Alice Lowe
Alice Eva Lowe (born 3 April 1977)[1] is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She is known for her roles as Dr. Haynes in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Madeleine Wool/Liz Asher in Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. She wrote, directed, and starred in the 2016 film Prevenge and starred in and co-wrote the 2012 film Sightseers. She also starred in the educational children's television series Horrible Histories.
Alice Lowe | |
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Born | Alice Eva Lowe 3 April 1977 Coventry, West Midlands, England |
Occupation | Comedian, actress, writer |
Children | 2 |
Early life
Lowe was born in Coventry, West Midlands, England.[2] She attended Kenilworth School and graduated from King's College, Cambridge.[3]
Career
Lowe began her career co-devising and performing in surreal experimental theatre shows such as City Haunts, Snowbound and Progress in Flying Machines with David Mitchell and Robert Webb under the directorship of Paul King, who has since directed her in The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. She was part of the cast in Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight alongside fellow Cambridge graduates Richard Ayoade and Matt Holness and they were nominated for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2000. In 2001, she won that award for performing in the sequel to Fright Knight, Garth Marenghi's Netherhead. In 2005 she returned to the Fringe with MoonJourney, a sci-fi themed Kate Bush spoof. In 2009, Lowe appeared with Steve Coogan on his Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters tour. She played one of the supporting actors, filling in between Coogan's character changes and playing some of the support characters in sketches.
Her television credits include Channel 4's spoof horror comedy Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Beth in the BBC comedy series My Life in Film, David Bowie in the BBC series Snuff Box, and a recurring role in Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive. She was part of the all female comedy show Beehive along with Sarah Kendall, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Clare Thomson which was aired on E4, and was a regular cast member of the CBBC show Horrible Histories during the second and third seasons. Her BBC Three pilot "LifeSpam: My Child Is French" was broadcast in 2009,[4] and she co-wrote and starred in Channel 4's Orcadia. In February 2010, she appeared in and script-edited the pilot for a "sort-of-sketch-show" called Missing Scene.[5]
She has also guest starred in a number of television shows including as Monkey in "The Priest and the Beast" episode of The Mighty Boosh, as Patricia in the "Fifty-Fifty" episode of The IT Crowd, a solicitor in the "Travel Writer" episode of Black Books, Madonna in an episode of Channel 4's Star Stories, as well as episodes of Little Britain, Come Fly with Me, Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul, Beautiful People and This is Jinsy. She appeared in the music video for "Bastardo" by Charlotte Hatherley, directed by Edgar Wright.
Lowe co-wrote and starred in the short film Stiffy, directed by Jacqueline Wright, which premiered at Cannes in 2005 as part of the Kodak Straight 8 competition. Her self-penned short film Sticks and Balls was screened at Cannes in 2007. In 2010 together with Wright she founded the production company Jackal Films, making a short film each month of that year.[6]
Lowe appeared in the action comedy film Hot Fuzz, and took a lead role in the 2012 film Sightseers, the third production from director Ben Wheatley. Sightseers was written by Lowe with Steve Oram, with additional material by Amy Jump.[7] Lowe had a role in the Edgar Wright-directed film The World's End.[8]
On BBC Radio 4 she has written three series of Alice's Wunderland a dark, surreal comedy.[9]
In 2016, she made her directorial debut on the critically acclaimed [10] dark comedy Prevenge, which she directed while pregnant.[11]
