Celia Imrie

Presenter0:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young. Thank you for downloading this podcast of Desert Island Discs from BBC Radio 4. For rights reasons the music choices are shorter than in the radio broadcast.

Presenter0:10

For more information about the programme, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.

Presenter0:34

My castaway this week is Celia Imrie, instantly recognisable as one of Britain's most versatile actresses. She's worked in television, theatre, and films for the past four decades, roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company and in big budget movies, yes, but it's her instinct for T V comedy that has made her a household name. First in Acorn Antiques and then Dinner Ladies. The sound of people laughing is a bit like being drunk, she says. I'd rather they laughed at me than be silent. As a child, she dreamt of becoming a ballerina, but she was considered not to be the right shape for classical ballet, and after suffering the bitter disappointment of rejection, turned to acting.

Presenter1:12

Her film credits include Bridget Jones's Diary, Nanny McPhee, and Calendar Girls.

Presenter1:17

In the latter she had to pose topless, with only some delicately placed potisserie sparing her blushes. She says I don't like taking my clothes off in front of myself, leave alone any one else. So shooting that scene, Celia Imrie, was uh was a tricky moment in your long and distinguished career, was it?

Celia Imrie1:34

It really was something that that we all were sort of dreading, I suppose. We all woke up that morning.

Celia Imrie1:40

like it was an exam. But um I suppose I had the advantage of being first, so get it over and done with.

Presenter1:47

Right. And y and you did look you were in your early fifties at that point. You looked in terrific shape. Had you done had you done that usual star thing of the the zone diet and down at the gym for an hour and a half every day for six months prior?

Celia Imrie1:47

Uh

Celia Imrie1:56

Okay for six months.

Celia Imrie1:58

Yes, we all suddenly were crammed into the gym. I loathe gyms actually. We were all swimming at six o'clock in the morning.

Presenter2:03

Right.

Celia Imrie2:05

And it was, you know, the real dare of all, except that with Helen Mirren at the helm.

Celia Imrie2:12

She sort of led us through most brilliantly. You know, of course it was a relief and we had a glass of champagne when we'd all done it, you know, like ten pin bowling, we were one down, nine to go.

Celia Imrie2:22

And um

Celia Imrie2:24

I was mighty glad to get it over and done with.

Presenter2:25

And what about the response to the movie? I mean, it was a big hit. And people, I think, that, you know, that sense of a celebration of

Presenter2:31

women of a certain age of them actually having a a ruddy good time making a bit of a splash. People really responded to that.

Celia Imrie2:35

Thank you.

Celia Imrie2:38

Yes, and we had the the real Calendar Girls around us a lot, so we had their sort of spirit encouraging us.

Presenter2:43

Do I mean, uh, you know, k can you go about your business these days? Can you go with your I'm I'm sure you don't wear a headscarf or even anything as unbecoming as that, but d do you go to the supermarket and do all those things?

Celia Imrie2:49

Yeah.

Celia Imrie2:51

And do all those things? Oh, yes, of course I do. It depends whether I'm wearing lipstick or not, actually. But I was out strolling, minding my own business by the sea one day when uh somebody shouted out, Oh, look, it's bigger bonds.

Presenter3:04

Yes. They needed bigger buns for you. In you're talking there about calendar girls. They did they need to go out and get bigger buns to to feel their modesty?

Celia Imrie3:09

So yes, I suppose.

Presenter3:14

Um and so you've got this you've got a fabulously chiselled look to your face, and you have this w when you choose to really ramp it up, quite a cut glass accent. Yet your first role in performance was as a rat.

Celia Imrie3:25

Yes, and funnily enough I found the programme the other day, um and I was also a sausage in that particular um pantomime. How on earth I danced as one, I don't know, but yes, that was my first as a chorus girl.

Presenter3:38

And uh yes, as a chorus guard. Now, you're you're known for playing characters that that seem on the surface to be terribly sort of proper, but actually underneath are a little bit nutty. And I have to say your choices today don't disappoint. This is an unusual selection of music we're about to hear. What's what's the basis for your selection?

Celia Imrie3:51

But

Celia Imrie3:56

Well, looking through them again, they're a great mixture between

Celia Imrie4:00

ones that really cheer me up and get me dancing.

Celia Imrie4:04

Um and ones that are terribly sad.

Presenter4:07

Crystal.

Celia Imrie4:07

Uh

Presenter4:07

Till ya.

Celia Imrie4:07

Um the first one is a song I've always adored called Is That All There Is? I love it sung by Peggy Lee, but um I've just recently heard Bette Midler sing it, and she tips the scales. I think she's wonderful.

Speaker 44:22

Is that all there is?

