On 16 March 2020, the West End suddenly closed its doors after Boris Johnson advised the public not to attend theatres and instead start practising social distancing measures. This left thousands of cast and crew without a job and no knowledge of when this would change. Now a year on since that fateful night, I will explore how a couple of West End women have navigated the uncertainty of the past year by developing their own businesses and where that journey has taken them.
I am no stranger to the West End. My husband and I are both actors and at different points in our careers and have spent time in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), as well as other musicals. We know what it’s like to live a ‘feast and famine’ life where the pendulum swings between endless auditioning and bar jobs to getting offered dream contracts that may last six months to two years. Anyone who has chosen to tread the boards has not taken the decision lightly. This is because many of us have heard the grim statistics that only 2% of actors earn a living in the profession and at least 90% are out of work at any given time. It must therefore be incredibly heart-breaking when you are one of the lucky ones enjoying a stint on the stage to then have it suddenly ripped away with no idea of if or when you will return.
Soophia Foroughi
Soophia Foroughi is one of these people. She was understudying the role of Queen Tuya and Yocheved in The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre) when the pandemic hit. Instead of playing victim, she decided to channel her creative talents into a completely different project; a business selling handmade, unique, statement earrings fashioned from clay – Ava and Azar was born. What makes this business so unique is that Soophia draws on her Iranian heritage and the beauty of Persian architecture to create truly bespoke pieces.
“Starting my own small business has been a MASSIVE learning curve.”
I asked Soophia how the business came about: “Ava and Azar has been born out of a pandemic…I was really craving the need to explore my creativity in other areas and to find a sense of ‘purpose’. It was last summer that I first picked up clay for the first time and started making earrings – only as a therapeutic hobby to begin with – but I quickly realised (as an avid statement earring lover) that it was something that I had an ‘eye’ for, and within a very short time I decided to start creating earrings for other people and to build something from it in a business sense.”
“Starting my own small business has been a MASSIVE learning curve…not only do I make the earrings, but I have had to learn how to use social media for business, be a photographer, learn about branding, finances, posting – the list is endless! It takes up a lot of time, but because I am passionate about it, it’s lovely to nurture Ava and Azar and see how it is evolving daily.”
“I am so happy with the success I have had in just over six months since launching Ava and Azar! I never had a big business strategy in place – it literally came from a lightbulb moment whilst talking with my family. For that reason, it is something that has grown very organically, and when I look at the development in this short time, it blows my mind!”
Rosanna Hyland
Soophia isn’t the only leading lady to have diversified over the last year however. West End actor, Rosanna Hyland, has also put her business hat on and began her own stationary business.
When the country went into lockdown last March she was in Manchester playing Lorraine Baines in the brand new production of Back to the Future: The Musical. The show had been many years in the making and the plan was to preview it at the Manchester Opera House before opening in London’s West End. The musical had barely had its Press night when the announcement was made to close all theatres across the country and it was utterly devastating to all involved.
Rosanna used the ‘downtime’ to work on her stationary business Hyland Paper Co, which she established at the end of 2019 as a side hustle. She designs the stationary herself, from wedding invitations to thank you notes and business cards. Customers can purchase and download the design, make any alterations they like (such as changing names/dates), and then print it themselves. The editing software is fool-proof and the designs are both unique and elegant.
“As a performer I know what I bring to the table, I know where my strengths and weaknesses are, and I know what makes me unique, but I’m still discovering myself as a designer.”
Rosanna told me that the business seemed like a good fit for her because she has always been crafty and was “looking for a way to create some passive, supplementary income” where she “could work from a dressing room if need be.” It also provides a little security if she decides to take a break from the industry in the future.
I asked Rosanna what business challenges she’s faced over the last year and whether she has learned any new skills. “The biggest challenge for me was wanting to put everything I have into it but not always knowing where to direct my efforts. Balancing the creative side with the business side has been a juggling act. I’m not a natural entrepreneur, I’m not a great salesperson, so that aspect of the business has been challenging to wrap my head around. But I’ve been able to understand a bit about social media marketing, SEO, brand building, customer service, and visual communication. Not to mention I’ve learned Procreate, Illustrator, and refined my Photoshop skills!”
“My other challenge has been finding my voice as a designer. As a performer I know what I bring to the table, I know where my strengths and weaknesses are, and I know what makes me unique, but I’m still discovering myself as a designer.”
