Rachel Izen

Rachel Izen’s career on stage and screen spans over four decades. She made her West End debut in A CHORUS LINE at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. In 2010 she relocated to the USA, where she was cast as Mrs. Brill in the US tour of MARY POPPINS, later transferring to Broadway. During seven years in the USA, her credits included Madame Thénardier in LES MISÉRABLES on Broadway.

On returning to the UK, she played Mrs. Brice in the UK tour of FUNNY GIRL, filmed for Sky Arts. In 2019 she became the first woman in the UK to play Scrooge in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (The Bridge House Theatre), followed by an award-nominated performance in RAGS (Park Theatre, London). Rachel is very proud to have played Grandma Edna in Nikolai Foster’s production of BILLY ELLIOT at Curve Theatre, Leicester, which won the 2023 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production.

Previous theatre credits include:

FAWLTY TOWERS – THE PLAY (Mrs Richards); A CHORUS LINE; CHICAGO; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; BLONDEL; LAUTREC; SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN; ANNIE (West End); THE THIRD MAN (The Porter’s Wife, Menier Chocolate Factory); GUYS AND DOLLS (Agatha, National Theatre); THE BEGGAR’S OPERA (Mrs Vixen, National Theatre); THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (Felicia, UK Tour); THE PAJAMA GAME (Gladys, Leicester Haymarket & Tour); THE WINSLOW BOY (Miss Barnes, Chichester Festival Theatre & Tour); GYPSY (Mama Rose, Wales Millennium Centre); SEE HOW THEY RUN (Miss Skillon, UK Tour); A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER (Miss Shingle, Hartford Stage, USA); DAISY PULLS IT OFF (Miss Gibson, Theatr Clywd & Tour); FOLLIES (Hattie, Landor Theatre); THE LADY OF LARKSPUR LOTION (Mrs Wire, New End); BITTER SWEET (Gussie, UK Tour); HOT FLUSH (Jessica, UK Tour); DAMES AT SEA (Mona, The Mill at Sonning); SWEENEY TODD (Beggar Woman, Oldham Coliseum); THE UGLY DUCKLING (Lowbutt, Watermill, Newbury); BAD GIRLS THE MUSICAL (Sylvia Hollamby, Leeds Playhouse); MY FAIR LADY (Mrs Pearce, Teatro San Carlo, Naples); ALADDIN (Empress of China, Northampton and Darlington); GUYS AND DOLLS (General Cartwright, Théâtre Marigny, Paris); DICK WHITTINGTON (Queen Rat, Wimbledon); JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (MrsBlunderbore, Bromley).

Previous TV and film credits include:

THE KNICK; EVITA; ENDGAME; JACK BROWN AND THE CURSE OF THE CROWN; BEG!; THE BEGGAR’S OPERA; CASUALTY; HOLBY CITY; BIG WOMEN; CLEM; THE BILL; WHERE THERE’S SMOKE; DAYLIGHT ROBBERY; THE QUEEN’S NOSE; SMITH AND JONES; EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE