Gemma Craven

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive. For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen eighty eight, and the presenter was Michael Parkinson.

Presenter0:29

Our castaway is one of our most versatile actresses. On stage, she's won awards for her work in both musicals and comedies. On television, her work has ranged from the part of Joan in Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven, through musical specials, to four appearances with Morecambe and Wise. For the past two years, she's worked at the National. At present, she's back in the West End and back in the musical theatre. The show is the first ever West End revival of South Pacific. The character she plays is Nellie Forbush. Our castaway is Gemma Craven.

Presenter0:58

Jim, quite obviously a silly question to start with. I mean, music has played a terribly important part in your life, hasn't it?

Gemma Craven1:03

Yes, it has. I I remember music being important to me from a very, very early age. My grandfather, who unfortunately I never had the chance to meet, I know used to play the Irish harp. My grandmother had a beautiful, beautiful singing voice. My mother has a beautiful singing voice.

Gemma Craven1:21

Can't say the same about my father.

Presenter1:23

There's that sort of tradition in the family of music. So, how are you going about uh d selecting these these records for your desert island? And are they memories or what?

Gemma Craven1:30

Oh, Julia I've never had to do anything so difficult in my life. Just getting eight records is not easy,'cause I'm not a a great record buying member of the public. There are memories mixed in with songs that I just happen to like as well.

Presenter1:47

What about the first one? Is that a memory or just something you like?

Gemma Craven1:50

It just makes me laugh.

Gemma Craven1:53

It's The Banana Boat song, sung by Stanfreeberg.

Presenter1:58

Too loud, man. I can still hear you. Would you mind leaving the room?

Speaker 12:02

Okay.

Presenter2:09

Crazy.

Presenter2:13

Daylight come and he wanna go home.

Presenter2:26

Daylight come and we wanna go home.

Presenter2:30

Banana books also.

Gemma Craven2:30

Sounds like a sound.

Presenter2:32

That it made you laugh. It also put the skids under the career of Hara Balafonte, I have to tell you, as well.

Gemma Craven2:34

Skidder.

Gemma Craven2:38

I mean it is such a lovely song, but when you hear him doing it, it j oh, it does make me laugh.

Presenter2:44

Going back to this background that you mentioned there, where it was musical, but it wasn't showbiz, was it?

Gemma Craven2:49

Um, no, no, not really. M well, my mother was in show business, um, when she was young. But she was a comedian.

Gemma Craven2:56

And I think that's really where I got it from because, I mean, I I have a a track record of having

Gemma Craven3:03

Disastrous accidents in shows that I do. I think I probably got that from my mother.

Presenter3:08

You maxed him prone are you?

Gemma Craven3:09

Yes, very much.

Presenter3:10

What so things happen to?

Gemma Craven3:12

Oh, well.

Gemma Craven3:14

Just doing the show the other night I nearly fell in the pit.

Gemma Craven3:17

Because it's terribly difficult, you know, when I've done wash that man.

Gemma Craven3:21

The stage gets absolutely saturated because I'm flicking shampoo at the girls and they're desperately trying to mop it up, you know, quite nonchalantly. But I then have to sing Wonderful Guy. I mean, I've got twenty minutes after I've wash my hair to then with songs and scenes and all this.

Gemma Craven3:36

And um I've I've Do Wonderful Guy and in the middle there's a nice sort of dance sequence where she's on the beach and quite free and happy and I jump off this little boat.

Gemma Craven3:45

And that was fine, and I went running along, and I did a couple of kick things, you know, and as I landed I landed on a big blob of shampoo.

Gemma Craven3:52

So I just went and my backside hit the floor and I thought, Oh, goodness Um I had his hat, Emile de Beck's hat, in my hand. So it was the fastest thinking I've ever done in my life. I pretended I was scooping up sand into the hat to make a sand castle, then did a twirl around on my backside to kick the sandcastle over and get up again, but everyone in the wings just went

Gemma Craven4:14

You know, but that's just one of the things. I mean, a lot of the shows I've been in, it's just been hectic. What's been the worst?

