Sally Knyvette Explained

Sally Knyvette
Birth Name:Sally James
Birth Date:9 February 1951
Birth Place:Horsham, Sussex, England
Nationality:British
Years Active:1972-present
Known For:Blake's 7 (1978–1979)
Emmerdale (1988–1991)

Sally Knyvette (; (born 9 February 1951) is a British actress, theatre director, and teacher.

Early life

Born Sally James in Horsham, Sussex, the daughter of a doctor.

Early career

Knyvette started acting in repertory theatre for seven years, acting mostly on stage, including playing many Shakespeare roles.

Television career

On screen Knyvette is best known for her roles as Jenna Stannis in the first two seasons of the British science fiction series Blake's 7,[1] and as Kate Sugden in the soap opera Emmerdale. She later complained of her Blake's 7 role that Jenna was under written and was not developed to its full potential in the rather sexist atmosphere of the BBC at the time.

After leaving Blake's 7 Knyvette studied for an English and drama degree at the University of London

Other television appearances include: Holby City, Family Affairs, A Touch of Frost, Unfinished Business, Casualty, EastEnders, Dalziel and Pascoe, Coronation Street, The Politician's Wife, The Bill, Big Deal, Who Pays the Ferryman?, General Hospital, Breakaway Girls and Z-Cars.

Theatre career

Her Theatre career has been extensive " it includes working for two years with Mike Alfreds Company Method and Madness[2] and most recently playing Goneril for Jonathan Miller

in 2002 She assisted Jack Gold on directing Twelve Angry Men at the Tricycle Theatre

In 2004 She directed a production of Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been by Eric Bentley at the Tricycle Theatre.

In 2006 She directed a production of Inherit the Wind at the Tricycle Theatre, and a production of Maxim Gorky’s Summerfolk at B.A.D.A.

in 2008 She directed To Kill a Mocking Bird at the Tricycle Theatre

In 2010 directed Judgment at Nuremberg at the TricycleTheatre, and remounted the production at The Bridewell Theatre a year later

followed by Productions of A Midsummer Nights Dream at GSA and Hard Times at City Lit

In 2013 She directed A World Elsewhere by Alan Franks at Theatre 503

In 2022 She played Helen in Five Characters in Search of a Good Night's Sleep directed by Mike Alfreds at Southwark Playhouse

in 2022 She played Jean in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel directed by Lucy Bailey, National tour.

Sally also works in the corporate sector and has worked at the Foreign office and at Ashridge (Britain’s leading independent centre for management and organisation development) using her skills a to help individuals develop both Impact and presence in their corporate presentations

Sally regularly works as a Voice Over artist..She has voiced many commercials and amongst other things Doctorman Allen in the Doctor Who audio adventure Spare Parts and that of Queen Carmilla in the video game and its sequel, developed by Mercury Steam. She voiced Emiliana Perfetti in the video game Layton's Mystery Journey developed by Level-5.

She runs Shakespeare workshops both in France and London and teaches privately and at top drama schools

External links

Notes and References

  1. David Lavery, The Essential Cult TV Reader (2010), p. 53
  2. The company's headquarters were moved to London and its name was changed to "Method and Madness" in 1995.