In celebration of her play, Bloody Influencers, winning The Reviews Hub best show of Brighton Fringe Festival and now being nominated for an Offies (Off West End) Award, we caught up again with BA (Hons) Drama (2021) alumnus Ena Begović for the lowdown on her recent success. We previously spoke with Ena in February, which you can read here. 

What does it mean to you to be nominated? 

It means a lot to be recognised, especially considering this is the first time I have created, produced and starred in my own one-woman show. 

How does performing at Brighton Fringe Festival compare to performing at Barons Court Theatre in London where you first launched your play? 

Performing at Barons Court Theatre was a bit easier, as the theatre has a bit more of regular audience and I didn’t have to search for accommodation in another city. At Fringe Festival there are so many plays happening at the same time, so I did some leafleting for the first time to try to bring a greater audience in. You really get the feeling of a festival and it’s just great to be part of that.

How can we support the play? 

You can support the play by coming to see it and spreading the word! You can also follow the play’s Instagram account; @daisy_beautyme. 

How does that compare to performing during your degree at CCCU? 

“Performing at university prepares you for professional work in the future. During my BA (Hons) Drama, I got to do a lot of devising and worked on different skills. The University gives you the space to do it in a safe environment.”

Performing in theatre with a live audience and reviewers raises the stakes higher. I worked with a director and writer; my team was small, but everyone contributed in their own way, everyone had their tasks to do. 

What else is new since we last spoke? 

I had a small role in the upcoming series Fool Me Once, and I’m shooting a short film this weekend. Other than that there are always small gigs, including being part of a new writing festival. In a two-header called Chronicles, I played a Ukrainian woman going through separation of body and soul as she’s forced to leave Ukraine and move to Scotland. Also after finishing MA in Acting for Stage and Screen, I got into an Acting program at RCSSD that’s running until August 2024.  

You can watch the trailer for Bloody Influencers on YouTube.