Presenter4:19

What's been the worst?

Gemma Craven4:22

I think when I did the slipper.

Gemma Craven4:24

Step on the Roast, which is a film. That's right. The Royal Film of 176. Yes, that's right. In 1976, I was playing Cinderella and.

Presenter4:24

Step on the Road, which is a film. That's the Royal Film of September.

Gemma Craven4:31

I had this lovely, lovely sequence in this field. It was in Austria. It was in Salzburg. It was beautiful.

Gemma Craven4:38

And the camera's just the other s at the end of the field and I'm in the middle.

Gemma Craven4:42

In my rags I'd come home from the ball.

Gemma Craven4:45

and I was in my rags and about to run across through this field and across the bridge and into the house.

Gemma Craven4:51

It was lovely because there I am in the middle of this field and they had to get me some some gym shoes to wear.

Gemma Craven4:58

Well, they didn't have my size, which is a size two.

Gemma Craven5:01

So they got me a size six.

Gemma Craven5:04

So they got these shoes and they dyed them black. I don't know why, because I had a long dress on, you couldn't see them anyway.

Gemma Craven5:09

And Brian Forbes, the director, shouted, Action So I do all this dancing around and waving my arms in the field, and I did a twirl, and the next thing I vanished.

Gemma Craven5:19

Because the shoes got stuck in the mud it had been raining the night before. The shoes got stuck in the mud, and as I went to move, the shoes wanted to stay where they were, so I just went, and I think we spent the next five minutes looking for each other.

Presenter5:32

Another choice of record, what's it to be?

Gemma Craven5:34

Well, this is one I love. I mean, I love the Chieftains. I'm very, very fond of Irish music. I left Dublin when I was ten, but

Gemma Craven5:42

I have uh a great feeling for Irish music. I just find it very relaxing, very comforting. Um I suppose it's like a security blanket for me really. And this is the Chieftains, it's from their album Boil the Breakfast Early.

Presenter6:24

Boil the breakfast early performed by the chieftains. Jim, uh how young were you when uh it was first discovered that you had a musical talent?

Gemma Craven6:32

Well

Gemma Craven6:34

I was one of those little girls like many, I think, who wanted to go on the stage.

Gemma Craven6:38

But I was quite determined, you know. And when I was about three three or four, I think it was, I think it was three, I just

Gemma Craven6:46

sang in this sort of little it wasn't even a talent competition. I mean, how can you have a talent competition with children only three?

Gemma Craven6:53

But I want it anyway, and I think I think they like my dress really.

Presenter6:58

And that was the start of it, was it?

Gemma Craven6:59

Yes, I mean, I I just always, always, always have wanted to to go on the stage and be in show business, sing, dance, act, everything. I've I've never particularly just wanted to sing or just wanted to dance, just wanted to act. I wanted to do all three.

Gemma Craven7:15

Because when I was little, my parents used to take me to the theatre a lot.

Gemma Craven7:19

to the Olympia and the gaiety you know in Dublin.

Gemma Craven7:22

And we used to go to the films a lot because we didn't have television or anything. I used to listen to the radio all the time. I remember.

Gemma Craven7:27

Coming back at lunch time from school and listening to Archie Andrews.

Gemma Craven7:31

Yeah, and it was wonderful and and it was just something

Presenter7:31

Uh

Gemma Craven7:35

I don't know why, it was just something I really, really enjoyed. I mean, apart from the fact I was going to be a nun as well.

Presenter7:38

Hmm.

Gemma Craven7:41

That

Presenter7:41

Ha ha ha.

Gemma Craven7:41

I think the the show business won over that one.

Presenter7:44

But but in fact you were you were what comment educators, weren't you?

Gemma Craven7:47

Yes, I was. I went to Loretta Convent in Stevens Green.

Gemma Craven7:50

and then I left there when I was ten.

Gemma Craven7:53

and came over to England and and then I went to St Bernard's Convent in Westcliff where my parents still live.

Presenter7:58

And were you in fact were you were you encouraged at at the schools to to become a performer, or did people try to dissuade you from that?

