Monica Dolan
Dolan in a frame from Out of Darkness, 2012
Born
Monica Margaret Dolan

(1969-03-15) 15 March 1969 (age 55)
Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
Alma materGuildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
AwardsBAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress

Monica Margaret Dolan is an English actress.[1] She won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Rosemary West in Appropriate Adult (2011).

Early life and education

Dolan was born in Middlesbrough to Irish parents, and raised in Woking with three older siblings.[2] She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.[3]

Career

Her credits include Agatha Christie's Poirot, Dalziel and Pascoe, Tipping the Velvet (with Rachael Stirling) and Judge John Deed. She also starred in ITV drama U Be Dead.[4][5][6][7]

Her stage appearances include Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer,[8] Regan in King Lear[9] and Masha in The Seagull,[10] the latter two with Ian McKellen.[11]

Dolan played British serial killer Rosemary West in the ITV drama Appropriate Adult in 2011, receiving critical acclaim and a BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress.[12][13]

On stage, she starred as Loretta in Chalet Lines, written by Lee Mattinson, at the Bush Theatre.[14] In 2013, she portrayed twin sisters Meg and Mave Carter in the BBC TV series Call the Midwife. She appeared in W1A (a three-series follow-up to BBC2's BAFTA-winning comedy series Twenty Twelve), as Senior Communications Officer Tracey Pritchard.[15]

In 2016, Dolan appeared as Janet McIntyre in the BBC two-part drama The Witness for the Prosecution, an Agatha Christie play adapted for television by Sarah Phelps.[16]

In 2017, she made guest appearances in Catastrophe, Death in Paradise and Strike, whilst also writing and starring in her debut one-woman play, The B*easts at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The play went on to win an Edinburgh Stage Award.[17][18]

In 2018, Dolan made a guest appearance in an episode of the fourth series of Inside No 9. Later that year, she portrayed Marion Thorpe in the critically acclaimed miniseries A Very English Scandal, receiving her second BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.[19][20] The B*easts also transferred for a limited London run at the Bush Theatre.[21]

In 2019, she portrayed Karen Richards in the stage production of All About Eve for which she received a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress.[22]

June 2020 saw her appearing in the remade television series of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads on BBC One. In one of two newly-written episodes, Dolan performed a monologue in "The Shrine". This was one of the episodes staged at London's Bridge Theatre in September 2020, with Dolan reprising her role.[23]

In 2021, she appeared in The Dig, playing May Brown, wife of the archaeologist and astronomer Basil Brown, who discovered the Anglo-Saxon treasure at Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge, Suffolk.[24]

In 2022, Dolan starred as Sister Aloysius in Doubt: A Parable at the Chichester Festival Theatre, receiving critical acclaim.[25] She also appeared alongside Eddie Marsan in the ITV drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe as Anne Darwin.[26][27] She has appeared in two episodes of Black Mirror: "Smithereens", from Series 5, and, more recently, "Loch Henry", from Series 6.[28]

