Theatre: Susie’s rollercoaster unravelling as Fatal Attraction comes to Glasgow

As a child of the ’80s, Susie Amy loves movies from that decade more than any other. So, when offered the chance to star in the stage version of Fatal Attraction, one of the era’s defining films, she jumped at it.

The story, of a married man’s one-night stand coming back to haunt him when his lover begins to stalk him and his family, picked up six Oscar nominations and starred Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer.

For the first half of the tour, former Footballers’ Wives star Amy played the Anne Archer role of Beth Gallacher, the cheated wife, but for the remainder of the production, which comes to Glasgow this week, she has switched to the Glenn Close role of Alex Forrest.

“I’ve never been on a job where within the same run I’ve played one lead role and then the other,” said Amy, who turns 41 today. “Kym Marsh was originally Alex but we knew she wasn’t doing the full run of dates. When we were up and running they asked if I’d be interested. It was a good challenge to learn one role while playing the other, then switching over a weekend. I had lots of help and support from the cast and production team, and Louise Redknapp has joined us to play Beth.

“I do prefer playing Alex as it’s such a rollercoaster of emotions. You see her as a confident, independent, witty, charismatic and empowered woman at the beginning, and then you see there are many layers to this person and that she unfortunately suffers with a mental health struggle. She really unravels.”

While the film has been brought into a modern-day setting, the story remains similar. But Amy feels even though that is the case, audiences are looking at the characters differently.

“With us being more aware of mental health and maybe being a little kinder to each other and how our actions impact, it’s providing a different take on how we look at the story.”

The play was written by the film’s screenwriter, James Dearden, who would sit in on rehearsals and give feedback to the cast. There was also intimacy and fight co-ordinators involved, which Amy says is very much part of the industry now.

Oliver Farnworth, who played Andy Carver in Coronation Street, stars opposite Amy. The pair previously worked on a play together, The Marilyn Conspiracy, at the Edinburgh Festival in 2018. Since then, Amy has had two daughters, Noa and Rosie, with partner Raphael Bar, and she wasn’t sure if she would be able to tour again so soon.

“My partner has helped a lot – he actually works with a Scottish company, so he has been going up and down often. There’s been a lot of juggling. Sometimes the kids come with me, other times I’ve commuted, so it’s been about piecing it all together.”

Amy is no stranger to Scotland either. Her parents were born in Glasgow and she has a number of relations here, so is looking forward to performing in the city’s Theatre Royal this week.

“It’s one of my favourite theatres and my dad, cousins and aunties will be coming to the show.”

Amy first came to prominence as Chardonnay Lane in the first two years of the wildly over-the-top Footballers’ Wives, which has found a new audience on Britbox 20 years after it first aired.

“It was one of those special series that brought glamour back to TV and it shifted focus to the wives – the term ‘wag’ didn’t exist before the programme. Lots of people thought it was awful and tacky, while others loved it. It was a great job to be part of.”

But her favourite TV job so far is the one that came afterwards, an American miniseries, La Femme Musketeer, with Nastassja Kinski and Gerard Depardieu.

“It was a real challenge and such a different job after Footballers’ Wives. We filmed in Croatia for months and I made some wonderful friends. It was a real tomboy role with lots of action like martial arts and horse riding.”

Fatal Attraction, Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tuesday-Saturday