Gemma Craven8:04

No, no, they were very good. When I was at school in Ireland we w we were

Gemma Craven8:09

You know, children have a talent at that age and they try and bring it out of you. And then when I went to St. Bernard's in Westcliff, they've got a very good record there. I mean, Anne Stally Brass and Helen Mirren both went to that school.

Speaker 18:20

Yeah.

Gemma Craven8:21

Um they they do encourage it. The time I was there, unfortunately, I think I got a bad luck because they didn't want to know. Um

Presenter8:28

What do you mean?

Gemma Craven8:29

Well, I won a a a scholarship at the time to the young Vic, when the young Vic was was starting up and everything. And th the particular Reverend Mother that we had there at the time

Gemma Craven8:41

said no, I couldn't go because it would interfere with my schooling and what he wanted to do, be it school or

Gemma Craven8:47

Be one of these theatricals or whatever. I think it was just her opinion. She was just totally against it.

Gemma Craven8:52

But I I can't say anything against that really, because no matter what, I've still gone ahead and and done it.

Presenter8:59

Another record, please.

Gemma Craven9:01

Well, this next one is Perikomo. And well, I remember from when I was little listening on the radio, and Perikomo used to be on an awful lot, and he just has that wonderful, lyrical, relaxing voice. Catch a falling star, I think, on a desert island. It's got to be wonderful.

Presenter9:18

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away.

Presenter9:26

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket Save it for a rainy day

Presenter9:34

For love may come and tap you on the shoulder Some starless night

Presenter9:42

Just in case you feel you wanna hold her

Presenter9:47

You'll have a pocket full of stars.

Gemma Craven9:49

Very como and catch up.

Presenter9:52

What was your stage debut, Gemma? Do you remember it?

Gemma Craven9:55

Um yes, I do. So do a lot of people, I think.

Gemma Craven9:59

It was it was when I was in repertory theatre.

Gemma Craven10:02

Being an ASM

Gemma Craven10:04

And also acting in in the show well, acting at this particular time I wasn't, I was a maid. There were two maids and and two butlers.

Gemma Craven10:12

and it was a a play called Let's Get a Divorce, which was a comedy. And I remember myself and one butler ran on from one side, and the other maid and the other butler ran on from the other side.

Gemma Craven10:24

And I had to

Gemma Craven10:26

Run over the back of this chaise lange.

Gemma Craven10:29

and the butler chased after me. But unfortunately um I was a bit nervous, and uh he trod on the back of my dress, my maid's outfit.

Gemma Craven10:39

and I went straight into the pit.

Gemma Craven10:43

They carried on regardless, you know. They probably thought, oh, she's only an SM, you know. I mean.

Gemma Craven10:48

But that was that was my first professional footing.

Gemma Craven10:52

On stage.

Presenter10:53

And what about your London stage, David? When did you make that?

Gemma Craven10:56

Oh, gosh, yes, that was another one. That that was in Fiddler on the Roof. I was in the chorus of Fiddler on the Roof, and I was under studying four daughters.

Gemma Craven11:06

No, I'll tell you a lie, three daughters and a dead grandmother.

Gemma Craven11:10

And I remember when I actually had to go on for one of the daughters.

Gemma Craven11:15

It was Alfie Bass we were doing the show with at the time, and if anyone knows the show, the the very, very opening of the show they get all the daughters to dance together, the sons to dance together. Well, it's when we're in the circle doing the daughters' bit, and we're with the mother and father, and my petticoat fell off.

Gemma Craven11:29

I have never been so embarrassed in my life. So I just stepped out of it and carried on.

Presenter11:35

Another choice of record.

Gemma Craven11:37

Right now this one I I love. This is um the song America from the original soundtrack of Westside's Story.

Presenter11:44

Relative America

Gemma Craven11:51

Lots of new housing with more space.

Presenter11:53

Lots of door slamming in our place.

Gemma Craven11:57

I'll get a terrace apartment.

Presenter11:59

Better get rid of your accent

Gemma Craven12:02

Life can be price in America.

