Summer-time, and the Acting Is Easy!
Above: Che Walker and Summer Strallen in Intra Muros at Park Theatre. Photo: Edward Johnson
There can’t be many people with at least a vague interest in the world of musical theatre who haven’t heard of the four famous Strallen sisters. With Bonnie Langford as their aunt and parents who both performed in the original London production of Cats, one might be forgiven for thinking there was only one direction in which these girls would be heading.
“Oh, I didn’t want to do it at all!” Summer, the second oldest of the quartet tells me in a rather rebellious tone. “…until I saw my sister at ArtsEd having a wonderful time! I was at a convent school near Twickenham and she was at ArtsEd with all the boys; and I was jealous. So I thought, ‘I want to go there!’”
The sister in question tempting Summer away from a secondary school life with the nuns at St. Catherine’s in Strawberry Hill was the oldest of the bunch, Scarlett, who has gone on to play a plethora of leading roles including Mary Poppins both in London and on Broadway – a part which third Strallen sister, Zizi, has remarkably now claimed for herself and is – as we speak – preparing to move into the West End to play the same title role opposite Charlie Stemp who takes on Dick van Dyke’s Bert, the chimney sweep.
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