viewed positively by other musicians and critics.

Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, comedienne, singer, and model. She became one of the world's most enduring iconic figures and is remembered both for her winsome embodiment of the Hollywood sex symbol and her tragic personal and professional struggles within the film industry.

Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. She is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century and was one of the first country music artists to successfully crossover into pop music.

Dusty Springfield was one of the finest singers to emerge from the froth and bubble of the Swinging Sixties. In many ways she epitomised the sound and style of the era. Yet her unique voice, powerful, sensual and rich in passion, had a timeless quality that has proved appealing to new generations of fans.

Issy has featured on numerous albums and also released her own album It's Oh So Issy.  Albums include A Little Bit In Love, The Rocky Horror Show, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Best of the West End, Musicality of Berlin, Songs of Singapore, A Little Night Music and Moll Flanders A Musical. 

Albums with Fascinating Aida include Live at The Lyric; It, Wit, Don't Give a Shit Girls and Barefaced Chic. A DVD of It, Wit, Don't Give a Shit Girls was also released. 

Issy also sang and toured worldwide with legendary jazz harmonica player Larry Adler and features on the album The Glory of Gershwin, produced by George Martin.

As an actress, Issy has also featured on many major audio series including Dr Who, Blake 7, The Diary River Song, Star Cops, Adam Adamant Lives! and The Paternoster Gang. 

CRAZY COQS, BRAZZERIE ZEDEL

NOVEMBER 13TH & 14TH NOVEMBER 2019 SOLD OUT

MINERVA THEATRE, CHICHESTER

DECEMBER 17TH 2019 SOLD OUT

THE PHEASANTRY

JUNE & NOVEMBER 2018 SOLD OUT