In 2018, Lowe appeared as Dr Haynes on Netflix's first adult-targeted interactive film, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.[12]
Personal life
Lowe was pregnant while filming Prevenge and later gave birth to her daughter Della with partner Paul Synnott.[13] Della portrayed Ruth’s newborn in Prevenge when she was ten days old.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | Hot Fuzz | Tina | |
2011 | Kill List | Radio Reporter | |
2012 | Sightseers | Tina | Also writer |
2013 | The World's End | Young Lady | |
2014 | Locke | Sister Margaret | Voice |
Paddington | Geographer's Receptionist | ||
Electricity | Sylvia | ||
2015 | Aaaaaaaah! | Sitcom Eudora | |
Burn Burn Burn | Davina | ||
2016 | Adult Life Skills | Alice | |
Stoner Express | Roxy | ||
Prevenge | Ruth | Also writer and director | |
Chubby Funny | Susan | ||
The Ghoul | Kathleen | ||
2018 | Wild Honey Pie | Gerry | |
Solis | Commander Roberts | Voice | |
Sometimes Always Never | Sue | ||
The Fight | Heather | ||
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch | Dr. Haynes | ||
2019 | Eternal Beauty | ||
Dark Encounter | Arlene | ||
Days of the Bagnold Summer | Carol |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001–2002 2006 |
Comedy Lab | Various characters | 3 episodes; also writer of Orcadia |
2004 | Garth Marenghi's Darkplace | Liz Asher / Madeleine Wool | 6 episodes |
2004 | Black Books | Solicitor | Episode: "Travel Writer" |
2004 | My Life in Film | Beth | 6 episodes |
2005 | The Mighty Boosh | Monkey | Episode: "The Priest & the Beast" |
2005 | Little Britain | Mother on Bench / Woman on Bench | 2 episodes |
2006 | The IT Crowd | Patricia | Episode: "Fifty-Fifty" |
2006 | Snuff Box | David Bowie | Episode: "Matt's Diary" |
2006 | Star Stories | Madonna | Episode: "The Wife's Life" |
2006 | Man to Man with Dean Learner | Various roles | Episode: "Merriman Weir" |
2006 | Pulling | Alice | Episode #1.6 |
2006–2007 | Annually Retentive | Various role | 3 episodes |
2007 | Angelo's | Alicia | 6 episodes |
2008 | Beehive | Various roles | 5 episodes; also writer |
2008–2012 | Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul | Various characters | 12 episodes |
2009 | LifeSpam: My Child Is French | Various characters | Television film; also writer |
2009 | Beautiful People | Stacey Bile | Episode: "How I Got My Turner" |
2010 | Come Fly with Me | Young Mum | Episode #1.1 |
2010 | Horrible Histories | Various characters | 12 episodes |
2011, 2014 | This is Jinsy | Soosan Noop | 16 episodes |
2012 | Skins | Jemima | Episode: "Franky" |
2014 | Sherlock | Tessa | Episode: "The Sign of Three" |
2015 | Inside No. 9 | Amanda | Episode: "Séance Time" |
2017 | Carters Get Rich | Sue Golding | Episode: "Co-Creator" |
2018 | Flowers | Paula | Episode #2.4 |
2018 | Hang Ups | Celia Cain | 3 episodes |
References
- England & Wales births 1837 – 2006
- "Coventry-born creator Alice Lowe brings Prevenge preview to Warwick Arts Centre". www.whatsonlive.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- "Reporter 7/7/99: Congregations of the Regent House on 25 and 26 June 1999". cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
- Bruce Dessau, Alice Lowe's LifeSpam presents new face of female comedy Alice Lowe's sharp comedy features in all the best shows, but don't compare her with Catherine Tate. The Times, 17 January 2009.
- 'Missing Scene' - taster pilot. Vimeo. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
- "Jackal Films". Archived from the original on 23 February 2015.
- Godfrey, Alex (23 November 2012). "Sightseers: Alice Lowe and the secret terrors of caravanning". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
- "Ultimate Guide to 'The Worlds End' PART 1 - Easter Eggs, Themes, and Symbolism!". viewerdiscretionadvised.net. 28 August 2013.
- "Alice's Wunderland". BBC Radio. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prevenge
- Puckrik, Katie (14 February 2017). "Alice Lowe: 'It wasn't part of the plan to direct while pregnant'". The Guardian.
- "Alice Lowe: Dr. Haynes". IMDb. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- Dean, Rosamund. "Alice Lowe Talks Pregnancy, Murder And Prevenge". Red Online.