Presenter12:05

If you can fight in a married cup

Gemma Craven12:05

Fight in America! Fight in the Fighting America!

Presenter12:09

If you're a wife in a male

Presenter12:14

That was America from the original soundtrack of West Side's Story.

Presenter12:18

Gemini, let's talk a little bit about uh about films. You also did, as you said before, The Slipper and the Rose, which is a nineteen seventy six uh royal film. There was an awful lot of bally who, wasn't there, around uh around that. I mean, it seemed to me that that the press kind of invented you. I mean, you the the the Cinderella story come to life, wasn't it?

Gemma Craven12:31

Yeah.

Gemma Craven12:33

Yes, you you you suddenly get I mean, everybody in the business has gone through this, you suddenly get discovered after being in the business for ten years or something.

Presenter12:39

Yeah.

Gemma Craven12:40

But in a way, um, it was for me being discovered because I hadn't done a film before. This was my very, very first film. And I remember at the time I'd seen Brian Forbes so many times, and Stuart Lyons was the producer and David Frost, you know, as executive producer. I'd seen them so many times, um, because I think originally they were looking for someone who was a name. And I wasn't, they hadn't heard of me, and in the usual

Gemma Craven13:09

Style, I suppose, of a lot of film people, they don't go to the theatre because they don't get a chance to go to the theatre. If you're filming all day, the last thing you want to do is go to the theatre at night.

Speaker 113:13

Yeah.

Gemma Craven13:18

And likewise, when you're doing theatre, the last thing you want to do in the afternoon is go to the cinema.

Gemma Craven13:23

You know, it works both ways. But I remember I saw uh Brian several times, and he asked me if I eventually if I would do a screen test. So I said yes.

Gemma Craven13:34

And I I had never

Gemma Craven13:36

ever done film and I went along to Pinewood and we tried various dresses to see what they looked like and I d I did this screen test and he said to me just do exactly as I tell you. If I say to you move your head a quarter of an inch, just move it a quarter of an inch, you know

Gemma Craven13:57

Anyway, I learnt the scene and I did one of the songs.

Gemma Craven14:00

And

Gemma Craven14:02

To this day I haven't seen it. I haven't seen the the screen test. But I do remember when he rang me up and said yes, we're sending you the slipper to see if it fits, I burst into tears because I thought oh no, not another audition.

Gemma Craven14:14

I didn't realise you meant I got the part.

Presenter14:17

Yes, I know.

Gemma Craven14:18

Yes, I know. But he actually he showed he showed the screen test to the press.

Gemma Craven14:25

which is unheard of, apparently. And they all

Gemma Craven14:29

Traits out to Pinewood and he showed them the the clipping and then they all came over afterwards and

Gemma Craven14:36

The publicity department wanted to say that I was, you know, a twenty three year old gym and I said no. It was the only time I ever put my foot down, because I said no. I'm actually twenty five.

Gemma Craven14:48

And to me

Gemma Craven14:49

Two years.

Gemma Craven14:51

That's a lot of work.

Speaker 314:51

Yeah.

Gemma Craven14:52

you know? And I I wasn't willing to say, Yes, I'll do away with two years of my career. Two years in age, fine, but two years of my career meant a lot to me, because I had worked very, very hard.

Presenter15:03

Good.

Gemma Craven15:04

To get that far.

Presenter15:05

Uh

Gemma Craven15:05

And so in the end they agreed with me.

Presenter15:07

Did it have a an an I mean the film wasn't very successful, was it, in in sort of commercial terms.

Gemma Craven15:12

Commercially, to be honest, I don't know.

Presenter15:14

But did it have an effect in your career?

Gemma Craven15:16

Yes, it did, very much so.

Gemma Craven15:19

When the film came out, I know that um afterwards I I kept getting offers to do very Cinderella type parts in straight plays, in comedies, but they were that very sort of similar range. And um and I said no. I d I did I was out of work for a while, but it was of my own choosing. I thought no, I've gone this far, we did get very good reviews and I've done very well, and I'm not going to take two steps backwards, I'm going to wait.

