tracy-ann oberman

Actress, playwright & libertarian

Tracy-Ann Oberman is an English actress, playwright and narrator. She is widely known for roles in the BBC's soap opera EastEnders, Ridley Road, Robin Hood, Channel 4’s sitcom Friday Night Dinner, Dr Who and playing Ricky Gervais’s nemesis in Afterlife.

Following training at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, Oberman spent four years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, before joining the National Theatre. Her theatrical experience includes appearing with Kenneth Branagh in David Mamet’s Edmond (2003) and a run in the West End revival of Boeing-Boeing (2007–2008). She appeared in a production of Earthquakes in London in its 2011 run as Sarah Sullivan. 

Before EastEnders, Oberman appeared in a variety of television programmes including Casualty, Kiss Me Kate, and The Bill and carved out a comedic niche with leading roles in Bob Martin, Lenny Henry In Pieces, Big Train, Toast of London and in New Tricks as a forensic pathologist. Oberman appeared in Tracey Ullman’s Show and Tracey Breaks the News too.

Oberman has contributed to several radio sketch shows and, in 2008, co-authored with Diane Samuels the play 3 Sisters on Hope Street. In 2010, she wrote and starred alongside Catherine Tate in her BBC Radio 4 play Bette and Joan and Baby Jane and in 2012 wrote the BBC Radio 4 play Rock and Doris and Elizabeth. In 2015 she wrote and starred in the third part of her Hollywood Trilogy for BBC Radio 4, Mrs. Robinson, I Presume, alongside John Simm and Kevin Bishop. Oberman was a regular columnist for The Guardian newspaper during 2007, for which she is still an occasional contributor. She was a regular contributor to The Jewish Chronicle and also contributes to Red magazine.

She also recently won the Pete newborn award for using the arts to explain antisemitism to the wider community. She has been a keen activist, speaking out on antisemitism, bullying and racism. She is regularly invited onto news and comes affairs programs, such as Preston and Andrew Marr to talk about the impact of antisemitism and the need to be vigilant for all communities to sound together. She is currently in the Merchant of Venice, which was her baby and brainchild, taking an important piece of political theatre out around the country, but also working with stand up to racism in schools to heighten awareness of Jewish hate and to bring communities together. Tracy Ann’s message has always been that people are better together, stronger together and prouder together when they are aware and fight a greater evil who wants to tear people apart. Tracy Ann works very closely with Lord John Mann, the antisemitism head, the CST, and being a keynote speaker at their youth events. 

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