Victoria Wicks (born 18 April 1959) is a British actress. She is known for her role as Sally Smedley in Channel 4's comedy series Drop the Dead Donkey (1990–1998), Mrs Gideon in The Mighty Boosh (2004), and the College Director in Skins (2007–08). Her film appearances include The Imitation Game (2014) and High-Rise (2015). She is an associate of Howard Barker's theatre company, The Wrestling School.
Biography Early life and education Beverley Victoria Anne Wicks was born 18 April 1959 in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, to Brian and Judith Wicks. Wicks's mother, Judith Bates, born 1933, was the second child of the writer H. E. Bates. Wicks is the niece of Jonathan Bates, a sound editor who died in 2008, and the television producer Richard Bates, who produced the television adaptation of The Darling Buds of May. Wicks is a director of Evensford Productions Ltd, the company set up in 1955 to protect and promote H. E. Bates's work.
Wicks trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama where she was awarded the Pernod and Bisquit Award for the most promising graduate.
Career Her first job was as acting assistant stage manager at Northampton Rep for a year, before going to Bristol Old Vic, Regent's Park and then the RSC. In 1988 Wicks was in Andy Hamilton's black comedy Tickets for the Titanic, and then went on to play Sally Smedley in all six series of Drop the Dead Donkey. The Mighty Boosh (a radio, television and stage show created by Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt) featured her in Series 1 as Mrs Gideon, the Head of Reptiles at the Zooniverse. Wicks also played Harriet Lawes, the Head of College in the first three series of Skins.
Wicks joined 'The Wrestling School' in 1996. The company was formed in 1988 for the sole purpose of performing the work of the dramatist Howard Barker. Since joining the company Wicks has appeared in nine plays by Barker, performing in London, Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Adelaide and also in Rouen, Grenoble, Le Mans and Paris for the co-production of Les Animaux en Paradis, which was performed in French by four British and five French actors. Wicks is an associate of The Wrestling School. In 2010 Wicks was invited to the Segal Theatre Center in New York as guest of Theatre Minima to celebrate a day-long event on the work of Howard Barker."Playwright Howard Barker (UK) at the Segal Center" , City University of New York, May 2010
Wicks played the high priestess of the Sybillines in The Fires of Pompeii, a 2008 episode of Doctor Who. In 2014, she played Dorothy Clarke in The Imitation Game and Susannah Marshall in the E4 drama Glue (2014).
Personal life In 1984 Wicks married Peter Williams (divorced 2004); they have one daughter.
Credits
Work for Howard Barker YearTitleRoleNotes1996Uncle VanyaHelenaLondon, Berlin, Stockholm1998Ursula; Fear of the EstuaryMother PlacidaLondon, Birmingham, Copenhagen1999Scenes From an ExecutionRiveraBITE Festival, Barbican Theatre (London)2000The Ecstatic BibleMrs GolllanczAdelaide Theatre Festival (Australia)2000He StumbledTurner, The QueenRiverside Studios (London) and Samuel Beckett Theatre (Dublin)2001The Swing at NightKlaturaMarionette Theatre for Puppet Theatre Barge2002Gertrude – The CryGertrudeElsinore Castle (Denmark), Birmingham Rep and Riverside Studios (London)200313 ObjectsCruel Cup, Kind Saucer, The Ring, Blue Shoe, The DrumBirmingham Rep, Everyman Theatre (Liverpool) and Riverside Studios (London)2005The Fence in Its Thousandth YearAlgeriaBirmingham Rep, Oxford Playhouse, York Theatre Royal2005Les Animaux en ParadisTennaThéâtre des Deux Rives (Rouen), Paris, Grenoble and Le Mans2008I Saw MyselfPremiere reading New End Theatre, HampsteadUnknownActress With an Unloved ChildPremiere reading at Lewis FestivalUnknownScreaming in AdvancePremiere readings of Concentration and Dying in the Street at The Print Room (London)2010Smack MeThing, A SearcherPremiere reading at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre (London)1997The Love of a Good ManMrs Sylvia ToynbeeBBC R3 Drama1999A House of CorrectionLyndsayBBC R3 Drama2001Knowledge and a GirlThe QueenBBC R4 Drama
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1984Prisoner of ZendaPrincess Flaviaepisodes: 1-61985Adultery: My Little Grey Home in the WestJanetCh41986Two of UsJackie1987Rumpole of the BaileyAmanda Gleasonepisode: "Rumpole and the Old, Old, Story"1987The Houseman's TaleAllison Quothquanepisodes: 1-2 1987Hold the DreamSarah Lowtherepisode: 11988Tickets for the TitanicArbuthnotepisode: "Pastoral Care"1988GemsElinor Whitesideepisodes: 3.25, 3.26, 3.271989StoryboardVirginiaepisode: "Snakes & Ladders"1989Snakes & LaddersHotel receptionistepisodes: 2 & 41990Grange HillDoctor Burtonepisode: 13.171990Not a Penny More, Not a Penny LessGeorgina OakleyTV movie1990Drop the Dead DonkeySally SmedleyCh41991Amnesty International's Big 30As Sally Smedley1993Paul Merton: The