Cicely Whitehead

Brighton based actor and writer, I first met Cicely some years ago when working together stewarding for the Brighton Festival. At this time I was a dance student so I found it easy to talk with her, sharing some bonding conversation with those who understand the quirks and unique challenges of studying and working in the performing arts is always comforting!

We have since reconnected through instagram sharing a mutual interest for each others work. During lockdown I was touched to be invited by her to share my book recommendations for one of her projects Book Worth Reading, which you can take a look at here.

It is nice at times to acknowledge the positive aspects of social media, how we can reconnect with friends and even maintain many relationships through it. It be would be difficult to be aware of some of the shared interests you have with others and to be able to see exactly what everyone is creating behind closed doors without it, I feel like my relationship with Cicely is a perfect example of that!

She has a little of that beautiful mysterious energy about her and her work so I was thrilled to interview her and learn how she supports herself with her creative practices and what she has been creating this year.

Please introduce yourself, and what it is you so wonderfully do:

I’m Cicely and I’m an actor and occasional writer. I trained at Drama Centre London and work on screen and stage. During lockdown I set up a poetry collective called Turnstile Poetry with some fellow actor/writers and we published our first (sell out!) collection ‘Oranges in Amsterdam’ in August.

What is your ideal way to start the day?

My IDEAL way to start the day would be waking up early somewhere in the Sussex countryside, with a coffee in hand, followed by yoga outside or a run. One day!

Do you have any daily rituals/ routines? Morning and/or night?

I’m only now beginning to understand and relish in the importance of a routine. At the moment, mine involves waking up early, opening my blinds and windows, making a herbal tea and drinking it in bed watching the world wake up. I am trying to stick to writing the morning pages from Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way’, so will write three pages of anything. I’ll exercise, at the moment it’s yoga, and light a candle. I love having something that stays the same in my day even if it’s just for an hour of centring myself and being present.

Do you have any practices or remedies to stay healthy, both in body and mind?

Therapy! I also get in to a bit of a funk if I haven’t done yoga for a couple of days and know that it always helps to shift things for me. I keep it fresh by trying different yoga teachers online and adding new influences to my practise. Walking daily to see some greenery is such a tonic and helps my brain so much. Remedy wise, I’ve been taking Floradix on and off since I was little and always try and have some in to keep up my iron intake, otherwise I take vitamin D, vitamin B and magnesium tablets. I will ALWAYS have a bottle of rescue remedy on me and have been known to carry at least 3 different varieties of herbal tea in my bag.

When you need to get out of town, where in nature do you like to escape to?

The South Downs is probably one of my favourite places in the world and I feel so lucky to have it right on my doorstep. The mix of woodland and vast open fields is incredibly beautiful and awe inspiring. My favourite is the Firle/ Glynde/ Lewes area - proper Bloomsbury Group stomping ground!

How do you like to spend your nights and or/weekends?

I’m a massive homebody and love cosying up to a good series or film, not only for the enjoyment of the programme, but I love watching actors work. We’ve been so lucky recently with the calibre of tv programmes and feel like shows like ‘I May Destroy You’ and ‘Normal People’ have just been masterclasses in how it’s done. I also love dinner and a drink with friends - something I have been missing over the past few months.

How do you unwind, re-centre and find balance?

I’ve realised recently that these are things I’m really bad at and like keeping busy in some form or other all the time, but it’s just not sustainable. I’ve learnt to listen to my body a lot more and if it’s telling me to stop, then I’ll stop. I read a lot and it really helps to quieten my mind, whether it’s fiction, non-fiction or poetry. I also love doing a skincare routine! It’s 10 minutes of self care every morning and evening and time where I don’t think about anything else. There’s also a lot to be said for a good bath!

What is your favourite way to exercise?

I love yoga and have done for years. I used to be an avid runner but stopped about a year ago. I’m definitely going to get back in to it over the next few months - there’s something very peaceful about running in winter. I’m also obsessed with The Class by Taryn Toomey. I got a two week trial over the summer and waiting it out to justify a subscription. Or setting up a new email address for another trial…

Your favourite meal to cook?

