Samantha Baines Q&A
Award-winning comedian Samantha Baines’ critically acclaimed ‘1 Woman, A High-Flyer & A Flat Bottom’ completed a sell out run at 2017’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The show explores the lost women of science and readdresses the balance of doing a whole show last year about a fella – Brian Cox. She has chosen three ground-breaking women from an inventor, pilot and engineer, who should be household names but have mostly been completely lost from the history books. It explores the ladies’ lives and achievements.
Acting wise Samantha has had a stellar year and was seen in Sunny D (alongside Dane Baptiste) and the award winning series The Crown, Call The Midwife and Bucket. Later this year she can be seen in the forthcoming series of Silent Witness.
We asked for her ‘Famous Last Words’…
Last thing you did that made you feel good?
I am really into crafting, Kirstie Allsopp style and for Christmas I was given an embroidery set. So doing that made me feel relaxed and finishing it was like a little accomplishment which made me feel good. It’s the small things. I also got a hearing aid in one ear in July of last year and I suffer with tinnitus and I have been helping connect some people to Tinnitus charities on twitter so it felt nice to be able to help. I also love a good cup of Earl Grey tea with soya milk.
“At heart I am still 16”
Last thing you’d want to be doing right now?
Gosh so many. Talking to Donald Trump, listening to someone drone on with sexist opinions and also drinking a pint of milk – I am dairy intolerant.
Last night on Earth… What’s your poison?
I wouldn’t kill myself but if I had to choose a poison I would choose Polonium which is horrible as it is a slow poison with no cure but it is an element discovered by awesome scientist Marie Curie in the 1800s. Marie Curie actually called it Polonium after her home country of Poland. If you mean poison as in beverage – Malibu and Coke because at heart I am still 16.
Last supper… What are you ordering?
Nandos, because I am obsessed with it.
Last person you’d want to share a drink with?
If we’re talking last person as in someone I would hate to share a drink with then Donald Trump. If we are talking one final drink before I leave this mortal coil then probably my husband because I am soppy, or Professor Brian Cox because he is rather dishy and we could talk about the universe.
Last time you shed a tear and why?
This morning! My Dad died a year ago and I miss him and sometimes it just catches you unaware. I cry a fair amount and I have been known to cry over burnt toast… but not spilt milk because I am dairy intolerant.
“What’s the point in being coy”
Last refuge… where would you go?
If I needed somewhere to get away and feel comfy and safe I would go to stay with my family in Ireland and eat good food, drink buckets of tea and talk, talk, talk. I would also like to pop to space for a bit – just to see it.
Last the course… tips on loot, love & life?
My top tips are:
1. Do whatever you want – if you want to wear your pyjamas all day that is fine, be comfy!
2. Work hard – you can’t blame anyone else except yourself if you don’t achieve what you want.
3. Believe – you are awesome and you can do it and don’t forget that. Write it on your fridge or something (I mean directly onto the fridge in permanent marker).
4. Love hard – what’s the point in being coy.
5. Promote women – support and encourage other women to achieve dizzying heights.
6. Look after your hearing – I got a hearing aid at 30 because I didn’t look after mine.
Last but one… random question: Tell us about something that interests you that nobody else knows about. Like Gaelic football… or porcelain.
Embroidery – but you might know that now from my first answer.
Your Famous Last Words?
It would be a tweet that reads simply: Samantha Baines, couldn’t tolerate dairy
Samantha Baines plays Sheffield Leadmill on March 14, 2018