About EMMA
Emma graduated in 2016 with a BA in Acting from RADA where she was a Wall Trust and Leverhulme Scholar. Offie-nominated for her work in Jonathan Humphrey’s production of The Rebellious Women of Wimbledon, she is regularly seen on stage in and around the UK, although in recent times has begun moving towards short films, radio and television.
Most recently she performed in the UK tour of The Ballad of Maria Marten, the play with songs about the woman murdered before her time in rural Suffolk. Other recent stage work includes Out of Sorts at Theatre503, A Christmas Carol at South Street Arts in Reading and The Rivals at the Watermill in Newbury where she starred as Lydia, earning great reviews including from The Stage.
She has also performed at Shakespeare’s Globe in James Wallace’s production of The Woman In The Moon and in several of their ongoing Read Not Dead series, and starred as Gwendolen in Richard Fitch’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest at Theatr Clwyd.
To date Emma’s screen credits included Gentle, filmed in 2019 with Gina Bellman and due for release later this year, Golden Girl (London Film School), UK: A-Z and Christmas Hacks (both Baldy Productions) and aftermath, a short film directed by Maisie Robinson.
A strong, classically trained singer (mezzo-soprano), Emma has a rich, assured voice that works very well on radio and for voiceovers, her most recent radio credit being as the long-suffering director Lindsay, featuring in Series 3 of the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Plum House.
Emma also writes for theatre and television and most recently her play Very Nearly Totally F*cked was produced at the RADA Festival, directed by Michael Davies. Emma holds a first class degree in English Literature from the University of Warwick and has had three of her plays produced previously.
Most recently she performed in the UK tour of The Ballad of Maria Marten, the play with songs about the woman murdered before her time in rural Suffolk. Other recent stage work includes Out of Sorts at Theatre503, A Christmas Carol at South Street Arts in Reading and The Rivals at the Watermill in Newbury where she starred as Lydia, earning great reviews including from The Stage.
She has also performed at Shakespeare’s Globe in James Wallace’s production of The Woman In The Moon and in several of their ongoing Read Not Dead series, and starred as Gwendolen in Richard Fitch’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest at Theatr Clwyd.
To date Emma’s screen credits included Gentle, filmed in 2019 with Gina Bellman and due for release later this year, Golden Girl (London Film School), UK: A-Z and Christmas Hacks (both Baldy Productions) and aftermath, a short film directed by Maisie Robinson.
A strong, classically trained singer (mezzo-soprano), Emma has a rich, assured voice that works very well on radio and for voiceovers, her most recent radio credit being as the long-suffering director Lindsay, featuring in Series 3 of the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Plum House.
Emma also writes for theatre and television and most recently her play Very Nearly Totally F*cked was produced at the RADA Festival, directed by Michael Davies. Emma holds a first class degree in English Literature from the University of Warwick and has had three of her plays produced previously.
Reviews
THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN
“both heart-wrenching and beautiful … Emma Denly and Susanna Jennings both play male parts naturally and convincingly … the story is woven together with enchanting harmonic songs in traditional folk style” - Stoke Sentinel
★★★★ - The Guardian
OUT OF SORTS
★★★★★"Zara, played by Nalan Burgess, and Alice her roommate, played by Emma Denly , both give exceptionally engaging performances" - TheatreNews
★★★★ "Emma Denly is spot on as Zara’s well-intended but privileged and condescending flatmate." - Spy in the Stalls
★★★★ "Emma Denly is fantastic as Alice...painfully funny" - Everything Theatre
★★★½ "Emma Denly gives Alice, a calmness that comes through privilege, and yet she is real enough for our sympathy." - TheReviewsHub
★★★★ - The Guardian
★★★★ - The Stage
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
★★★★ “superb… [her] corseted upbringing hides bodily stirrings” - The Stage
★★★½ “Denly and Robyn are delightful as love rivals Cecily and Gwendolen” - TheReviewsHub
★★★★ “he two ‘sought-after’ ladies must also be congratulated on their contributions to the production. Emma Denly (Gwendolen) had a presence on stage that can never be taught to an actor. She was powerful and played the blissful ignorance of Gwendolen perfectly. As a very recent graduate from RADA, this actress is one with a very bright and colourful future and was the perfect casting in this production.” - North West End
THE RIVALS
★★★★★ “Lydia Languish (recent RADA graduate Emma Denly) [is] far from being a complete air-headed flibbertigibbet, in an interpretation that […] was as much about empowering the women as it was about reducing them to mere figures of fun.” - Spy In The Stalls
★★★★ “the tangled aristocratic love story is kept engaging by the excellent performances of the central couple, Lydia Languish (Emma Denly) and Captain Jack Absolute (Ncuti Gatwa). The flirting between the stroppy, capricious pair is convincing and cynicism-dispelling, especially after the interval when Denly ramps up the pouty, disgruntled socialite act.” - The Stage
“both heart-wrenching and beautiful … Emma Denly and Susanna Jennings both play male parts naturally and convincingly … the story is woven together with enchanting harmonic songs in traditional folk style” - Stoke Sentinel
★★★★ - The Guardian
OUT OF SORTS
★★★★★"Zara, played by Nalan Burgess, and Alice her roommate, played by Emma Denly , both give exceptionally engaging performances" - TheatreNews
★★★★ "Emma Denly is spot on as Zara’s well-intended but privileged and condescending flatmate." - Spy in the Stalls
★★★★ "Emma Denly is fantastic as Alice...painfully funny" - Everything Theatre
★★★½ "Emma Denly gives Alice, a calmness that comes through privilege, and yet she is real enough for our sympathy." - TheReviewsHub
★★★★ - The Guardian
★★★★ - The Stage
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
★★★★ “superb… [her] corseted upbringing hides bodily stirrings” - The Stage
★★★½ “Denly and Robyn are delightful as love rivals Cecily and Gwendolen” - TheReviewsHub
★★★★ “he two ‘sought-after’ ladies must also be congratulated on their contributions to the production. Emma Denly (Gwendolen) had a presence on stage that can never be taught to an actor. She was powerful and played the blissful ignorance of Gwendolen perfectly. As a very recent graduate from RADA, this actress is one with a very bright and colourful future and was the perfect casting in this production.” - North West End
THE RIVALS
★★★★★ “Lydia Languish (recent RADA graduate Emma Denly) [is] far from being a complete air-headed flibbertigibbet, in an interpretation that […] was as much about empowering the women as it was about reducing them to mere figures of fun.” - Spy In The Stalls
★★★★ “the tangled aristocratic love story is kept engaging by the excellent performances of the central couple, Lydia Languish (Emma Denly) and Captain Jack Absolute (Ncuti Gatwa). The flirting between the stroppy, capricious pair is convincing and cynicism-dispelling, especially after the interval when Denly ramps up the pouty, disgruntled socialite act.” - The Stage
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