Showtrial | Interview with Tracy Ifeachor (Cleo Roberts)

What is the story of Showtrial?

Showtrial follows a solicitor advocate who is also a duty solicitor; so that’s someone who goes to the police station with you if you ask for legal representation. Cleo just thinks she is going to pick up another bread-and-butter case to keep her firm going, but it turns into a massive spectacle – a showtrial basically!

Tell us about Cleo Roberts.

We first meet Cleo when she’s on her way to the police station to pick up what she thinks is a duty case. She meets a privileged young woman and we think its going to be an open-and-shut case, but it unfolds. Cleo doesn’t really judge; she’s fun, really educated, witty with a dry sense of humour, which is fun to watch and play.

What attracted you to the role?

So many things. I’m from the south west and I never saw anyone who looked like me in an uplifting role or roles that I identified with when I was growing up. When I read this script, it was the first I had read that did those things that I could see myself as a young, educated woman just making her way in the world. It’s groundbreaking.

What was most challenging about playing Cleo?

We started most days at 6am, and as Cleo is the centre of the piece, she’s driving pretty much every scene! Doing something like this, you have to have high stamina.

What do you enjoy most about playing her?

Her witticisms and sense of humour, plus the fact it’s seeing women upfront in a project. It’s so wonderful to see someone who looks like me in a role like this. I can’t stress that enough.

Which of the themes resonated most with you?

For me, the themes that really resonate is how people are judged just by looking at what you think they have or how you think their life is from the outside. It reminds us all to take time to look beyond what you see, because it’s not always what you think – for better or worse. We explore that in this, and also the nature that is debated by that as well.

What has been the most memorable location?

Two for me. One was Cleo’s office, as the art department did an amazing job of creating an office out of an empty storage room. Nobody spent time walking on the floor and it constantly creaked and then all the buses went past! The other is the court holding rooms which were so hot, and as everyone was wearing a mask we had a little fan we were turning on and off. You just hear breathing like Darth Vader!

Did you have a favourite prop or wardrobe item of Cleo’s?

Nigel who created the costumes gave me an amazing wardrobe. I have a vintage Rolex which Cleo’s parents gave her as a graduation gift and it’s actually real! I accidentally went home with it as I thought it was my Apple watch on my wrist. They had to send someone to come get it as it needed to be in a safe overnight! It encapsulates her personality as it’s an elegant, classy and understated piece.

What was it like working with the team – Chris, Zara and Ben?

Chris [Hall] is everywhere. One day, we were overrunning and they went off to shoot something else but I turned around and Chris was on the monitor as director. He’s across everything! Zara [Hayes] has great vision and she cares so much about the project; everything has a purpose. I think Ben [Richards] is so talented and he’s got great humility, he’s a true artist who’s so open to collaboration. We have long conversations and it’s been an interesting journey to work with him. He writes women really well, which doesn’t always happen when you are writing for the other gender.

What makes Showtrial different?

It delves deep into things we’re going through right now – it’s so topical. We examine what class is and what it does to perceptions; what different peoples backgrounds does to others perceptions and how they relate to them.

What do you think will get audiences hooked?

The concept of it hooked me from page one. This lawyer going into the lion’s den – it’s thrilling, unpredictable. It takes a legal drama and flips it on its head. Showtrial shines a light on the justice system that a lot of the general public might not be aware of.