Speaker 44:27

If that's all there is, my friends Then let's keep dancing Let's break out the booze and have

Speaker 44:41

A ball.

Speaker 44:45

If that's all

Speaker 44:49

Mary

Presenter4:53

That was Bette Middler with Is That All There Is? When people think of you, Celia Imrie, automatically they also think of Victoria Wood. You have worked so successfully with her over the years, not least on Acorn Antiques, which was such a a big hit on T V and then went on to be a hit on stage. You won an Olivier Award for your performance in that, which by many critics' estimation was actually the scene stealer. Did did you did you enjoy that on stage?

Celia Imrie5:16

That on stage? Of course. Actually, at the beginning, because Victoria had been so clever in writing just a tiny little snippet each week, I think it was only about six minutes long.

Celia Imrie5:27

And then when she told me she was going to write a musical of sort of two and a half hours long, I must say I was a bit worried. I didn't know how that was going to work.

Celia Imrie5:35

But anyway, needless to say, it did, and I was absolutely thrilled to be part of it. And when had you first met then? How far back did you go? Blimey, probably about thirty years ago, actually. A friend of mine was at university with her, but I think she thought of me more as a chorus girl.

Celia Imrie5:52

until, luckily, one night she saw a sketcher that I'd done in Scotland.

Celia Imrie5:56

and then asked me to come on her show, which of course, you know, I jumped at.

Presenter6:00

Yes. And and Acorn Antiques itself, it it is a great pleasure for many of us over the years. It it was a very quirky and odd thing. Did you understand it from the minute you read it on the page?

Celia Imrie6:10

I did, but the cameramen didn't. I do remember the cameramen watching what had been a very slick show up until Acon Antiques and then

Celia Imrie6:19

Them just thinking, why is this bit so bad? Why don't they know their lines? Why is she picking up the telephone and it's still ringing?

Celia Imrie6:27

Um and why is the scenery w swaying in the background?

Celia Imrie6:31

Um, but gradually they got into it and they

Celia Imrie6:35

put the booms too low, so Duncan's head banged into them.

Celia Imrie6:39

Cleverly Jeff Posner, our brilliant director, never let us do it live. Might have been a disaster. There was a moment when Victoria Duncan and I were all on a two seater sofa, really closely together.

Celia Imrie6:52

on the occasion when Julie Walters came in and her lime green leotard, because the whole of the antique shop had been turned into a health farm for no reason at all.

Celia Imrie7:02

That was impossibly difficult, and of course we all set each other off.

Presenter7:06

Yes. It seems quite close to the surface, your laughter. Are you a giggler? Are you

Celia Imrie7:08

To laughter, are you a giggler?

Celia Imrie7:10

Well, yes, but funnily enough I think really good work happens when people are all having a good time, which we

Presenter7:15

We did. And she also wrote for for you the the part of Philippa in Dinner Ladies again, another terrific part with some of the best lines. I don't know if we can say them on Radio Four, but I've written down a couple here which I was enjoying only yesterday. Absolutely right round the buggering twist in one of them.

Celia Imrie7:31

Well yes. You see, the thing about Vic is so marvellous. She she heard me one day when I was late to rehearsals, screaming down the phone, trying to get a taxi.

Celia Imrie7:41

And the very next week it was all in the s in the episode. I think that's where it comes from. Is that where it comes from? Yes, and I think I probably said something worse.

Presenter7:51

Yes, there's another one which I definitely know I can't say again was terrifically funny. Let's have some more music then. What are we going to hear now? We're on disc number two, Celia.

Celia Imrie7:53

That again was

Celia Imrie7:58

We're going to have, just to make us laugh, we're going to have Darlene and Jonathan Edwards singing Tiptoe Through the Tulip.

Presenter8:04

Yes, now as I said, some of your choices are on the quirky side. Explain to people what they're about to hear, because it's important you understand what you're hearing.

Celia Imrie8:10

Yes, well it's Jo Stafford who's a absolutely brilliant singer and her husband the and he was a brilliant pianist.

Celia Imrie8:19

You have to be, like Les Dawson, be good to be bad, and this is what they are. It's heaven.

Speaker 48:29

Tinto, to the rain toe, by the rain.

Speaker 48:43

Go from the pillow to the shadow

Speaker 48:47

Mark away from the

Speaker 48:51

Through the two levels.

Presenter8:56

That was Darlene and Jonathan Edward and Tip Two Through the Tulips. Have you composed yourself, Celia and Maki Raving?

Celia Imrie9:01

But it made us both laugh, didn't it?

