Joanna Tope

Joanna Margaret Tope (14 May 1944 – 19 December 2024) was an English actress who appeared in many television programmes, including Emmerdale Farm as Dr. Clare Scott in 1973, The Omega Factor as Julia Crane in 1979, and The Tomorrow People as Mrs Boswell.

Life and career Tope was born in Bideford, Devon, England on 14 May 1944. Nominated for a New York Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance in The Promise by Douglas Maxwell, which was on at 59E59 Theater New York from 29 March until 17 April 2011, as part of Scotland Week. Appearing in Facade with the Auricle Ensemble in August and September 2011 and was also undertaking radio work for BBC.

After taking an Honours Degree in Drama at Manchester University, Tope spent the next 10 years working in London and the provinces and in both theatre and television, in a variety of parts, allowing her to explore and stretch her versatility. Her roles included Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls and the Old Woman in Edward Bond's Bingo. She appeared regularly on BBC Scotland, and has also acted on radio dramas.

At the very beginning of her career she was an ASM and played small parts at Pitlochry. She married a Glaswegian and lived in Scotland.

She appeared at the Citizens Theatre as Jocasta in Oedipus The King and as Helen in A Taste of Honey and as Mrs. Eynsford Hill in Pygmalion. In 1997, she appeared at the Edinburgh Festival as Dorimene in a Scottish Opera/Nottingham Playhouse production of Strauss' Ariadne Auf Naxos and has made numerous concert and cabaret appearances. She was assistant director on The Rising Generation at Theatre Royal, Lincoln.

She died on 19 December 2024, at the age of 80. Tope had three children: John and Maggie and Tom, who is a BBC Radio 3 presenter.

Stage credits 2011, Maggie Brodie, THE PROMISE, Random Accomplice/59E59 Theater New York, Johnny McKnight 2010, Maggie Brodie, PROMISES PROMISES, Random Accomplice, Johnny McNight 2009, Reader, 'FACADE', Auricle, Christopher Swaffer 2008, Mary Barfoot, 'REHEARSAL ROOM' READING OF 'AROUSAL', Stellar Quines Theatre Company, Linda Griffiths 2007, Various, CLASS ACT, Traverse, Jemima Levick, Lorn Campbell. John Mitchell 2006, Agnetha, FROZEN, Rapture, Michael Emans 2006, Madame de Rosemonde, LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, John Dove 2005, Aunt Rose, BABY DOLL, Citizens Theatre, Jeremy Raison 2005, Storyteller 7 and five characters, CHRISTMAS CAROL, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Jemima Levick 2005, Valda Trevlyn, THE BEST SNOW FOR SKIING, Playwrights Studio Scotland, David Ian Neville 2004, Linda Loman, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, John Dove 2004, Granny Betty, SWANSONG, Tron. Rehearsed Reading, Lucy Jameson 2004, Mother, THE UNCONQUERED. A REHEARSED READING, Stellar Quines Theatre Company, Muriel Romanes 2003, Lea de Lonval, CHERI, Citizens' Theatre Company, Philip Prowse 2003, Aquilina's Maid, VENICE PRESERVED, Citizen's Theatre, Philip Prowse 2003, E. M. Ashford, WIT, Stellar Quines Theatre Company, Gaynor Macfarlane 2000, Mrs Christie, 10 RILLINGTON PLACE, Kenny Miller 2000, Mrs Bradman, BLITHE SPIRIT, Citizens Theatre, Philip Prowse 2000, Aase/Solveig, PEER GYNT, Citizens Theatre, Clare Venables 1999, Connie/Cook, CAVALCADE, Citizens Theatre, Philip Prouse 1999, Mrs Eynsford-Hill, PYGMALION, Citizens Theatre, Philip Prouse 1997, Dorimene, LE BOURGEOIS GENTILHOMME/ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, Nottingham Playhouse Theatre, Martin Duncan*

