'There's nothing better than playing a villain inspired by a drag queen, really'

One of Sam Buttery’s very first acting roles was portraying the late, great club kid legend Leigh Bowery on Broadway. In terms of early gigs, it doesn’t tend to get much greater than that. In the years following, Sam, originally from Tamworth in the West Midlands, has starred alongside the likes of Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman, shimmied across the London Palladium as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family, taken on Audrey II in The Little Shop of Horrors and played the Greek fate Atropos in Netflix’s Kaos. The list, quite frankly, goes on. But for Sam’s next big performance, she’s taking on the role-of-all-roles in the form of the villainous sea witch Ursula. In fact, it’s a character she says she’s been waiting to play for a long time now. “I actually applied for this role a few years ago,” Sam tells the M.E.N. as she sits in the auditorium of The Lowry where Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch will play this December and January ( tickets here ). Stay connected with our City Life newsletter here “It didn’t go my way the first time round but when they announced they were bringing it back, I felt like they just had to give it to me this time and that’s what I basically told them. And it's worked out quite well for me!” The critically-acclaimed parody musical, which is very much not suitable for children, delves into the backstory of Ursula as she explains exactly what went on with Ariel, the Little Mermaid. It’s been described as ‘wickedly camp’ and ‘hilariously naughty’, which sounds about right. “It’s just such an iconic role,” Sam beams. “Come on, it’s Ursula. I feel like, for me, she is very Divine. I have her tattooed on my leg, so it can’t be any more perfect for me. I’ve always loved Divine. She's been a big inspiration.” It’s said that Disney’s interpretation of the sea witch, in its 1989 film, took inspiration from American drag queen Divine. The performer, who made a name for herself thanks to appearances in John Walters movies like Pink Flamingos, was also portrayed by Sam in the work-in-progress A Divine Comedy, which she wrote and performed in Manchester last year. “The whole aesthetic and look of Ursula is quite drag, really,” Sam explains. “I also just think there’s nothing better than playing a villain. And Ursula is basically the ultimate villain. No one cares about Ariel, it’s all about Ursula. “I’m aiming to bring some of the rebellion and grotesqueness of Divine into the role, to keep that inspiration going. Ursula was very queer-coded, really. It’s all very much about what I like.” Sam now lives in Greater Manchester and is a frequent name on any cabaret night worth its salt - including at venues like The Fitzgerald, Albert’s Schloss, Via and New Union. With a big, booming voice (and a previous appearance on The Voice UK) and oozing with character and charisma, there’s no denying that she doesn’t have the scope to give the villain diva the stage presence she is worthy of. In fact, it's inspired casting. The show is leading The Lowry’s very varied line-up this festive season alongside more family-friendly performances of the likes of Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile, Little Bear and the Christmas Lights, and classic Narnia show The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. “It’s actually quite weird because the last time I was performing at The Lowry, it was for the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe,” Sam says. “Now, I’m doing Ursula and they’re both on at the same time. It’s like a flip-through of four years of being here.” Speaking about the roles that Sam finds herself attracted to, she says she loves anything that feels powerful, or represents power. It’s something she admits she has often found herself lacking in the past, and the stage was where she was able to possess such strength. “Sometimes in my life, I personally haven’t felt like I’ve been able to harness that power in myself,” she admits. “So, when I’m on the stage, I come alive and just feel so much power. It’s escapism, and I just go to a different place where I feel like how things could have been. “Being on stage is the best feeling ever. You forget about everything. I suppose my whole adult journey has been about trying to forget, to forget the ego part of who I am. When I’m on stage, I feel present, and I thrive off it. It’s a break from reality. “A lot of people say that being an actor is not life or death, it’s not like I’m performing open-heart surgery. And I know what they mean when they say that. But, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a magnitude of things just because you’re singing. “When I was 14, I came to see a musical and it was very serious to me. I was a queer child growing up in the Midlands, in a place that didn’t really accept me for who I was, and I was given a lifeline in terms of what I saw on stage. It’s always been more than just a musical to me. And I hope it is for other people too. “I love the thought that whenever I do a show, it might be the first time someone has ever been in the theatre. It could go on to have this seismic impact on their lives. That’s something that is very special and I try to bring that power to every show I do.” And as for why people should see Unfortunate at The Lowry at the end of the year, Sam’s reasoning is actually quite simple: “If you like camp, brash, big musical theatre numbers with heart, then you’ll like this. If you don’t, then who even are you anyway?” Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch is at The Lowry from December 5 to January 11 (suitable for 16+). Tickets can be bought here. Join our Christmas in Manchester WhatsApp group HERE