Presenter9:02

It isn't. Quite a peculiar sound they conjured up there. You are known for playing these very proper characters, and your background would seem to denote that you had the right stock for playing proper characters. You were born in Surrey, in Guildford in Surrey, in 1952. You were the fourth of five children, and your father, he was he a doctor? Radiologist. Radiologist, right. And your father was quite old when you were born. He was, he was sixty. What sort of character was he?

Celia Imrie9:20

Radiologist.

Celia Imrie9:27

Uh somebody said he was a gentle giant, which I think is very good actually. He was also known as the galloping doctor on Epsom Downs. He used to ride off on horseback to the jockeys to see if they'd broken any bones. He was quite strict though, you know, quite uh strict Scot. But he always wanted children. But I think possibly um when all five of us came along we were a bit of a noise for him and we had patients to the house so we all had to be on our best behaviour.

Presenter9:49

Uh

Presenter9:53

Right. Your mother was tw twenty years younger, isn't it?

Celia Imrie9:55

Twenty years younger, yes. Right. And and what was she like?

Presenter9:56

Yeah.

Celia Imrie9:59

Well, she's an inspiration to all my parts, actually. Is she?

Celia Imrie10:03

She was a really good sport. She loved the races and she loved parties.

Celia Imrie10:09

As she played the violin,

Celia Imrie10:11

She was quite a toff, and my father wasn't.

Celia Imrie10:14

So it was sort of a marvellous mixture, really. And was your mother glamorous?

Celia Imrie10:19

I thought so. Hm. Well, she had that marvellous thing of sort of not caring what she looked like in the daytime, but then if she'd be going out and come and kiss us good night, she'd be the swish of red chiffon, I remember, and crystal necklace and perfume.

Presenter10:33

But

Presenter10:34

And this I mean, it it sounds like a stable and idyllic upbringing. What what were your parents' ambitions for you and uh your siblings?

Celia Imrie10:42

Well, luckily, um

Celia Imrie10:44

Two of my sisters became nurses, which my father was very pleased about.

Celia Imrie10:48

And one day he did say to me, So, when are you going to go to the secretarial college?

Celia Imrie10:53

Be a secretary, and I remember looking at the back of his head and thinking, How am I ever going to tell him I'm never going to do that?

Speaker 410:58

Mm-hmm.

Celia Imrie10:59

He didn't really approve, and so I did placate them all by doing um a dancing teacher's course.

Presenter11:06

And when you were a little, little girl, were you um

Presenter11:09

You know, were you mischievous? Were you a cheeky sort? You've got you've got that little twinkle of mischief.

Celia Imrie11:14

Hideousness about

Presenter11:14

Yeah.

Celia Imrie11:14

I hope so. Well, yes, I think I probably was. I mean, I suppose being four out of five, you did spend quite a lot of time saying hello which is why I've spent my life doing it, I suppose.

Presenter11:26

Continually. Is it true that you once tipped a painting easel that was joined to 20 other painting easels just to watch them all go down? I'm afraid it was.

Celia Imrie11:33

Yes, I've got the devil in me somewhere.

Presenter11:33

Yes, I

Celia Imrie11:35

Just to see what would happen. I don't think I owned up. I think I went off to lunch.

Celia Imrie11:41

I'm satisfied.

Celia Imrie11:43

Let's have some more music then. What's next? The next one is for my father, uh Jimmy Shand and his reel.

Celia Imrie11:50

And and why have you chosen this then? Are memories attached to it? Yes, actually. My father was the most wonderful Scottish dancer, and uh one of my best memories at home was in the summertime peeping out of the uh window upstairs and seeing them all on the lawn, kilts flying.

Presenter13:04

Ginny Shand and Mrs. Chumley's Reel. And memories for you, Celia Imery, of Reels on the Lawn there. You would watch, was it some sort of Surrey Society of Scots or something?

Celia Imrie13:10

And you would warn.

Celia Imrie13:13

Well actually yes, I believe my father did start the Scottish Society in Guildford, so he was very much the leader of it.

Presenter13:19

And you've called your son Angus. Do you do you sit down and compulsorily make him listen to Jimmy Shan's Real San Justice?

Celia Imrie13:25

No, but but it's it's uh as when we were listening to it, you can't keep still, can you? It's just heaven. It's sort of in your blood, I think. And Angus, funnily enough, when he was born, he looked just like my father. It's a weird thing to say, but he really did.

Celia Imrie13:38

And that combined with I couldn't be bothered to go through the name book very far, I stopped today.

Presenter13:44

Right. And your first love then as a little girl was was Bally, as I said in the introduction. What age did you start dancing? Five, I think.

Celia Imrie13:52

Oh, very young man.

Presenter13:52

Very young man.

Celia Imrie13:53

Mm, I absolutely loved it. But of course, you know, uh for a ballet dancer you have to be tiny and be able to be lifted up.