In 2023, she played Carmel in six-part Channel 4 comedy drama The Change. She also starred in Typist Artist Pirate King, directed by Carol Morley, as British artist Audrey Amiss. The film had its UK premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival in March, and was released in October 2023, to positive reviews.[29] In January 2024, she played the role of subpostmistress Jo Hamilton in the ITV drama series Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1996 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia
1999 Topsy-Turvy Miss Barnes
2005 Guernsey Claire
2007 Hope Mother Short film
2009 Stalin: Reign of Terror Pitkovskaya
2010 The Arbor Ann Hamilton
Never Let Me Go Nurse
2011 Pride Marion Cooper
2011 Meconium Kel Short film
2012 Sightseers Janice
2013 Bed Trick Beatrice Short film
Out of Darkness Short film
Vice of Mind Mother Short film
Kick-Ass 2 Tommy's Mum
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Angela Ashbourne
2014 Pride Marion Cooper
The Falling Miss Martha Alvaro
Twelve Jodie Short film
2015 Eye in the Sky Angela Northman
2017 Fern Woman Short film
2018 God's Own County Jackie Short film
2019 Official Secrets Fiona Bygate
National Theatre Live: All About Eve Karen Richards
Days of the Bagnold Summer Sue Bagnold
Rialto Claire
2021 The Dig May Brown
Cyrano Marie
2022 Empire of Light Rosemary Bates
Typist Artist Pirate King Audrey Amiss
TBA This Time Next Year Connie Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993―1997 The Bill Mrs. Heaton/Ruth Bell 2 episodes
1998 The Gift Jo Television film
2001 Judge John Deed Natalie Abbott Episode: "Rough Justice"
2002 Dalziel and Pascoe Megan Lowry Episode: "The Unwanted"
Tipping the Velvet Alice Astley Episode: "Episode #1.2"
2003 She Stoops to Conquer Miss Kate Hardcastle Video
2005 Wallis & Edward Elizabeth Television film
2006 Agatha Christie's Poirot Cora Gallaccio/Miss Gilchrist Episode: "After the Funeral"
The Commander: Blacklight DC Pamela Hayes Television film
2007 The History of Mr. Polly Annie Larkins Television film
2008 Great Performances Regan Episode: "King Lear"
2009 Occupation Nicky Swift 3 episodes
U Be Dead Maria Marchese Television film
Midsomer Murders Imogen Stroud Episode: "The Great and the Good"
2010 Excluded Amanda Television film
DCI Banks: Aftermath Maggie Forrest 2 episodes
2011 Appropriate Adult Rosemary West 2 episodes
BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress
2012 Coming Up Lisa Episode: "Spoof or Die"
2013 Call the Midwife Mave/Meg Carter Episode: "Episode #2.3"
Complicit Judith Television film
The Escape Artist Eileen Morris 2 episodes
2014 Pride Marion Cooper
The Falling Miss Alvaro
2014–2020 W1A Tracey Pritchard 15 episodes
2015 Wolf Hall Alice More
The Casual Vacancy Tessa Wall 3 episodes
2016 Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge Angela 2 episodes
Neil Gaiman's Likely Stories Various 4 episodes
The Witness for the Prosecution Janet McIntyre 2 episodes
2017 Death in Paradise Patricia Lawrence Episode: "The Secret of the Flame Tree"
Catastrophe Polly Episode: "Episode #3.2"
Strike Leonora Quine 2 episodes
2018 Inside No. 9 May Episode: "Once Removed"
A Very English Scandal Marion Thorpe 2 episodes
Nominated — BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress
Vanity Fair Mrs. Peggy O'Dowd 4 episodes
Hang Ups Alison Jones 2 episodes
2019 Urban Myths Catherine Dickens Episode: "Bleak House Guest"
2019–2023 Black Mirror CS Linda Grace
Janet McCardle 		2 episodes: "Smithereens" and "Loch Henry"
2020 Unprecedented Kat Episode: "Episode #1.4"
Talking Heads Lorna Episode: "The Shrine"
2022 The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe Anne Darwin 4 episodes
My Name is Leon Maureen Television film
2023 The Change Carmel 4 episodes
2024 Mr Bates vs The Post Office Jo Hamilton 4 episodes[30]

Theatre

Year Title Role Director Venue
1992 The Merchant of Venice Jessica John Durnin Northcott Theatre
1992 Outside Edge Unknown Martin Harvey
1992 The Three Musketeers Unknown John Durnin
1992 To Kill a Mockingbird Unknown Christopher Sergel
1992–1993 Robin of the Wood Much John Durnin
1994 Unfinished Business Feebs Steven Pimlott Barbican Theatre
1994 Words, Words, Words Performer Unknown The Other Place
1994–1995 Coriolanus Virgilia David Thacker Swan Theatre
Barbican Theatre
1994–1995 Henry V Princess Catherine Matthew Warchus Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Barbican Theatre
1994–1995 Measure for Measure Juliet Steven Pimlott Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
1995–1996 A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Adrian Noble Barbican Theatre
Golden Gate Theatre
Shubert Theatre
1996–1997 Peter Pan Unknown Matthew Warchus West Yorkshire Playhouse
1997 Jane Eyre Jane Eyre Polly Teale UK tour
1998 The Glass Menagerie Laura Polly Teale Royal Lyceum Theatre
1998 An Experiment with an Air-Pump Maria Fenwick Matthew Lloyd Hampstead Theatre
1999 The Glory of Living Lisa Kathryn Hunter Royal Court Theatre
1999 Hay Fever Sorel Bliss Declan Donnellan UK tour
1999 The Taming of the Shrew Katherine Lindsay Posner Barbican Theatre
2001 The Walls Mary Mick Gordon Cottesloe Theatre
2001 Sliding with Suzanne Suzanne Max Stafford-Clark Royal Court Theatre
2002–2003 A Laughing Matter Peg Woffington / Hannah More Max Stafford-Clark Lyttelton Theatre
UK tour
2002-2003 She Stoops to Conquer Kate Hardcastle Max Stafford-Clark Lyttelton Theatre
UK tour
2004 Mary Stuart Mary Patrick Sandford Nuffield Theatre
2005 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Max Stafford-Clark Oxford Playhouse
Arcola Theatre
2007–2008 King Lear Regan Trevor Nunn Courtyard Theatre
UK & World tour
2007–2008 The Seagull Masha Trevor Nunn Courtyard Theatre
UK & World tour
2008 Birth of a Nation Painter Ramin Gray Royal Court Theatre
2013 Chalet Lines Loretta Madani Younis Bush Theatre
The Same Deep Water as Me Anne / Georgina John Crowley Donmar Warehouse
2015 Plaques and Tangles Megan Lucy Morrison Royal Court Theatre
2017 The B*easts Tessa John Hoggarth Writer
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Bush Theatre
2019 All About Eve Karen Richards Ivo van Hove Noel Coward Theatre
2019 Appropriate Toni Lafayette Ola Ince Donmar Warehouse
2020 The Shrine Susan Nicholas Hytner Bridge Theatre[31]
2022 Doubt: A Parable Sister Aloysius Lia Williams Chichester Festival Theatre