Rachel Roddy’s broccoli ripassati. Or daal.

Your favourite place to get dinner?

Red Snapper or Solera in Brighton, Padella in London.

In what ways do you work to find balance in your life? Eg. work, social, family, self

Listening to myself more! Normally our bodies tell us what we’re doing too much or too little of and I’m trying to become more attuned to what I need and when. Going back to The Artist’s Way, there are some exercises in there that make you assess which aspects of your life you may be lacking in and what you can do to increase/decrease those to find balance. For me, it’s understanding that it’s ok to switch off and give myself some time to sit still and just be!

What/where/who do you turn to when you need inspiration?

I look at people who unapologetically do their own thing because it’s what calls to them - whether it’s creating their own work, writing music poetry etc, or simply living day to day in a way that makes them happiest. I’m very lucky to be surrounded by lots of inspiring and creative people, and there are artists like Michaela Coel and Phoebe Waller-Bridge whose desire to create and share stories I find incredibly inspiring. I listen to a lot of podcasts, too and love long-form interviews such as the On Being podcast and Ways to Change the World.

How would you describe your style? What & who influences you?

I have a lot of vintage in my wardrobe and love nothing more than picking up something great from a charity shop or car boot sale - some of my favourite items have been bought secondhand and I’m determined to make them last for as long as possible! I get a lot of inspiration from films, especially Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’, ‘The Edge of Love’ and Jane Fonda in ‘Barefoot in the Park’.

What is your definition of beauty?

This is the hardest to answer, I think as it’s so subjective, but to me true beauty comes with presence, ease and confidence. I think that can be applied to people, art and nature as the people and places I find most beautiful just *are* - people that are comfortable in their own skin, places that have evolved naturally as a result of the land and for example, art that I find beautiful comes from a place of love and confidence that their story needs to be told.

Do you have any additional ways that you care for your mind, body & spirit?

I think that ‘this time’ has taught me that I’ve definitely been neglecting all of those things for a long time, so it’s been a journey of coming back to myself over the past few months and starting again. I’ve been listening to podcasts by brilliant people like Dr Thema and Brené Brown, checking in with loved ones and writing. I’ve been learning to approach everything with openness and joy. It’s all a work in progress though!

What are you most grateful for in your life?

Being surrounded by the most incredible and inspiring women. And my determination to not give up on applying to drama school.

Current favourite...

Book - This is very hard for me. Can I pick three?! I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith and Deborah Levy’s two living autobiographies Things I Don’t Want to Know and The Cost of Living. I also really love Your Silence Will Not Protect You by Audre Lorde. Sorry I know that’s four!

Movie - When Harry Met Sally

Song - Song for Our Daughter by Laura Marling

Podcast - The Homecoming Podcast by Dr Thema

Clothing item - a secondhand 90s style slip dress

Coffee shop - Flint Owl in Lewes

Despite the current events and our time in isolation this year is there anything you are working towards/ what are your future visions?

As an actor it’s hard to have any set plan as you never know what’s around the corner, which is part of the thrill of it, especially as everything is so uncertain right now. I’d love to make my own work, whether it’s a play or film remains to be seen, but there have been lots of ideas bubbling away recently. I’m incredibly proud of being part of the creation of a poetry collection with the aforementioned Turnstile Poetry and creating an actual poetry book was something I never expected to do during lockdown. All physical copies are sold out but who knows what the future holds with it! Poetry and the writing/reading of it has been a total saviour over the past six months and has given me the confidence to share my writing on a public platform.

Where can we find you? Follow you?

I’m @cicelywhitehead on Instagram and run a book account called @bookworthreading. I share what I’ve been reading and created a series called Books Worth Reading, where I ask women who inspire me book related questions, their ‘desert island books’ if you will. There are some brilliant guests and book choices and I’m hoping to resurrect it over the next few months, so watch this space!

16.10.20