Celia Imrie14:02

And um, they absolutely realized I wasn't the right shape. And when did that happen? What age were you when you?

Presenter14:07

Yeah.

Celia Imrie14:08

Um, about eleven, I suppose, when I started auditioning for all the

Presenter14:08

True.

Presenter14:11

Balascles. It's to do with the length of your bones and so on, and they can see how you're going to when you say not the right shape, I mean you're you're look like a very slim person to me. You're talking about your height. Everything really. Right.

Celia Imrie14:14

And they can see how you

Celia Imrie14:21

Uh

Speaker 414:22

Right.

Presenter14:22

So you were eleven when you were told. And what do they do? When you go to the auditions and so on, do they just say to you, Um no, I'm sorry, you d you don't make the grade?

Celia Imrie14:30

Uh no, they would probably write to you, which is always more m sort of I don't know, I think it's worse in a way. And so your mother had to tell you, did she? No, she didn't. Um and funnily enough I understand why she didn't, because it would be a very hard thing to do. I don't know what I was told quite. But anyway, I found the letter in her writing desk. I shouldn't have been snooping, but I did.

Celia Imrie14:52

And they said, Yes, she's very good, but I'm afraid she's going to be too big.

Celia Imrie14:56

So I thought, oh, well, I'll I'll get small then. Right. Yes. Tell me about getting small.

Celia Imrie15:02

Well, it was um I it was a stupid thing to do, but I thought at a young age then I'll get small and I'll I won't eat so much, you know. I I'm afraid what is now quite a common thing I see girls in the street sometimes it m makes my heart break

Celia Imrie15:19

This anorexia thing. It's an awful thing, but you get yourself into it and only you can get yourself out of it. It is possible, and it upsets me when I hear so much talked about it now. Right. And what upsets you that people misunderstand it, or that they I think the thing is it's such a terrible waste of life. And also I I regret dreadfully, you know, the embarrassment I caused my father.

Celia Imrie15:42

The upset I caused my mother and family. And the embarrassment with him b I suppose you mean with him being a doctor? Yes, exactly. Why can't you make her eat? You know, it was ridiculous. And it was sort of more much more unusual then.

Presenter15:54

I mean, it was very serious for you, just to be clear. When you had anorexia you were hospitalized, wasn'tore.

Celia Imrie15:57

Yeah.

Presenter15:58

See ya.

Celia Imrie15:58

And for how

Presenter15:58

And for how long?

Celia Imrie15:59

Yeah.

Presenter15:59

Uh

Celia Imrie16:00

About, uh, sort of three months or something. It was ghastly. Absolutely ghastly. I don't

Presenter16:02

Yeah.

Celia Imrie16:04

Wish it upon anybody. But I genuinely do believe it is possible to do it yourself. You have to sort of.

Celia Imrie16:12

To get better.

Presenter16:13

Yeah.

Celia Imrie16:14

control and get yourself be better.

Celia Imrie16:18

I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with me and say, Oh, but it's an illness and everything.

Celia Imrie16:22

Yes, it is. And you do go so far down the line it's very difficult to come back. But I absolutely believe that you can make yourself better. I truly do believe that.

Presenter16:30

Right.

Presenter16:32

Okay, that's a very I mean as you you you'll be aware saying that there'll be a lot of people who who won't just disagree but you know they'll be shouting at the wireless. They will be shouting at the wall.

Celia Imrie16:37

They'll be shouting at the wireless war.

Presenter16:40

They will. But I'm I'm absolutely stand by what I believe. And Be because that was your experience with anorexia, that because in the end you healed yourself?

Celia Imrie16:48

I I just yes, I I mean it was entirely my self m my own selfish act. I think it's a very aggressive thing for all the people around you. I think it's a terrible waste of time.

Celia Imrie17:00

And it's absolutely possible to get yourself back, I believe. I mean,

Celia Imrie17:05

I feel very much for the poor mothers. I spoke to a girl quite recently who came to visit me and I said, Where's your mother? And she said, Downstairs. And I said, Well, bring her up.

Speaker 417:07

Yeah.

Celia Imrie17:13

This worn out woman met me.

Celia Imrie17:16

Because I think that people I'm afraid, I think young girls get into a sort of habit and they

Celia Imrie17:21

Stay there and they're happy to be in this utter misery. And it's such a shame.

Presenter17:26

That's interesting that you even now have occasional contact with people. You choose to talk to people who who are suffering or have suffered anorexia. What do you say to them then? What's your advice to them?

Celia Imrie17:33

Perhaps I wouldn't have to do it.

Presenter17:36

Presumably don't just sit there and say, Come on, pull yourself out of hit

Celia Imrie17:39

No, I don't I don't but I do say it's entirely up to you, you know.

