Beverley Elliott literally didn’t see it coming.
In September 2014, actress and singer-songwriter Elliott produced a one-woman show (aptly called Didn’t See That Coming) that ended up earning the coveted Pick of the Fringe designation.
“It was very surprising,” she said. “But all six shows were complete sell-outs. In fact, I had good friends calling me wanting tickets, but unfortunately it was sold out.”
The show is a collection of eight semi-autobiographical stories and five songs, which Elliott will again perform at the Brackendale Art Gallery on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m.
“Although the stories are autobiographical, they are relevant to us all,” Elliott said. “They all relate different scenarios of when you run into a stranger and it changes your life completely… whether it be at a yoga class, wedding, funeral or through Internet dating.”
Born in Listowel, Ontario, Elliott has graced the small and silver screens over her long career, playing roles on TV shows like the Beachcombers, Bordertown and X-Files, as well as in films like Who’s Harry Crumb? and the multi-Academy Award winning Clint Eastwood western Unforgiven. She played the role of Silky, a prostitute, in the film.
Eastwood even thanked Elliott by name on stage when accepting the Oscar for Best Director that year.
“It was the Year of the Woman, and when he was on stage making his acceptance speech he thanked all the ‘girls from the Big Whiskey’ which were the actresses who played the women working in the saloon, and he named us all,” Elliott said. “It was quite something.”
Elliott said working with the legendary Eastwood was unlike anything she had experienced before in her career.
“While most directors say ‘action’ at the start of filming a scene, he would just say ‘go ahead’ – which took some getting used to,” she said, doing her best imitation of Eastwood’s gravely and gruff voice. “And at the end of the scene, instead of ‘cut,’ he would say ‘OK, that’s enough.’”
Elliott said Eastwood would even roll the cameras when the actors were rehearsing a scene.
“Sometimes he’d get what he needed from filming the rehearsal and say ‘OK, let’s move on,’” she said. “He was just incredible to work with, and the set was always so quiet, not out of fear, but out of respect.”
Despite the respect and accolades Elliott herself has received for her Fringe show, she said she doesn’t plan to produce another one-woman show anytime soon.
“It’s quite a lot of work to produce a show on your own for The Fringe,” she said. “So, this year I will be part of another show… one of eight people. I think that will be a lot of fun, and a lot less work.”
Catch Elliott’s acclaimed show Didn’t See That Coming on Saturday (Feb 28) at the BAG at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at Xocolatl and the BAG.