Radio credits 2011, Reader, RADIO 4 SHORT STORY. LIDO LOVER, BBC, Gaynor Macfarlane 2011, Various, RADIO WORKSHOP, BBC Radio drama, Kirsteen Cameron and Eilidh McCreadie 2010, Rose, LEGACY, BBC7 and Radio Scotland, David Ian Neville 2010, Mme Harnaud, SUNDAY, BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play, Patrick Rayner 2009, Reader, A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING, BBC Radio4, Eilidh McCreadie 2009, Khatira, BLUE WATER IN HELMAND, BBC Scotland, Bruce Young 2009, Emma Fairchild, MCLEVY, BBC Radio 4, Patrick Rayner 2009, Reader, AFTERNOON STORY. THE LARK, BBC Radio 4, Kirsteen Cameron 2009, Reader, THE RAILWAY CHILDREN, BBC Radio 4, Gaynor Macfarlane 2008, Marta, WOMAN'S HOUR SERIAL. AN EXPERT IN MURDER, BBC Radio 4, Gaynor Macfarlane 2008, Reader, GET LOST. SHORT STORY, BBC Radio 4, Kirsteen Cameron 2008, Reader, BOOK OF THE WEEK. MY FATHER'S COUNTRY, BBC Radio 4, Kirsty Williams 2008, Aurora and the Cook, LAURA, BBC Radio4, Bruce Young 2008, Trolley girl and Townspeople, THE SWITCH, BBC Radio 3. The Wire, David Jackson Young 2008, Brenda, NEVER THE BRIDE, BBC7, David Jackson Young 2007, Reader, A VIEW FROM THE CARPET, BBC Radio 4, David Jackson Young 2007, Dr Hirst / Nora Hull, DOVER BEATS THE BAND, BBC Radio 4, David Ian Neville 2007, Reader, HOUSEWORK, BBC Radio 4, Kirsty Williams 2007, Reader, IMAGINE, BBC Radio 4, Kirsty Williams 2007, Vera, RESURRECTION, BBC Radio 4, Lu Kemp 2007, Queen Caroline, THE HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN, BBC Radio 4, Bruce Young 2007, Reader, THE TROUBLE WITH LICHEN, BBC 7 / 7th Dimension, Eilidh McCreadie 2006, Rachel, ISLAND BLUE, BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Serial, David Ian Neville 2006, Joan, KAFFIR LILIES, BBC Radio 4, Bruce Young 2006, Mrs Maxwell, KITTY ELIZABETH MUST DIE, BBC Radio 3 The Wire, Lu Kemp 2005, Noreen and Mrs Fish, DOVER AND THE CLARET TAPPERS, Radio 4, David Ian Neville 2005, Mrs Newage, THE RECEPTIONIST, Radio 4, Lu Kemp 2004, Tamara Graham, BENEDICT'S RULE, BBC Radio 4, Gaynor Macfarlane 2004, Adelheid Turkheimer, BERLIN, BBC Radio 4, David Jackson Young 2004, Beth, GHOST ZONE, BBC 7, Bruce Young 2004, Concierge, HIMMLER'S BOY, BBC Radio 3, Patrick Rayner 2004, Sybil Shade, PALE FIRE, BBC Radio 3, Patrick Rayner 2004, Reader, SHORT STORY - ONE SIZE FITS ALL, BBC Radio 4, Bruce Young 2003, Voice of the River, DART, BBC Radio 4, Gaynor Macfarlane 2003, Reader, GENESIS, BBC Radio 4, Lu Kemp 2003, Reader, THE SWIMMING LESSON, BBC Radio 4, Bruce Young 2002, Reader, THE BODY ON THE BEACH, Book At Bedtime Radio 4, David Jackson Young 2001, Sebastiana, BALTHAZAR & BLIMUNDA, Radio 3, Patrick Rayner 2001, Reader, FLOWER O'THE QUINCE, Radio 4, Julia Butt 2001, Mme Thireau, MURDER MYSTERY, BBC Radio, Bruce Young 2001, Dr Gall, ROSSUM'S CYBER CAFE, Radio 3, Dave Bachelor 2001, Psychologist, THE HAUNTING, BBC Radio, Dave Bachelor 2001, Reader, THE MONUMENT OF SHAH JAHAN, BBC Radio, Bruce Young 1999, Mrs Davilow, DANIEL DERONDA, BBC Radio Drama, Patrick Rayner 1998, Fanny Kemble, RECORD OF A GIRLHOOD, Radio Scotland, David Jackson Young 1997, Ellen Richmond, DECEIT, BBC Radio, Hamish Wilson

Other credits 2011, Musical, Reciter, FACADE, Auricle Ensemble, Chris Swaffer 2010, Television, Mrs McWhisket, A BISCUIT FOR MRS MCWHISKET IN GRANDPA IN MY POCKET SERIES, Adastra, Mellie Bews 2010, Audio, Reader, SOMETHING BORROWED BY PAUL MAGRS, AudioGo, Sue Dalziel 2009, Audio, Reader, NEVER THE BRIDE BY PAUL MAGRS, BBC Audio Books, Sue Dalziel 2008, Rehearsed Reading, Mary Barfoot, AGE OF AROUSAL, Stellar Quines Theatre Company, Linda Griffiths 2008, Rehearsed Reading, Margaret Ann Brodie, PROMISES, PROMISES, Random Accomplice, Johnny MacNight 2004, Television, Mrs McHarg, MONARCH OF THE GLEN, BBC, Rob Knight 2003, Television, chairperson, THE KEY, Key Productions, David Blair 2000, Feature Film, Mother, GOLDFISH, A Girl Called Bill, Sam Leyton 1999, Corporate, Joyce Allen, OUT OF COURT, Crystal Media, Bernard Krichefski 1997, Feature Film, Dr Black, FRIENDLY VOICES, MTP, Jack Wyper 1996, Feature Film, Lady Langley, THE RUBY RING, Hallmark/Scottish Television, Harley Cokeliss The Omega Factor as Julia Crane (1979) Centre Play (Mirror, Mirror) as Emma (1976) The Tomorrow People as Mrs. Boswell (1975) Z-Cars as Angie Burford (1974) Emmerdale Farm as Dr Clare Scott (1973–1977) The Shadow of the Tower as Cicely (1972) Menace as Clerk (1970)