Speaker 417:44

Uh

Celia Imrie17:44

Right.

Speaker 417:44

I

Celia Imrie17:45

A wonderful staff nurse said to me once,

Celia Imrie17:49

She said, You do realize you're taking up the bed of a really sick child, don't you?

Celia Imrie17:55

And it was m it was the best thing she could have said,'cause actually it gave me a real

Presenter17:59

Uh

Presenter18:00

you know, kick.

Presenter18:01

And given that you're an actress and given that, you know, part of part of the acting game is that, you know, it's as much or maybe not as much to do with how you look, but how you look is a huge part of it. Have you always is it always there and you're keeping the lid on it? Or have you struggled with that throughout the years? Or?

Celia Imrie18:11

Mm.

Celia Imrie18:17

Um what how I look in English?

Presenter18:19

The idea of

Celia Imrie18:20

Physical perfection and the idea of being good enough. Yes, it it's always there, really, I suppose. But, um.

Presenter18:20

The idea of being good enough.

Celia Imrie18:25

There's so much else now in life, actually. Life's very precious, you just gotta get on with it. Let's have some more music then, Celia. What are we gonna hear? Oh gosh, yes. Well, this is apparently um the saddest song Elvis Presley ever heard. Um and it's sung by a wonderful singer, one on a judge.

Celia Imrie18:44

Um and we're going to play the sort of towards the end of it. Apparently she went she asked to go into the recording studio by herself in the dark and just sing it by herself, and it's absolutely heartbreaking.

Speaker 418:56

The silence

Speaker 419:01

A falling star.

Speaker 419:05

Lights up

Speaker 419:09

Oh sky

Speaker 419:13

And else I won.

Speaker 419:16

Do where you are I'm so lost of mine.

Speaker 419:25

That was

Presenter19:26

That was Wynena Judd and I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. You said earlier, Celia Imrie, that many of the parts you play are somewhat inspired by your mother and memories of how your mother was when your mother was still alive. Did she did she ever talk to you about that, recognise her herself in the parts that you played?

Celia Imrie19:45

Um

Celia Imrie19:46

No, I don't think she did. There was a marvellous moment, actually, when she came to a recording of Acon Antiques.

Celia Imrie19:54

And a

Celia Imrie19:55

Julie said to me, Ask your mother.

Celia Imrie19:58

if she understands that Acon antiques isn't supposed to be very good,'cause she was sort of off with the fairies most of the time, my mother. So on the way home I said, Mums.

Celia Imrie20:07

Do you understand that Acon Antiques isn't supposed to be very good? And she said.

Celia Imrie20:12

What you mean you're not very good at selling antiques?

Celia Imrie20:16

And I thought, well

Celia Imrie20:17

I don't think I can say any more after that.

Celia Imrie20:20

But I did actually I mean, there was one moment in uh Love in a Cold Climate when I discovered that um Nancy Mitford's mother, who I was sort of based on,

Celia Imrie20:29

kept chickens in order to educate her daughters and sell the eggs. My mother did too, so I dressed exactly as she used to, with an old man's mac, old men's shoes, and a sort of awful hat on, and that's how she used to feed the chickens, so I got that in.

Presenter20:47

Um one of your early jobs was was um travelling you were travelling round the country, I think, with Trevor Nunn's production of Heda Gabbler. Um that must have been inc incredibly instructive, I'm thinking, being behind the scenes on a production of of that caliber.

Celia Imrie21:00

Well, it was because it was round The world. Around the world, yes. And and strangely enough, um, a friend of mine, Jane,

Presenter21:02

Around the world?

Celia Imrie21:07

I said that there was this job going um

Celia Imrie21:10

Assistant stage manager, which is sort of the tea girl, really.

Celia Imrie21:14

and um unstudying.

Celia Imrie21:16

And actually I didn't really want to do it, because I wanted to act and I wanted to have my own part and everything.

Celia Imrie21:22

But I had never been abroad before.

Celia Imrie21:25

And it was going round the world, directed by Trevor Nunn, and starring Glenda Jackson, you know, double Oscar winner.

Celia Imrie21:32

Jenny Lyndon, Tim West, Patrick Stewart, Peter Eyre. Fantastic cast.

Celia Imrie21:37

I was Pam St. Clements understudied. Anyway, I'm happy to say I jumped on board and it was extraordinary.

Presenter21:42

Uh

Celia Imrie21:43

And it

Presenter21:43

How do you decide to become an actress?

Speaker 421:46

But

Presenter21:46

Because you knew you couldn't be a dancer. Was it just you needed to perform, you felt you wanted to perform, was that a reaction to the case?