Gemma Craven15:48

And it was worth waiting, because I ended up I did black comedy at the Shaw Theatre.

Gemma Craven15:53

And then after soon after that I was doing pennies from heaven.

Presenter15:56

Another choice of record, please, Jammer.

Gemma Craven15:58

Well my next one now this is um probably strange to some people because a lot of people haven't heard of this but it's actually David Fanshaw.

Gemma Craven16:05

And it's Arabian Fantasy.

Presenter16:37

That was the Arabian Fantasy play by the David Fanshaw Ensemble.

Presenter16:42

Gemma, let's we we talked there about the the uh Cinderella part of your career. Uh let's talk about what the

Speaker 116:45

Yeah.

Presenter16:48

I mean that was the slipper on the rose. The person on a field day with the next episode in our life became known as a stripper on the rose, didn't he?

Speaker 116:49

Yeah.

Speaker 116:52

Yeah.

Speaker 116:54

Hit.

Presenter16:54

Uh

Speaker 116:54

Uh

Presenter16:54

And it all all came out of Pennys from Heaven, that wonderful Dennis Potter series, uh, in which you played the the sort of frigid wife and and went topless.

Speaker 116:55

Yeah.

Speaker 116:59

Yeah.

Speaker 117:00

Yeah.

Presenter17:04

Now it it sent a there was a kind of a shockwave, wasn't it, that went through the business.

Gemma Craven17:09

Oh, yes. I mean, the the thoughts of Gemma Craven taking her clothes off. It's not a pretty sight. But anyway, I'll tell you a funny story about it, first of all. When I went to see Piers Haggard, who was the director of the series, and Kenneth Trodd, who produced it, I was in Ireland at the time, doing a show called Side by Side by Sondheim, and they asked me if I would fly over to see them. So I said yes, of course, fine. And they sent me.

Gemma Craven17:33

The first two episodes, the script of the first two episodes. And I read this and.

Gemma Craven17:38

I loved it. I thought it was absolutely wonderful. I couldn't quite figure out how they were going to do the songs and all that sort of thing. You know, that came later. But I came over and I had a a chat with them, and then I flew back again. Well, the next day they rang up and they said we would love you to do this.

Gemma Craven17:54

So I spoke to my aide, and I said, Oh, I think this would be wonderful, because it is such.

Gemma Craven18:00

It's such a different, different role for me to play.

Gemma Craven18:03

Then they sent me episode three.

Gemma Craven18:06

Um

Gemma Craven18:07

And I read episode three, and I got past the second scene in episode three, and I thought

Gemma Craven18:13

Ah, yes. Well

Gemma Craven18:16

Okay, in for a penny, infra pound. Why not? You know. Because she was a strange character. I mean, she started off so bossy and so you know, and in the end you actually felt felt quite sorry for her. You know, you really did. She was trying she loved this guy desperately.

Speaker 118:26

Uh

Presenter18:26

Before her.

Presenter18:31

But it's like

Gemma Craven18:31

And yet couldn't understand him, you know.

Presenter18:32

But it certainly got rid of the Cinderella image, didn't it? I mean, I'd doubt if you're offered too many pantomimes after that.

Gemma Craven18:35

I'd love to go.

Gemma Craven18:38

It sure did, yes.

Presenter18:39

Yeah.

Presenter18:41

But in that sense it was good for your career.

Gemma Craven18:43

It was wonderful. It was wonderful because out of that, you know, b people in a way they they started to take me seriously.

Presenter18:50

Uh

Gemma Craven18:50

You know?

Presenter18:51

What about the what what kind of uh of uh public reaction do you get? Do you get much abuse from the people?

Gemma Craven18:56

Well, the majority of it was was very good.

Gemma Craven18:59

But I did get some pretty grotty letters, to be honest. In fact, I didn't get them. My parents got them. Really? Yes. And some very, very awful comments.

Speaker 119:05

Yeah.

Speaker 319:05

Really? Mm-hmm.

