Concerns have arisen among Cynthia Erivo’s friends and fans as she undertakes rigorous marathon training while performing a challenging one-woman stage show. Insiders caution that this demanding schedule could push her to her physical limits.
According to RadarOnline.com, Erivo, 39, is currently leading a solo West End production of Dracula, where she takes on 28 characters through a script of approximately 20,000 words, all while training for the London Marathon.
During an appearance on This Morning, Erivo explained the extent of her challenge and the support she receives from her Wicked co-stars, including Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and Jeff Goldblum, as she juggles performing, rehearsing, and endurance training.
A source from the production expressed concern: “There is growing unease behind the scenes about how much she is taking on at once – it is an extraordinary workload that would test even the most seasoned performers.”
Another insider commented: “The concern is not about her commitment, which is unquestionable, but whether the pace she is maintaining is sustainable over time without consequences for her health.”
Regarding the support from her Wicked co-stars, Erivo shared: “Jeff came, Jonathan came. I think everyone’s sort of like trickling in. I got some really beautiful messages, and Jonathan is constantly texting to make sure I’m okay. Ari is very, very worried that I’m not resting enough, so she’s consistently texting.
“Jeff sent the most beautiful love letter, and he does. I love Jeff very, very much, and Jonathan, that everyone’s so lovely, it feels like we have a little bit of a family.”
In the Dracula production, Erivo swiftly transitions between roles while maintaining emotional intensity, a task she says requires focused preparation.
She stated: “I learn it in chunks. What you have to do is learn it with a reason. So I have to know where (the characters) are and what they’re doing and why they’re saying things, and that’s the only way I can commit it to memory. You learn it almost like a dancer.”
In addition to rehearsals and performances, Erivo is training for the marathon with a goal of finishing in under three hours and 30 minutes, incorporating line memorization into her runs.
She explained: “Whilst I’m running, I run the run lines in my head. I’m trying to make good use of every moment.”
A source familiar with her schedule noted: “She is effectively layering two elite disciplines on top of each other – endurance sport and high-intensity performance – both of which demand recovery time. That’s where the anxiety is coming from among those close to her.
“Cynthia has always been skinny, but there is a worry now that she is getting dangerously skinny, and people have been saying she looks anorexic on stage, as there is just very little to her. She is burning up huge amounts of energy between the play and running. People around her are proud, but also quietly worried that she is not giving herself enough space to rest and reset.”
Erivo also spoke about the toll her performances take once she finishes on stage: “There’s so much poured into it, emotionally, physically, mentally, everything is switched on. I don’t switch off at all.
“Everything is on, and everything is firing all the time so that when you come off, you go, ‘Where am I? Yeah, am I again?’ And so it takes a second to just put everything back together. Yeah, it takes me a while to get to get to sleep. I don’t get sleep until like, 1am in the morning.”