Celia Imrie21:52

I guess.

Celia Imrie21:54

Yes, I mean anything showing off. More five spares.

Presenter21:56

Yeah. And your father, as we know, had said to you, you know, when are you going to go to secretarial uh college? What what was his response to you deciding to to properly be an actress and try and make your living at it?

Celia Imrie22:07

Well, he ne he never really knew, actually. I mean, I've I know I've said this before, but he did one one day say, So when are you ever going to be on the Goggle Box?'Cause he loved it. Um, and but sadly he died before I ever was, which was, um, upstairs, downstairs, my first television. So it was a bit like going on Cranford, I suppose, you know.

Presenter22:28

Uh Do

Celia Imrie22:29

Yeah.

Presenter22:29

Of course, Ben. Given that you came from a very middle class family, there there were times in those early years when you were doing jobs like waitressing or you were charring people's houses and and so on. Did did you ever think, you know, coming from the nice background that you did, that actually this is not quite the thing and I'm going to give this up and get a proper job?

Celia Imrie22:39

Uh

Celia Imrie22:47

No. I thought it was quite a hoot, especially when I at one point I was charring for Arthur Schwartz, who gave me some very good advice when I left. Um my advice, Celia, is to make a nuisance of yourself.

Presenter23:01

Yes, I mean let's talk about that. You are you're not averse to picking up the phone and and bugging people into to seeing you, or indeed with Cranford writing a part for you in that case.

Celia Imrie23:11

Well, yes. I mean, I think you've got to sort of dare yourself sometimes.

Celia Imrie23:17

And actually, if you can do it with a joke, sort of a joke.

Celia Imrie23:20

I think that's the best way of doing it, but with a twinkle in your eye, so they can say.

Celia Imrie23:25

No, if they want to.

Presenter23:26

Let's have some music then. It's time for a disc. Celia Imery, what are we going to hear next? We're on disc number five now.

Celia Imrie23:31

Ah, yes. Um well, this is my mother's favourite piece of music, and she played it on her violin.

Speaker 423:39

Uh

Celia Imrie23:44

Yeah.

Presenter24:38

Fritz Chrysler and Schunrosmarine, Beautiful Rosemarie. You said your mother played that. She must have been she must have been pretty good. She was absolutely wonderful and she used to play Irish Jigs and Scottish Reels as well. She died uh ten years ago. She was in her uh mid eighties. Did she talk to you about your career? Was she?

Celia Imrie24:55

She was wonderfully encouraging.

Presenter24:55

It was a

Celia Imrie24:58

But she also I mean, I think she was surrounded by rather

Celia Imrie25:03

Disapproving friends, let's put it like that. At the beginning, you know, this um daughter on the stage, what is she up to?

Celia Imrie25:10

And my mother was very careful'cause she never really talked about what I was doing or what I was up to to them.

Presenter25:16

Yeah.

Celia Imrie25:16

But she was wonderfully encouraging.

Presenter25:17

You played in Mark Hatton's Polar Bears just last year. You played the part of a mother struggling to understand her her child's manic depression. And I'm I'm thinking there of you know you were talking about suffering severely from anorexia in your teens. Did you mine a little bit of that experience for the performance?

Celia Imrie25:35

Experience for the performance? I think I did actually, because I I remember my darling mother coming across um from Waterloo Station to visit me.

Celia Imrie25:45

Practically every day.

Celia Imrie25:47

It must have been ghastly for her. You know, very, very difficult to understand. So, yes, I suppose I again I've based myself on my mother, and it it is difficult to to understand your child.

Celia Imrie26:00

Suffering. Did you ever say sorry to your mother?

Presenter26:03

But for what you felt you had put her through. I hope I did.

Speaker 426:07

Um

Presenter26:09

Okay. You were forty two yourself when you became a a a mother. Um did did you find that that helped to change your focus? Of course it it's a wonderful thing for sort of taking the spotlight off oneself. When you have children, there's an awful lot more to worry about.

Celia Imrie26:21

Mm-hmm.

Celia Imrie26:23

Absolutely. I mean, I I I'd always wanted to have a a child, and it does. It stops you being so selfish,'cause I suppose our acting career is quite selfish, because

Celia Imrie26:33

Having a child

Celia Imrie26:35

Acting is no longer the whole point.

Presenter26:36

Uh

Celia Imrie26:37

Yeah.

Presenter26:37

You said you always wanted to have children, but but but you've also said in the past that getting married gives you the heebie jeebies. You have done it as a single parent, which is uh terrifically hard work. How have you found that?

