Haley Flaherty by Emily Claire Nieman

The next of the theatre favourites blog comes from Emily who writes about her favourite Haley Flaherty.  

When did you first discover your perfomer?  

All my favourites are essentially my favourite performers but my number one has GOT to be Haley Flaherty! I first saw her in Matilda on September 22nd 2012 and thought I recognised her from seeing her on stage, went to meet her at stage door a few weeks later and she was just the loveliest person ever! 

Have you seen them perform live if so in what shows? 

Unfortunately on Matilda so far but out of the 65 times I’ve seen the show I’ve seen her as Miss Honey 50 times! She basically IS Miss Honey so she’s a cheater but also freaking amazing in the role, a ridiculous triple threat! 

How would you describe them to your fellow theatre fans? 

She is the epiphany of loveliness! She’s also up for a joke & a laugh so never take her TOO seriously. And she genuinely cares, which is an absolute rarity! And who can forget her Scottish-ness, however her brilliant British accent in Matilda wouldn’t make you aware of it! She’s so thoughtful & nice to everyone so never think that you can’t go up and chat to her just because you don’t know her/she doesn’t know you. If you genuinely see her in the show & think she’s great so want to chat to her just go for it! 

 Favourite performance?  

My birthday show a few weeks ago! I sat front row where you can see all her awesome facial expressions and hear all her little phrases/sounds that don’t get picked up by the mic and it’s just glorious, SHE’S glorious! (Miss Honey in Matilda)

 Favourite song you've heard them perform? 

This Little Girl from Matilda or Toucha from Rocky. TLG is always sung incredibly. I remember one show she’d just come back from being ill and when I saw her before the show she said that “she goes bad” at the TLG mark. So it got to that song & I don’t know what I was expecting but I waited for something to happen, like for her to completely lose her voice I guess? Obviously it being my 30-something show I can tell when something’s changed, and that day the song did sound very different but I actually loved it! & the fact that she felt that way is just too cute no?! Haha :’) And Toucha purely for the growls! She’s done one or two in Matilda but holy-moo, she has a fest of them in Toucha and I just melt really! :’) 

Have you met them?

YESSSSS! Way too many times, at least once on every day I’ve seen Matilda and then more if I’ve seen her twice in one day or gone to say hi when I’m just up in town! Speaking to her just makes me happy! She’s actually really open & I just go for sarky banter or lovely chats- I love both! <3 

Although I kind of forgot to smile this is my favourite picture (I only have 3 others with her!) with the lovely lady, GO SELFIES!! And she properly got into it which I wasn’t expecting at all! :’)

What show would you like to see them in?  

I would love to see her reprise some roles such as Roxie in Chicago, Sophie in Mamma Mia and Sandy in Grease but I also think she’d make an awesome Molly in Ghost, G(a)linda in Wicked. I also would love to see her as Mrs Wormwood or a School Kid in Matilda!