AN actress from Redditch has bounced back from crippling illness to tread the boards in Stratford upon Avon.
Loretta Hope grew up on Dolben Lane in Winyates and after leaving school and moving to Birmingham trained in circus skills and acrobats.
However her career was blighted when she was struck by a rare condition which resulted in her developing a huge cyst of spinal fluid in her back.
A series of major operations followed – and a spell back in Redditch being cared for by mum.
Now back on her feet after two years of rehabilitation, she’s starring as the mischievous Puck in the Bard’s hilarious comedy A Midsummer’s Night Dream at No1 Shakespeare Street in Stratford.
“I’ve been two years out and it’s been a rocky road back,” said Loretta, aged 26.
“I’ve had several operations on my back and spent two months in hospital and another ten months housebound.”
She’s now awaiting the results of her 18 month MRI scan but is feeling good.
“I was scouted for the part of Puck after playing Peter Pan in a production at the Blue Orange Theatre in Birmingham,” said Loretta, who now lives in Stechford.
“Puck relishes chaos and mischief and apparently I’m quite like that…”
The play is being staged by the Civil Brawl Theatre Company, a new group of players dedicated to bringing Shakespeare to a wider audience and to give rising actors and actresses a leg up the career ladder.
“I loved doing circus skills, I’ve got good upper body strength and it became so addictive,” said Loretta, who didn’t go to drama school, abandoned university and has worked her way up from the bottom.
“Like everything else it’s through networking and doing the usual jobs of working in cafes, restaurants and hotels between times,” she said.
A Midsummer’s Night Dream is upstairs at No1 Shakespeare Street, Stratford, on Sunday, July 23 (2.30pm), and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday July 24-26, all at 7.30pm.