Celia Imrie26:47

I have. Well, um uh Ben Whittrow, who is Angus's father, is the most wonderful father to Angus. He's an actor, of course. Yes. And um and he has two wonderful um uh half brother and sister Hannah and Tom who've been absolutely wonderful to him too.

Celia Imrie27:04

You see, the thing is, how do I know what marriage is like? I've never even tried it. But I imagine.

Celia Imrie27:10

um it, you know, childishly, that uh that it's a bit of a trap, and so I've always been fiercely independent and wanted to do it on my own. Hopefully it's going all right so far.

Presenter27:22

And he acts with you in In Kingdom on IT V, yes.

Celia Imrie27:23

Yeah.

Celia Imrie27:35

I would never put him off. It's a great lad.

Presenter27:37

Let's have some more music. What's next, Celia?

Celia Imrie27:40

Oh, yes. Now this is heaven. Um Barbara Wynns are singing It's So Much Nicer in Nice from The Boyfriend. Why have you chosen this? Well

Celia Imrie27:49

A, It makes me roar with laughter. It's a part that I've played twice actually, but never as brilliantly as I can hear Barbara Wincer does it, and also because I'm mad about the film.

Celia Imrie28:00

It's brilliant, but this is um a total highlight.

Speaker 328:03

They say it's lovely weather, young ladies in Vienna, but it's nicer, much nicer in Nice.

Celia Imrie28:05

Hey, it's lovely weather!

Speaker 328:13

The dam of Brussels, the men have great big muscles, but they're nicer, much nicer in this. I've heard that the Italians are very fond of dallions, and they're all so keen on it, and Greece. But whatever they may say, this is where I want to stay, for it's so much nicer in Nice.

Presenter28:35

That was Barbara Windsor singing It's Nicer in Nice from The Boyfriend. We should remind people, Celia Imrie, that there has been, of course, plenty of serious work.

Presenter28:42

Um in your C V films, Hilary and Jackie, oranges are not the only fruit. You were very well reviewed in Edward Bond's The Sea, you picked up the the Clarence Derwent Award for that, you were also in School for Scandal. Does it bother you that when I introduce you and when people see you that they think of uh dinner ladies and acorn antiques, that you are known for the the the lighter parts of your repertoire?

Celia Imrie29:03

No, I'm I'm very proud actually and I love it that um people know me as Miss Babbs. But um I've got lots more underneath and um I I yearn to play, you know, more serious heavy dramas actually.

Presenter29:18

And what about some of the b I mentioned that you'd play at the Royal Shakespeare Company. What about some of the big classical roles? Do you still have your eye on those?

Celia Imrie29:24

I do, actually. Um but well I I'm better not say'cause otherwise I'm it it'll all go wrong. I'm terribly superstitious.

Presenter29:26

What what defense?

Celia Imrie29:33

But uh no, I'd I'd love to have a crack, of course.

Presenter29:35

Now, tell me about the group of women that you've recently been filming with. And it's got a it's got a terrifically complex name. I'm sure I'll muck it up if I try and say it. What have you been filming recently?

Celia Imrie29:39

And it

Celia Imrie29:43

I've been filming The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in India.

Presenter29:46

Yeah.

Celia Imrie29:47

Who's in the car?

Celia Imrie29:49

Dame Judy Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton, Bill Nye, Tom Wilkinson, Ronnie Pickup.

Presenter29:56

Uh

Celia Imrie29:56

Dev Patel

Presenter29:57

Yeah.

Presenter29:58

And me. Are you part of this sort of tremendous you mentioned there's a couple is there a couple of dames in there? Yes. Um so you're part of this club of women who sort of seem to represent the best of what British acting has to offer. When you're I know what you're gonna say, you're gonna say when you're acting together they're all very giving and you get on terribly well. I'm really wondering if is there a little bit of competition? Are you slightly stealing somebody's lights?

Presenter30:20

Putting in an extra word here and there.

Celia Imrie30:21

If ever we did any of that, it would be making each other laugh. But it's all done with fun, and actually, it was like a dream. I can't quite believe I did it, actually, but I did.

Presenter30:33

Let's have some

Celia Imrie30:33

One

Presenter30:33

Music then. What are we going to hear now?

Celia Imrie30:35

This is um my favourite opera with Maria Kallas in T playing Tosca and Tito Gobby.

Celia Imrie30:43

in the the end of the second act of Tosca.

Presenter30:46

Yes, and tell me why have you chosen the end of the second act?

Celia Imrie30:49

Well, there's a wonderful film. I think Zephyrilli filmed it. Um and this is the moment when she um knifes well, Tito Gobby anyway, until you hear him fall to the ground. But it's so dramatic. It's Beren Scarpe, I think, who um and she's a fabulous, fabulous actress.

Presenter31:02

Good.

