No, not the 1815 romantic novel by Jane Austen, but Emma Cherry Rolf, professional actress based in Ronda.
Emma was born in England but grew up in Ibiza. She trained as an actress at the prestigious Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, Kent and has worked professionally in the West End, throughout the UK and much of Europe.
She now lives in Benaoján, 20 minutes drive from Ronda. She is married to Paul Rolf who is a property designer.
[Footnote: My son, Tom Whitelock, also trained as an actor/musician at Rose Bruford College, 20 years after Emma. They met last year for the first time in Benaojan .]
Publicity photo of Emma [ECR] Tom, Su and Emma meet in Benaoján [Paul Whitelock]
Su, professional name Susannah Austen, is a great singer. Tom often accompanies her on double bass and as a backing singer:
Susannah Austin Don't Turn Out That Light - live gig in London club featuring Susannah and Tom
Forgive and Forget (Let It Go) - Susannah Austin - video of Susannah
West End Live 2016 Sunny Afternoon - Tom performing live in Piccadilly to promote the Kinks musical "Sunny Afternoon"
'Sunny Afternoon' acoustic cover | Sunny Afternoon cast
Why is Emma in the news?
Next weekend Emma stars as the mother in “Bodas de Sangre” (“Blood Wedding”) by Federico Garcia Lorca, the Granada playwright murdered on Franco’s orders in 1936 at the start of the Spanish Civil War which ushered in nearly forty years of fascist dictatorship In Spain.
Considered, along with “Yerma” and “The House of Bernarda Alba” to be the finest three plays written in Spanish of the 20th Century.
This modern production will materialise on Friday and Saturday, 24 and 25 January 2025 at the Teatro Vicente Espinel in Ronda.
A few remaining tickets are on sale at Intersport Cary on Calle La Bola and at Restaurante Miyagi Exprés on Calle Jerez.
Proyecto Platea
Emma works at the Proyecto Platea Theatre Company, where she assists owner Marcos Marcell, a professional actor and director from Ronda. The company provide drama classes for all ages, and it is from these amateur actors and actresses, that some real talents have emerged.
I first saw this company perform a delightful one-act play in the open-air patio at the Convento de Santo Domingo in Ronda during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The play was called “Novias” and took place in the wedding dress shop of Dolores, where three brides-to-be had assembled for the final fittings of their wedding dresses.
[Poster courtesy of Red Escena]
The plot, which revealed the truth behind the “weddings” of the three novias, was fascinating and with well-known songs interspersed, the whole thing was a delight.
As a result, I joined the adult class.
Emerging talents
The amateur “stars” include a retired doctor, the owner of a Sports shop, a restaurant manager, teachers and students.
My favourite amateurs – in alphabetical order by surname - are Charo Carrasco, Avelino Écija, Nieves Rodríguez and Ana Belén Sánchez.
Avelino Ecija [PP] "Novias" (L to R: Charo, Emma, Ana Belen, Nieves) [PP]
Back to Emma
As well as her acting achievements, Emma has written a number of original play scripts with best friend Charo Carrasco, including the afore-mentioned “Novias”.
In August 2023 an anthology of their scripts, “Yo soy teatro”, was published and is available from Amazon.
Publicity photos courtesy of Amazon and Charry TV
© The Culture Vulture
Links:
Live theatre is back! - Secret Serrania de Ronda
TREADING THE BOARDS: Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
Photos:
Amazon, Charry TV, Facebook, Paul Whitelock, Proyecto Platea, Red Escena
Tags:
Ana Belén Sánchez, Avelino Écija, Benaoján, “Blood Wedding”, “Bodas de Sangre”, Calle Jerez, Calle La Bola, Charo Carrasco, Charry TV, Convento de Santo Domingo, Covid-19 pandemic, Culture Vulture, “Emma”, Emma Cherry Rolf, fascist dictatorship In Spain, Federico Garcia Lorca, Ibiza, Intersport Cary, Jane Austen, Marcos Marcell, Nieves Rodríguez, “Novias”, Paul Rolf, Paul Whitelock, Proyecto Platea, Restaurante Miyagi Exprés, Ronda, Rose Bruford College, Sidcup, Susannah Austin, Teatro Vicente Espinel, “The House of Bernarda Alba”, Tom Whitelock, West End, “Yerma”, “Yo soy teatro”