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref
2012 British Academy Television Award Best Supporting Actress Appropriate Adult Won [32]
2019 British Academy Television Award Best Supporting Actress A Very English Scandal Nominated [33]
2019 Olivier Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role All About Eve Won [34]
2023 Royal Television Society Award Actor - Female The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe Nominated [35]

References

  1. ^ Holland, Peter (19 December 2005). Shakespeare Survey: Writing about Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press. pp. 288–. ISBN 978-0-521-85074-2. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  2. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (19 June 2022). "'Maybe it's time to do a musical': actor Monica Dolan on playing extreme characters". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Monica Dolan (BA Acting)". Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  4. ^ "The Weekend's TV: U Be Dead, Sun, ITV1/My Funniest Year: 2000, Channel 4" Archived 25 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, independent.co.uk, 6 September 2010.
  5. ^ U Be Dead at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  6. ^ "TV review: U Be Dead and The Yorkshire Dales On Film" Archived 11 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine, guardian.co.uk, 5 September 2010.
  7. ^ "U Be Dead's Monica Dolan Discusses The Art of Stalking" Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, tv.com, 8 September 2010.
  8. ^ "Blogger Ian Foster's review of DVD of She Stoops to Conquer". Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  9. ^ "King Lear" Archived 30 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine, guardian.co.uk, 31 May 2007.
  10. ^ ""The Seagull, presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company" (18 September 2007) Eunice Wong". Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  11. ^ Billington, Michael (1 June 2007). "King Lear". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  12. ^ Appropriate Adult Wins Big at BAFTA TV Awards" Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, yahoo.com, 27 May 2012.
  13. ^ "Bafta Television Awards 2012: Fred West drama Appropriate Adult dominates" Archived 26 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine, telegraph.co.uk, 27 May 2012.
  14. ^ "Chalet Lines, Bush Theatre, review" Archived 17 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, telegraph.co.uk, 16 April 2012.
  15. ^ Taylor, Frances (24 January 2017). "W1A: First look at Hugh Bonneville and Jessica Hynes in series three of the BBC comedy". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  16. ^ "The Witness for the Prosecution: Episode 1 Credits". BBC Online. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  17. ^ Ludmon, Mark (24 August 2017). "REVIEW: The Beasts, Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh Fringe ✭✭✭✭". British Theatre. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Theatre feature: Edinburgh 2017: figures and awards". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  19. ^ "2019 Television Supporting Actress | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  20. ^ Abbott, Kate (28 March 2019). "Bafta TV awards 2019: full list of nominations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  21. ^ "The B*easts". www.bushtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  22. ^ "Actor Monica Dolan: Losing my brother to Covid-19 is part of a global story". The Guardian. 6 June 2020. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  23. ^ "Talking Heads Live | The Bridge Theatre". Bridge Theatre. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  24. ^ Kermode, Mark (31 January 2021). "The Dig review – a quiet meeting of minds at Sutton Hoo". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  25. ^ Akbar, Arifa (28 January 2022). "Doubt: A Parable review – Monica Dolan dazzles in a drama of surefire brilliance". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  26. ^ Jeffries, Stuart (17 April 2022). "The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe review – an unforgettable tale of marital muppets". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  27. ^ "The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe will "divide" viewers, says star". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  28. ^ Rees, Jasper (23 June 2023). "Monica Dolan on Black Mirror's 'dark secrets' – and why she always wears cardigans". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  29. ^ Glasgow Film Festival - Industry Hub Typist Artist Pirate King, retrieved 18 October 2023
  30. ^ "Cast update for new ITV drama Mr Bates vs. The Post Office". ITV. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  31. ^ "The Shrine & Bed Among the Lentils, Bridge Theatre review - loneliness shared, with wit and melancholy". The Arts Desk. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  32. ^ "2012 Television Supporting Actress | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  33. ^ Abbott, Kate (28 March 2019). "Bafta TV awards 2019: full list of nominations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  34. ^ Thomas, Sophie (8 April 2019). "Olivier Awards 2019: Full list of winners". London Theatre. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  35. ^ "Nominations for the RTS Programme Awards 2023 have been announced". Royal Television Society. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.

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