Speaker 431:12

Mari!

Speaker 431:16

Worry!

Speaker 431:29

For me.

Presenter32:03

That was the end of the second act of Puccini's Tosca with Maria Kallas and Tito Gobby, with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra conducted by Georges Pretre. You've spoken about, you know, enjoying sort of feeling the fear, the idea that you you know, you you're not terrified that you don't know what's coming next. You you are you a very independent person, do you think?

Celia Imrie32:22

I hope I am more so now, I think. I love the sort of gamble of life, not knowing what's happening next. I don't know whether that's my mother dragging me to the race course when I was little, I'm not sure. But I do love not knowing.

Presenter32:35

And I'm wondering also then wi with Angus, as he's a teenager now and and you have happy times and good times working with him, you don't suffer the idea that su suddenly he's going to be eighteen and before you know it he's going to be off and he might give me a phone call once a week, but that'll be it.

Celia Imrie32:48

I know. I better not think about that at the moment. The one thing I I do think, though, is that I don't want to get very old and him to have to look after me.

Celia Imrie32:57

I I'd find that rather grim.

Presenter33:00

You think the the the only son with the mother and the yeah

Celia Imrie33:03

Yes, I think it would be sad for him. I mean, I know, you know, when my my own mother was older, you know, it's not very dignified.

Celia Imrie33:12

You know, she was a real fighter, and I think

Celia Imrie33:14

Possibly she decided, Oh, I've had enough of this and I don't know whether one is allowed to decide when to go, I don't know, but I just that sounds awfully morbid, all this, but um

Celia Imrie33:24

I I don't want him to be lumbered with me. I want him to go off and

Presenter33:26

How about

Celia Imrie33:28

Enjoy his life.

Presenter33:29

Do you have a plan? Do you have

Celia Imrie33:30

No, no plan at all. Except that I might like to go and live abroad when I'm older, perhaps. I don't know.

Presenter33:31

Except

Celia Imrie33:36

Well, you'll be on the island, of course. I mean, that is that is abroad.

Presenter33:37

And that is

Presenter33:38

Oh yes, oh yes. How are you going to go up on the island?

Celia Imrie33:42

Well, I think I'm better at being on my own now than I used to be. Um, I'm not sure how practical I'd be, but, um,.

Celia Imrie33:51

I think I would be easier with myself being alone than I used to be years ago.

Presenter33:55

And will there be dancing on this island?

Celia Imrie33:56

Oh no.

Presenter33:56

Yeah.

Celia Imrie33:57

all the time, all day long.

Celia Imrie33:59

You know, any music makes me dance, actually, except that now I don't have the balance that I used to have, so the chances are I will topple over. But if nobody's there then

Celia Imrie34:09

I won't crash into anything.

Presenter34:11

That's how Your final piece, then, Celia Imry, what's disc number eight?

Celia Imrie34:14

Well I'll definitely be marching to this, it's the Royal Artillery Orchestra and The March of the Toys.

Presenter35:18

That was the Royal Artillery Orchestra and March of the Toys. So, Celia, here we are with the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare, and your book. What book will you take?

Celia Imrie35:26

Um I'd like to take the Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, because it tells you all about the sort of mediaeval swear words you can use. I love dictionaries. The idea of a dictionary would be delicious. Right, that's yours. And your luxury. That was quite difficult actually, but it came to me just yesterday.

Celia Imrie35:46

and I would like to have a cut glass crystal chandelier.

Celia Imrie35:51

Because it'll reflect all the sunshine and make this is what I'm imagining all patterns on the sand. It'll reflect the moon and the stars at night and keep me company.

Celia Imrie36:02

And then I can pick off a prism every now and again and lay it on some twigs and light a fire, you know, with the sun on the glass.

Presenter36:08

Yeah.

Celia Imrie36:10

And then I could sort of make rainbows with it.

Presenter36:12

I mean, do you want do you want candles in that as well for a moon?

Celia Imrie36:15

Am I allowed? I'd have to have, wouldn't I?

Presenter36:16

To have, wouldn't I? Yes, there'd be no electricity. Yes, please. Okay, it's yours. And if you had to choose just one of the eight from today, which one would you choose?

Celia Imrie36:20

Please.

Celia Imrie36:25

Do you know, impossibly difficult, but it made me laugh so much, I'm going to go for tiptoe through the tuleps.

Presenter36:31

Right. It's yours. Celia Imery, thank you very much for letting us hear your desert island discs. It's been lovely. Thank you very much for having me.

Celia Imrie36:31

Please.

Celia Imrie36:38

Uh

Presenter37:24

You've been listening to a download from the BBC. You'll find more information on the Radio Four website bbc.co. uk slash radio four.