Frances Ruffelle (born 29 August 1965) is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She won a Tony Award in 1987, and represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 with the song "Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)", finishing 10th. The song became a UK Top 30 hit.
In 1984, Ruffelle starred as Dinah in the original West End production of Starlight Express. From 1985, she was the original Éponine in the first English-language productions of Les Misérables in the West End and on Broadway, winning the 1987 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Other stage roles include Yonah in Children of Eden (1991), Roxie Hart in Chicago (2003–04, 2007), the title role in Piaf (2013), Bella in The A–Z of Mrs P (2014), and Queenie in The Wild Party. Her albums include Fragile (1994), Frances Ruffelle (1998), Showgirl (2004), Imperfectly Me (2010), and I Say Yeh-Yeh (2015).
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Career
As well as her later stage work, Ruffelle has also gained success on the screen. Her film credits include roles in The Wildcats of St Trinian's (1980), P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982), Secrets & Lies (1996), The Road to Ithaca (1999), Les Misérables (2012), Devil's Tower (2014), and Long Forgotten Fields (2014).
Ruffelle's first West End appearance was as Louisa in Terence Rattigan's The Sleeping Prince. In 1984, she took on the principal role of Dinah in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express in the original London cast. A year later, she left Starlight and joined the original London cast of Les Misérables as Éponine. Though virtually an unknown outside of the West End, she and Colm Wilkinson were invited to reprise their roles for the Broadway launch. Ruffelle won multiple awards (including the Tony) for her role. She returned to the role she originated in 1997 in the West End of London. Her subsequent work on stage included the Ian Dury musical Apples in 1989 and Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden in 1990, featuring on the cast albums of both. She has also starred as the female lead Roxie Hart in Chicago, as well as appearing in Lucky Stiff.
The creative team behind Les Misérables, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, also used Ruffelle's vocals as Kim while writing Miss Saigon. She also workshopped Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard and Whistle Down the Wind.
Having previously played Roxie Hart in Chicago in the West End from September 2003 to June 2004, Ruffelle reprised the role for the show's 10th anniversary in 2007 and stayed with the production through into 2008. Her return to Chicago marked the first time she had performed in the show at the Cambridge Theatre, having only appeared in it when it was on at the Adelphi Theatre.
Ruffelle was set to appear in a revival of the Sherman Brothers musical Over Here! in January 2007, alongside Donna McKechnie, Diane Langton and Richard Fleeshman, however it was postponed, and was scheduled to open in Toronto in 2009.
In 2006, she performed in a musical based on the works of Stephen Schwartz, Schwartz Stories. In March 2008, she commenced a limited five-week season in the musical, Make Me A Song. She played the title role in Mathilde at the Edinburgh festival in 2008.
Theatre credits
2024: Billie Trix, Closer To Heaven, The Turbine Theatre
2017: Queenie, The Wild Party, The Other Palace
2014: Bella, The A–Z of Mrs P, Southwark Playhouse
2013: Piaf, Leicester Curve Theatre
2011 Fastrada, Pippin, Menier Chocolate Factory, Mitch Sebastian
2010 Angelique Picard, Songs from a Hotel Bedroom, Linbury Studio ROH/Tour, Kate Flatt
2010 One Woman Show, Beneath the Dress, Edinburgh Festival 2010/London, Paul Baker
2008 Mathilde, George Square, Edinburgh, Simon Callow
2008 Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn, New Players Theatre, Andrew McBean
2007 Roxie Hart, Chicago, Adelphi Theatre, Walter Bobbie
Betty Shaefer, Sunset Boulevard, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival
Annabel, Lucky Stiff, Bridewell Theatre, Steven Dexter
Candy, Whistle Down the Wind, Sydmonton Festival, Gail Edwards
Delilah, Apples, Royal Court Theatre, Simon Curtis
Eponine, Les Misérables, Royal Shakespeare Co/Broadway, John Caird/Trevor Nunn – Tony, Theatre World, Helen Hayes and Outer Critics Circle Award
Film credits
The Wildcats of St Trinian's (1980)
P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982)
Secrets & Lies (1996)
The Road to Ithaca (1999)
Les Misérables (2012)
Devil's Tower (2014)
Long Forgotten Fields (2014)
Television credits
Elsie in Strangers (1981, 1 episode)
Denise in Objects of Affection (1982, 1 episode)
Mandy in The Hard Word (1983, 1 episode)
Jackie in Tucker's Luck (1985, 2 episodes)
Sylvie in The Equalizer (1988, Episode: "The Child Broker")
Susan Gilbert in The Bill (series 9) (1993, 1 episode)
Olivia in The New Adventures of Robin Hood (1997, 1 episode)
Kitty in Headless (2000)
Dawn Daniel-Spears in Dream Team (2001, 20 episodes)
Naomi in Birds of a Feather (2015, 3 episodes)
Radio
1996, Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert BBC Radio 2
2009, Guest Soloist, Friday Night Is Music Night (Judy Garland Special), BBC Radio 2
Music career
"Lonely Symphony" was released as a single in the UK, as well as in other countries, and also appeared on her first solo album, Fragile. It reached number 25 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1994.