What Does This Mean For Soophia And Rosanna?
It is clear when talking to both women that they have been on a very steep learning curve over the last year. Their passion, creativity, and self-motivation are clearly built into their DNA, but the skills to make an ‘idea’ into a viable business has had to be learned.
I asked Rosanna how she feels about the West End opening up again and getting her ‘day job’ back: “I’m excited and trepidatious! Excited because I love my career and I can’t wait to be back in my element. Trepidatious because whilst I’ve put a lot of work into staying show fit and super healthy, it’s still going to be pretty intense getting back in the saddle again.”
“I’ve been very aware of how fortunate I am to pursue a sideline that I really love.”
Soophia adds, “I’m incredibly excited to return to my performing work, which I have missed so much…Ava and Azar will continue with me into the next chapter – again, it will be a massive learning curve, but I’m sure that with a little time, I will find balance and be able to continue nurturing this little baby when we’ve all settled into theatre life again!”
Finally, I asked the ladies whether their businesses have helped them mentally cope during the pandemic.
Rosie said, “it absolutely has. Whilst it’s not quite paying the bills yet, it has done just well enough to show promise and that has kept me motivated to keep plugging away. It definitely gave me a reason to get up in the morning and something to structure my day around. I’ve been very aware of how fortunate I am to pursue a sideline that I really love.”
Soophia added, “Ava and Azar has been a hugely positive thing to have come out of a very hard and testing year. Mentally, it is so therapeutic for me and has given me focus and structure. I never thought that I’d start up a small business making earrings! But this is honestly the most creative I have ever felt aside from performing and I’m so grateful that this time has allowed me to explore other passions.”
What Does This Mean For Women In The Arts?
It is incredibly inspiring to see two successful women adapting so quickly to their new reality over the last year, but their story is far from unique. I was astounded when I saw the sheer range of businesses springing up throughout 2020, all conceived by the cast and crew of London’s West End. From baked goods to candles, knitted clothing to portraits of your pet, up-cycled furniture to stunning jewellery and of course, the essential facemask.
Out of work artists far and wide have taken control of their new narrative and thrown themselves into passion projects that have now become viable businesses. In fact, so many of these start-ups were emerging that last summer, Anna Saunders (previously Wardrobe Mistress on 9 to 5: The Musical) started a not-for-profit website and Instagram page to showcase the varied businesses. Not on the West End has since held two successful Virtual Markets and will be holding a Virtual Spring Market this weekend (20th/21st March) offering discounts to Not on the West End customers so if you’re in the mood to treat yourself (or others) you know where to go!
“Their businesses will remain a side hustle for now, but who knows what will await them in the future?”
For Rosie and Soophia, their businesses will remain a side hustle for now, but who knows what will await them in the future? In fact, you could argue that 2020 has provided them (and many others) with a rare gift; the time and motivation to throw themselves into something new which has turned out to be equally creative and satisfying. Very rarely are we forced to stop and change direction, but it is in these moments that we truly understand who we really are and what we’re ultimately capable of.
From my perspective, there is no denying that the silver lining to the theatre closures of 2020 is that rather than artists sharing themselves with us on stage, they are now sharing their products with the public. Artists must create art. It is not just a career, it is their ultimate calling. Whether it’s playing a character onstage, designing costumes, operating lighting, building sets, or playing the violin in the Orchestra Pit. Just because one job is prematurely cut short doesn’t mean that the need to create dies. As we’ve seen, it simply must be re-channelled into other projects.
So if you’ve been toying with a business idea or imagining what it would be like to try something new, look to these women for inspiration. Shine a spotlight on your own life and don’t be afraid to become the leading lady in your very own production. After all, we all know that everyone loves a plot twist.
To find out more about Not on the West End, visit their website or Instagram page. For a comprehensive shopping guide, check out the following article from The Stage UK.
You can also show Soophia and Rosanna some support by giving them a follow!
Ashleigh Fleming
Featured image courtesy of Kyle Head via Unsplash. This image has in no way been altered. Image license is available here.
Ashleigh Fleming
Ashleigh Fleming is an Australian Musical Theatre Actor, Vocal Coach and Writer based in the UK, in Greater London. She enjoys baking, blogging, knitting and yoga and likes to share vegan recipes and whimsical thoughts on her blog www.alittlevegan.org.