SeriesEmilyepisode: 2.31993BlossomJacqueline Renaudepisode: 4.2 & 4.4 (Blossom in Paris)1993Comic TimingSarah St. John Walderburyepisode: "No Worries"1993Prince CindersPrincess Lovelypenny (voice)Animation1993The Main EventAs herselfBBC game show1994Children in NeedAs herselfBBC1994You BetAs herselfITV game show ep: 7.131994Murder Most HorridJocastaepisode: "We all hate Granny"1994MudMiss Palmer1995Smith and Jonesepisode: 8.3 & 8.61995The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Showepisode: 2.21995Stick with Me KidChristina Samone1996Delta WaveOlga Crick1996Testament: The Bible in AnimationJezebel (voice)episode: Elijah1997Bright Hair (About the Bone)Miss MontroseTV movie1997SnapJane Taylor1998Late Lunch with Mel and SueAs herselfCh4 ep: 2.32001Peak PracticeJudyepisode: 12.32001Bernard's WatchAunt RowenaCITV2002CasualtyConnolly QC2002, 2007, 2009, 2011–2012, 2015, 2022DoctorsAlison Matthews, Marjorie Middleton, Yvonne Diamond, Jenny Rockman, Jocasta Rathbone, Elspeth Manners, Jenny Nicholson7 episodes2002My FamilyBex's MotherAlso in 2003, 20052004The BriefMagistrateepisode: "So Long, Samanatha"2004The Mighty BooshMrs. GideonBBC 32004Midsomer murdersHelen Callaghanepisode: "Sins of Commission"2006Comedy ConnectionsAs herself2007M.I. HighHead of MI8/MI92007My FamilyDinner Guest2007SkinsHead of College (Harriet)E42008Midsomer murdersSarah Stoneepisode: 18.6 "Talking to the Dead"2008The ObjectBurlap Mum2008MistressesGemma Grey2008Doctor WhoHigh Priestess of The Sybillinesepisode: "The Fires of Pompeii"2009No Signalepisode: 1.8 & 1.9 (You Me 'n' Him)2009RoarMother2009EmmerdaleMrs. Conwayepisode: 1.54202009CollisionAngela Reevesepisode: 1, 2 & 52009PoirotMrs Swinburneepisode: "The Clocks"2010SherlockMargaret Pattersonepisode: "A study in Pink"2010At Home with the Georgians / Behind Closed DoorsLady Stanleyepisode: "A Woman's Touch"2011EastEndersSandra Hallidayepisode: 15 & 16 September2012Silent WitnessLizzie Fraserepisode: "Death has no Dominion" parts I & II2013Wizards v AliensChancellor KoothCBBC2014GlueSusannah MarshallE42014CrackanoryMrs. Murray, Head teacherepisode: 2.4 (Self Storage & the Obituary Writer)2016SlidingBronwen2017Finding your FeetPru - Swimmer2018The RoyalsIngridepisode: "Confess Yourself to Heaven"2019Welcome to the Powder KegLois2019Mary in the MirrorTherapist2021The Larkins (2021 TV series)Mrs FothergillAlso credited as SCRIPT EDITOR UnknownThe WardBarbara UnknownNo WorriesSarah UnknownStreetwiseMrs Daniels
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1986Ping PongMaggie WongAlan's wife1990Strike It RichJane Truefit2003What A Girl WantsHenry's Secretary (Caroline)2014The Imitation GameDorothy ClarkeJoan's mother2015High RiseMiriam2015Notes on BlindnessSally (Librarian)2016The BrotherVendor
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes1980Quartet to MurderTheatre Royal, Northampton1980Mother GooseTheatre Royal, Northampton1981Whose Life is it Anyway?Theatre Royal, Northampton1981CinderellaBristol Old Vic1981The Resistible Rise of Arturo UiBristol Old Vic1981The Country WifeMistress SqueamishBristol Old Vic1982Taming of the ShrewA HaberdasherRegents Park Open Air Theatre1982A Midsummer Night's DreamHelenaRegents Park Open Air Theatre1983From War to War with LoveNew End Theatre, Hampstead1983Twelfth NightOliviaRoyal Shakespeare Company1983Julius CaesarPortiaRoyal Shakespeare Company1983Measure for MeasureRoyal Shakespeare Company1983A New Way to Pay Old DebtsWaiting WomanRoyal Shakespeare Company1984Space InvadersSharRoyal Shakespeare Company1985ChinamenJo, Bee, and AlexLatchmere, Battersea1986Charley's AuntAmy SpettigueTheatre Royal, Plymouth1992As You Like ItRosalindLudlow Festival1993Blithe SpiritElviraCheltenham Everyman Theatre1994Dilemma for MurderWatermill Theatre, Bagnor1995Mind the Gap by Meredith OakesGinnyHampstead Theatre2006A Woman of No ImportanceRachel ArbuthnotSalisbury Playhouse2008Quartermaine's TermsMelanie GarthTouring production. Kenwright2015The One that Got AwayMadame LatourTheatre Royal, BathUnknownAs You Like ItHymen 2024 Drop the Dead Donkey - Revisited Sally Smedley National tour - multiple venues
Radio YearTitleRoleNotesUnknownAnything LegalDoreenBy Wally K. Daly1982The Cask of AmontilladoFirst Lady(BBC R4) By Nick Fisher1982It's Disgusting at Your AgePenny(BBC R4) By Jacqueline Wilson1982Get TogetherSusy(BBC R4) By Barbara Clegg1983The Cleverest Man at OxfordGillian(BBC R4) By Geoffrey Parkinson1984Riding to JerusalemAmelia Man(BBC R4) By Elspeth Sandys1985Albert's Extra Parliamentary ActivitiesReceptionist(BBC R4) By Nick Fisher1991The Cabaret of Dr CaligariAnthrax(BBC R4) By Alan Gilbey2000The Secret PartsRosemary Malcolm(BBC R4) Adapted by David Edgar
References
External links
BBC Comedy Guide – Victoria Wicks Kilpatrick, David. Gertrude—The Cry (review). Theatre Journal – Volume 55, Number 4, December 2003, pp. 704–706. The Johns Hopkins University Press Guardian review of the 2002 production of Gertrude—The Cry