Ruffelle's second album, Frances Ruffelle, came out in 1998, on the small Dress Circle label. It was a change in direction, featuring stripped-down arrangements of mostly musical theatre songs, as well as a couple of classics, original songs and covers. In 2004, she released Showgirl on her own label, a return to fuller arrangements, but far from a pop sound. Ruffelle also collaborated with Sam Bonner in the group, paTala, making an album called Purify, featuring "a fusion of traditional Sanskrit chants with unique arrangements of contemporary Western beats". A new solo album, Imperfectly Me, was released in September 2010.
Personal life
Ruffelle was born in Redbridge district of Ilford in London, England, UK. Her father is a phone company engineer and manager. Her mother was Sylvia Young, the founder of the prestigious theatre school at which she trained.
Ruffelle married director John Caird in 1990. They have two children: a daughter, Eliza Doolittle, and a son Nathaniel. They divorced in 1993.
Discography
Cast recordings
Starlight Express Original London Cast (1984)
Les Misérables Original London Cast (1985)
Les Misérables Original Broadway Cast (1987)
Mack & Mabel In Concert (1988)
Apples Original London Cast (1989)
Children of Eden Original London Cast (1991)
Les Misérables Highlights Original London Cast (2009)
Solo albums
Fragile (1994)
Frances Ruffelle (1998)
Showgirl (2004)
Purify (2005) as PaTala, with Sam Bonner
Imperfectly Me (2010)
I Say Yeh-Yeh (2015)
Album appearances
Back of My Mind (Christopher Cross album) (1988) includes "I Will (Take You Forever)" duet
Michael Crawford Performs Andrew Lloyd Webber (1991) includes "Only You" duet
Save the Children: A Christmas Spectacular of Carols and Songs (1992) sings "I Watch You Sleeping", and featured on "Save the Children"
Corps & Armes (Etienne Daho album) (2000) – includes "Le Brasier", co-written by Daho/Ruffelle/Helen Turner; also released as a single
The Definitive Christopher Cross (2001) includes "I Will (Take You Forever)" (new mix)
Singles
"He's My Hero" (1986)
"On My Own" (rerecorded single version) (1985) – from Les Misérables
"On My Own" (second rerecorded single version) (1987) – from Les Misérables
"I Will (Take You Forever)" (1988) – duet with Christopher Cross from Back of My Mind – US Adult Contemporary Chart No. 41
"Stranger to the Rain" (rerecorded single version) (1990) – from Children of Eden
"Love Parade" (1994)
"Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)" (1994) – UK Eurovision Song Contest entry
"Lose Your Illusions" (1994)
"God Watch Over You" (1995)
"Jennifer's Garden" (1997) (Denmark only)
"Blue Eyes" (1997) (Germany only)
"If a Wish Came True" (1998) (Netherlands only)
"Smile" (2004)