Beth Robb Adams: Paisley’s rising star of stage and screen

Fresh from a star-making performance in Black Mirror, Renfrewshire’s own Beth Robb Adams talks about her artistic origins, advice for young creatives and ambitions for the future

How did you initially get involved in the arts? 

My gran is from Bellshill, but spent her whole life in Johnstone. She was a professional singer and spent her time going around the mining clubs. My family are very musical and there’s always been instruments around at parties, so I kind of assumed that everyone liked to sing and then when I got to school, I realised that wasn’t always the case. Then, it became obvious to me that it was something I wanted to do as a career. 

What were the next steps after that realisation? 

I went to PACE, UK Theatre School and The Dance Factory in Glasgow’s Southside until I was 14. I ended up breaking my leg while dancing, my bare foot got stuck on the floor and I dislocated my knee which led to being in a cast from my toe upwards. 

Once I saw that they were holding auditions for [Performing Arts School] Knightswood, I decided I wanted to try out for that but my parents weren’t so keen. I think they felt really sorry for me after the injury, so they let me try out but probably didn’t think I’d get in. The mentality I had was that if they didn’t take me, I’d just skive school and get the bus on crutches to get there. 

Photo by Graeme Hewitson, Monument Photos ©Mill Magazine

So, I ended up getting in and went there for four years. It was funded by the Scottish government and I was incredibly lucky to have had that opportunity. Just as I was leaving Knightswood, I won the Young Musical Theatre Person of the year award, then went off to Camp America to teach singing.

I didn’t even do the show at the end of the year (laughs). Then it was off to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, but I actually only ended up doing one year there. So, I decided to go to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia for a year then shaved all my hair off. Best decision I ever made (laughs). After that, I dropped out entirely and decided to get a big fat student loan for a one year intensive in London. 

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It seems like making bold and courageous decisions has been pivotal to getting you to where you are now.

I didn’t really think about it at the time, but it seems that way now (laughs). The London School of Musical Theatre was exactly the kind of training I was after and led to getting the lead in the end of year show. Once that was done, I got an agent. But, I was only out of there for a few months when Covid struck. 

How did you find the experience of going from the relative comfort of education to the ruthless auditioning process? 

It was weird to suddenly be up against thousands of people and I feel like I’m only starting to get into the swing of it now. My first show after graduating was The Pirate Queen Musical at the London Coliseum alongside Rachel Tucker and Hannah Waddingham, so that seemed like a good way to get my foot in the door but lockdown hit.

Then, I started booking a lot of adverts and that led to one for eBay which came out in America. After a while, I got a call from them saying that ‘we’ve looked at the statistics and no-one knows what the Scottish girl is saying (laughs).

So, we had to slow it down and they said, ‘hey, you’ve got a good voice’ and that led to a lot of different work in that area after I signed with Soho Voices. Now, that’s led to things like Japanese video games where I’m doing American accents for 10 hours straight or voicing a singer in a German AppleTV film. Recently, I did my first book for Audible too, but I can’t say what that is yet (laughs). 

Is there a wishlist of West End and Broadway shows you’d one day like to be in? 

It changes all the time. Growing up, I always thought I wanted to do all the big mainstream ones but now, I really like Scottish work as I connect with it more. There’s a very creative scene and a lot of new, interesting work.

I’m auditioning for a folk musical at the moment, so fingers crossed. Most recently, I’ve been working on a Scottish musical with Fraser Scott, who’s also from Paisley. We performed this show called Coming Back Around a few years ago and after he got funding, we’ve been developing it and there’s been lots of good meetings so that’s been really exciting. I love working with a Scottish team. 

Photo by Graeme Hewitson, Monument Photos ©Mill Magazine

How did your recent role in Black Mirror’s critically acclaimed “Loch Henry” episode come about? 

It’s actually a good story. I was working in a cocktail bar in Covent Garden where I was only the one who knew how to make the drinks and I was just kind of struggling with getting so close for so many shows and then not getting them.

I asked my agent how long they’d let me take a break without dropping me and she said about three months, so I actually went to America to be a Performing Arts Director in Cape Cod.

I asked my agents not to send me any auditions as I was taking a break, but she asked me to do one self-tape for a “non-disclosed project”. Initially I said no, but she insisted and I actually got the camp nurse to film it for me.

So, I got home and suddenly she said ‘hey, you booked Black Mirror’ and I was like ‘what?’ It’s crazy, I’m a bit of a hippie and it feels like the universe puts things in front of you when you just listen to yourself and be present. That’s usually when I get the best reward 

The same thing happened with my role in [Netflix cartoon] Dew Drop Diaries. I went into the audition and just had such a good time that I didn’t even worry about it. Since then, It’s become one of the best jobs I’ve ever had and I really hope there’s a third season on the way. 

What advice would you give to young performers from Renfrewshire who are looking to embark on a similar path? 

I think people jump into doing degrees from school as that’s what we’re told to do, but I think it can be better to take some time to get to know yourself better. I always thought you had to fit into a box to do musical theatre or acting as if there were a set route or look. Now, I’ve learned it’s the complete opposite and if you turn up as yourself, you’re actually more employable. 

There’s space for everyone in the industry, you just need to find your path as there’s a job in the industry I didn’t even know existed. Growing up, the industry makes you think it has to be me or you, but it’s actually both of us.

The more I understand about casting, the more I learn that a lot of times, not getting a job often isn’t even about you. All you can do is be authentic and true to yourself as you need to be happy with what you’ve done in the long run. 

Q&A with Beth Robb Adams

If you could perform alongside anyone in the world, who would it be? Bernadette Peters.

Dream musical role? The lead in Funny Girl, be in Hair or Girl From The North Country! There’s a lot on the radar. 

What’s your favourite restaurant in Renfrewshire? Trattoria Roma

Read more interviews from Mill Magazine here.