Interview with Scottish Actress & Model Sarah Meikle

My name is Sarah Caroline Meikle, I’m a 25 year old actress based in Scotland. The first proper memory I have of being on stage was playing a chorus member in an kids production of Sweeney Todd the musical. I instantly felt part of the theatre group family. I loved everything about being on stage, to be completely honest I’ve always loved being the centre of attention so the stage felt like home to me. I loved the atmosphere of the theatre and the feeling that I was part of something bigger than myself. It really gave me a sense of belonging and a safe space in which to express myself. It was an opportunity to do something constructive with my time and something that I could be proud of.

Here is a little clip from my 2018 show reel – detective drama “On the Inside”

To view my full showreel head to my spotlight profile – link in bio 👉🏻 #acting #actress #casting #showreel #2018 #spotlight #TalentTuesday pic.twitter.com/3wSLTzIhfe

— Sarah C Meikle (@meikle_sarah) March 14, 2018

indieactivity: Did you study acting?
Sarah: I decided to seriously pursue acting after studying fashion branding at Uni for a year and realizing it just wasn’t where I wanted to be. I left and went to do a HND in Acting and Performance at Stow College in Glasgow, after completing this I did a BA in Acting for Stage and Screen at Edinburgh Napier University.

Studying definitely ingrained a discipline in me and really improved my acting skills, upon leaving Uni I felt equipped enough to go out on my own and audition / network and see what the industry is like.

indieactivity: What acting technique do you use?
Sarah: I’m definitely not a method actor however I do like to step into my character’s shoes and walk around before I get on stage / set. Little things like listening to a song my character might like or wearing something they would wear helps me prepare for a role.

indieactivity: Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Sarah: I have attended a couple of workshops but mostly I like to immerse myself in the industry by going to see shows, watching films and attending networking events. I find this reignites my passion and helps me connect with others and see what is relevant now.

Sarah Meikle attending the BAFTAS 2017

indieactivity: What acting books do you read?
Sarah: Books I remember enjoying in college were “An Actor Prepares” by Constantin Stanislavski and “The Art of Acting” by Stella Adler. However I would recommend reading plays and scripts when possible as this helped me expand my knowledge on plays and acting in general by reading different characters and noticing the different styles and genres within plays and scripts.

indieactivity: How do you keep fit as an actor?
Sarah: I try to meditate every morning and get to the gym at least 3 times a week. It is so important to keep your mind and body healthy especially in an industry that is so competitive and demanding. Trying to keep up with everything can be quite stressful and at times overwhelming so practicing mindfulness is really essential for me to stay grounded and focus on what matters most.

indieactivity: How do you prepare for a role?
Sarah: I read over the whole script to get the arc of the story, I then read over my part and highlight my lines – typical actor! This helps me to see quickly where I am when I’m on set etc. I then rehearse my scenes a number of times and experiment with different ways of playing the character or interpreting the scene.

indieactivity: How do you create a character from a script into a person?
Sarah: Experiment! Try things out to see what works, think about what type of person they are – are they like someone you know? Decide what makes them tick, what motivates them and what kind of things they enjoy.

Sarah Meikle in Desdemona

indieactivity: How do you stay fresh on a production set?
Sarah: I stay off my phone so I don’t get distracted. I run lines with other actors if possible or just try to immerse myself in my surroundings to get better acquainted with them so I don’t look awkward on camera. Having said that I also think it’s important to have fun on set and get to know everyone!

indieactivity: Describe a memorable character you played?
Sarah: I played Desdemona in the play “Desdemona – A play about a Handkerchief” in 2016. She sticks out in my memory as she is a reimagining of the classic character of Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello. She is larger than life, outrageous and very dramatic. Characters like these are such fun to play because you really can’t go too big, they demand a great deal of energy but are enormous fun. The play was part of the Glasgow Comedy Festival and was received well, I absolutely love comedic characters.

indieactivity: Explain one creative choice you took on set?
Sarah: I recently did a short film called Lose Like A Human – in which a monologue was written for my character that hadn’t been in the original script. I was given the chance to have input on what my character wanted to say and this was a really great opportunity for me to add depth to her. On set when I did the monologue for the first time I fully committed to it – it’s quite a revealing, introspective moment for Jane (my character) so I played it with intensity and a certain forcefulness which was received extremely well!

Sarah Meikle in Lose like a Human

indieactivity: What do you want most from a director?
Sarah: I want a director to be direct! (Pun intended) I appreciate when directors have a clear vision of what they want and can express that to me because it’s the most effective way I can work to bring that vision to life. It also helps me understand the mood, story and my character.

indieactivity: What actors do you long to work with?
Sarah: I think Olivia Coleman is a phenomenal actress. I was utterly captivated by her performance in Broadchurch and I hear she is stepping into the role of The Queen in my favourite Netflix show “The Crown”.

indieactivity: Why?
Sarah: I would love to work with her because she is so convincing and totally uninhibited – I also think she seems really down to earth and a good laugh!

indieactivity: What advice would you give to actors?
Sarah: I would say as cheesy as it sounds just to believe in yourself – think positively and take chances. Take care of yourself to and try not to worry about what others think or compare yourself to them as everyone is on their own journey.

indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
Sarah: I started off in am dram theatre when I was 10 years old at my local theatre group – this led to me participating in drama competitions across Scotland. From there I went on to college and played a range of different characters in college productions such as Lady Anne in Richard III. College ignited my love for Shakespeare and I hope to be in many more productions in the future!

Since leaving Uni I have played a number of fantastic stage roles including Laura in “Boys” and various characters in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell. This particular play required different characteristics for each role and different accents which was a great challenge! Last year I ventured into the world of film and TV, I have appeared in an episode of Outlander, played an SS Officer in feature film “Flux” and most recently made my horror debut in 90 second short “Echo” as the character Lucy. This particular short is a finalist in the Glasgow film festival Frightfest competition. I have grown to love film and TV almost as much as the theatre and hope to do more on screen work in the near future!