Frances Ruffelle finished tenth for Great Britain in 1994’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Doesn’t sound like much of a stellar intro does it?
Allow me to qualify. Firstly, and perhaps of least significance, we Brits are not viewed kindly by the continental voters. In fact in the last decade of Eurovision we’ve finished just once inside the top ten, and more often than not (yes, literally) outside the top twenty. Tenth place, for a nation so poorly regarded in the contest, is practically gold medal status.
But the point is, tenth place at Eurovision requires no qualification when your name is Frances Ruffelle, whose career to date is like a radar screen coruscating with such a profusion of lights that the dot of that contest (and no matter what I say, I’m actually a fan..) is lost among the brighter multitude.
Frances, you see, is a Tony Award winner. She is a West-End actress in such prestigious shows as Starlight Express, Chicago and Les Miserables. She went on to feature in the film adaptation of the latter, directed by Tom Hooper and starring Helena Bonham-Carter, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe and everyone else, it seems, who’s ever been anything in Hollywood. She was nominated for the UK Theatre Award’s Best Actor, has a string of TV credits to her name and has recorded five albums (and counting). If that’s not enough, Frances is also pretty handy when it comes to parenthood. Her daughter is Eliza Doolittle, she of Skinny Jeans fame (and quick scoop: there’s more to come from that particular talent so keep your ears peeled). And, perhaps of paramount significance here, Frances has managed to guide said offspring away from the less salubrious trappings which all too often go hand in hand with early stardom. “I feel extremely proud of her,” Frances tells me. “And,” she adds, “I feel relieved.” As a parent, I know what she means.
Or…perhaps I’ve misinterpreted the source of her relief? Because Frances has show business in her heritage: her mother is none other than Sylvia Young, founder of the Theatre School of the same name which turned out Amy Winehouse and Rita Ora among a host of other success stories. For Frances, having done her own mother proud, it’s got to be a weight off to see Eliza making a success of her career in an industry that’s as unforgiving today as it’s ever been.
Speaking of heritage – how did that upbringing shape Frances Ruffelle’s own destiny?
“I was introduced to both pop music and theatrical music at a very young age,” she says. “My mother was the oldest of nine and had much younger brothers who played guitars, and I would pretend I was the lead singer in a band and perform Beatles songs with them when I was about five years old. My mother used to perform old time musicals; I loved those too. When I was older, I performed in musicals on stage but also started to record and write songs. I took my theatricality into the writing and performing of my music, and originally my vocal tone was inspired on an old time musical singer called Kate Carney who I felt had a cry to her voice.”
If you’re a patron of London’s West End scene you’ll be fully acquainted with Frances; as well as the aforementioned Andrew Lloyd-Webber productions, she has played the lead role in the Pam Gems musical Piaf. But you might not be cognizant of her five albums and the sixth in the pipeline. Or at the end of it – in truth I Say Yeh-Yeh is on the cusp of release and will be available to buy/download on the 9th October.
So it’s six albums, a stage and screen career: to say Frances has been busy is an understatement.
“I am always singing or writing, or probably more than that, thinking about what or how I would like to perform or record. Or what I want to wear to perform in. I don’t stop thinking about it. I rehearse in my head and I probably ought to rest more.”
Asking her about her daily routine, I’m inclined to agree.
“I get up early and always start the day running out to buy a coffee and eat breakfast back at home, or I eat it out and meet a friend to walk the dog if I have him (shared custody). Then I go to the gym or yoga almost every day. I may have a meeting or two, or I may be rehearsing something and if I have no actual TV or theatre job to do I either start working on a new idea or sometimes I just take the time given to me to meet up with friends or my grown up kids. In the evenings, if I’m not performing, I like to cook or go to the theatre or yoga. But most of the time there’s always something I have to get on with like learning lyrics or acting lines.”
Hectic she may be. Envious of the nine-to-fivers she is not.
“No,” Frances avers. “I have a great life. I am so lucky.”
In fact, when I ask Frances of her proudest achievements, I start to think: here is a lady who has it made.
“Right now I am very proud of the album I have just made and I love the production by Gwyneth Herbert. But my proudest moment – or moments – are to do with my grown up children. They are very special, and apart from all individually being talented they are loving and thoughtful.”
See what I mean?
With that in mind, what is the Frances Ruffelle definition of success?
“My definition of success is being able to do what you love doing creatively and not being in a position to have to take the jobs that don’t challenge or inspire you. I think you have to just go for it,” she adds. “It would be hard to go through life thinking that you never tried. But more importantly you cannot rely on your goals or achieving them to make you happy.”
Frances Ruffelle’s brand new LP, I Say Yeh-Yeh, is a Sixties French-pop influenced album and is produced by Gwyneth Herbert, the multi-faceted, infinitely talented musician labelled “Brilliantly original” by MOJO and “A remarkably gifted talent” by The Guardian. The album is released in the UK on the 9th October and worldwide shortly thereafter, but the impatient among you can secure a copy on pre-order by clicking the album cover below. To coincide with the release of I Say Yeh-Yeh, Frances will be performing at London’s Crazy Coqs from the 13th to the 17th of October so don’t hang about if you want to get your hands on some tickets.
If you’d like to get to know Frances you can follow her on Twitter @FrancesRuffelle, where you’ll find all the latest news, including previews of the upcoming LP. The official website is at www.francesruffelle,com and you’ll find her on Instagram here and Facebook here.
My grateful thanks to Frances for her time and insight, and to Sara French of Republic Media for arranging this interview.