Interview: Jolene O’Hara on reprising her role in OTTILIE at Barn Theatre
Following an acclaimed run in Belfast in 2025, Richard Clements’ new play Ottilie is set to open in Cirencester this March. Telling the life story of the godmother of British blues, Northern Irish singer Ottilie Patterson, it will transport audiences back to the post-war jazz scene. We spoke about the show with Jolene O'Hara, who is reprising her role as Ottilie after the Belfast run earned her the award for Best Actress at the 2025 Northern Irish Theatre Awards.
How does it feel to be reprising the role of Ottilie?
It is such a dream come true. As an actor, it is very rare that you get such a complex and unique character to play and I’m still pinching myself that I was asked to do it the first time round, never mind the second! And at the Barn Theatre. Ottilie is such an incredible talent and so integral to our music history that is it a real honour to help bring her story to life again.
What makes Ottilie’s story so fascinating?
Ottilie is this little girl from Carnesure Terrace, Comber, County Down N. Ireland who followed her heart and soul into the jazz and blues world of the 1950s and never looked back. She soared to dizzying heights, touring with The Chris Barber Band around the world, singing alongside Blues titans such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Muddy Waters and Big Bill Broonzy. There was public unrest in Belfast as the police were called to control the crowds when she returned to play a home gig. The audience reception was so wild following her stint on stage at President Kennedy’s Jazz Festival that Louis Armstrong was delayed by ten minutes. She rose to the top and could have been a solo star in her own right. However, systemic neglect and lack of support in her personal life led to a decline in her mental and physical health and she eventually lost her voice. Addicted to drugs without knowing it and a series of quite awful personal losses led to her leaving the spotlight all together in the end. Her story is important as one of resilience in the face of a resistant industry. She directly influenced the British Blues movement and we must continue to tell her story and her impact on Blues this side of the Atlantic.
How does the experience of playing a historical figure differ from that of playing a fictional character?
There is a little more nuance to emulate Ottilie’s presence and qualities. I have listened to her Jazz Heritage Wales tapes a million times and watched all the videos I can find of her performing. There is no way to perfectly replicate Ottilie and her unique voice so we have concentrated on trying to capture her spirit and energy. With a fictional character, you have more freedom to make the character as close to yourself as is appropriate as it is much easier pulling from your own experiences to find your truth of the character. Most of Ottilie’s truths are already there to see. We just had to fine tune.
What is your favourite moment to perform in the show?
There are lots of moments I thoroughly enjoy performing in the show. Some of the scenes are pretty heavy with a delicate subject matter. It is hard work but so rewarding to get to act through. Song-wise, one of my favourites has to be ‘Make Me Or Break Me’. It is one of the times that we see Ottilie at her most vulnerable and it is such a still and honest moment. It is made even more magical by the fact that she wrote the song herself. It is truly heartbreaking. That moment and, of course, the Beetle Drive…
What's next for you in the world of theatre and music?
I go back on tour with Van Morrison for a couple of months after Ottilie. And then there are a few more projects beginning to shape themselves into existence for the rest of the year. At the minute though, I’m taking one day at a time, haha!
Ottilie plays at Cirencester’s Barn Theatre from 21 March - 19 April, with further info here.