Speaker 119:06

Uh

Gemma Craven19:08

uh from people they see every Sunday at Mass, you know. But my parents were they were wonderful, they they coped with it very well.

Gemma Craven19:17

It wasn't easy for them. It was fine for me, you know,'cause I can turn around and say, Well, I'm sorry, it's my job. I chose to do it, and if you've any arguments about it, then please consult me. I mean, my father got a

Gemma Craven19:27

A very funny time at work.

Gemma Craven19:29

You know,'cause all the all the guys were saying to him, Oh, saw a lot of Gemma last night, you know.

Gemma Craven19:36

But I mean on the whole it was quite wonderful, but but they they really got the rotten end of the stick rather than me.

Presenter19:42

Another choice of record, please, Gemma.

Gemma Craven19:45

Well now I'm going to be a bit serious here. I'm going for Luciano Pavarotti. Now this is Pagliacci.

Gemma Craven19:52

And it's just wonderful. I don't have many classical records at home. I'm one of those people who adores classical music.

Gemma Craven20:01

But don't ask me to tell you the name of the piece I like, because I haven't a clue. I can hum a few bars, but that's it. But I I d I do have this album of Pavarotti's, which is I suppose in a way his greatest hits from the operas, because I find sometimes the rest of the opera a little bit boring. But there are bits that we all know, and and this is something I'm sure everybody knows and a lot of people like. But I I love it because the one language I would love to be able to speak is Italian. And I think if I'm stuck on this desert island I could at least learn this song.

Speaker 120:33

Yeah. The eye has seen you not fall.

Speaker 120:36

Praise the Lord for God.

Speaker 121:12

Faith of the family.

Presenter21:28

Luciana Pavarotti singled in Cavallos e Paleaci.

Presenter21:32

Jim McCraven, let's talk a little bit now about the about the way that that you work. You're now back in the Western, as I said, and you're doing South Pacific.

Speaker 121:37

Yeah.

Presenter21:39

Um, I'm interested because you do seem such sort of determined and uh and planned sort of a approach towards your life. Do you find it difficult to learn a part, for instance?

Gemma Craven21:49

No.

Presenter21:49

You don't.

Gemma Craven21:50

No, I'm one of the very fortunate people who

Presenter21:50

What

Gemma Craven21:55

I can sort of look through a script a couple of times and I know it.

Presenter21:58

So you have a kind of photographic memory, do you?

Gemma Craven22:00

Sort of, as far as grips are concerned, nothing else.

Presenter22:02

Nothing else.

Gemma Craven22:03

I mean, you know, when I was at school I was absolutely useless. But as far as scripts are concerned, yes. Um I learned very, very quickly.

Gemma Craven22:10

I I don't know why.

Gemma Craven22:13

Um I know a a lot of friends of mine, um they have to go home at night and sit there learning their lines and and I've I've never done that.

Presenter22:20

Hm. So that part comes easy too. And learning and learning uh dance steps too. Is that exactly the same thing? You picked that very, very

Gemma Craven22:25

Yes.

Presenter22:26

Um what about but I mean oh obviously you do work very hard. I mean what kind of physical effect does it have on you doing a show like this like so?

Gemma Craven22:32

In a show like

Gemma Craven22:33

Well, I'm I'm a bit I'm a bit like um a a Michelin man who's led up and down, you know, because I

Gemma Craven22:39

Like for pennies from heaven, for example, I I put on over a stone and a half.

Gemma Craven22:44

Um although when I look at it it doesn't it doesn't show

Presenter22:47

You put on a stone, deliberately, yeah.

Gemma Craven22:48

Yes, delivery.

Presenter22:50

By doing well, just overeating.

Gemma Craven22:52

Just chips.

Gemma Craven22:54

I love chips. But real chips, not not your sort of frozen stuff, you know, proper chips. Um, yes, basically just that. And now, of course, as one gets older, the odd vino here and there, you know

Presenter22:58

Yeah.

Speaker 122:58

Yeah.

Gemma Craven23:04

But uh like for example then when I was doing the playing our song

Gemma Craven23:08

I went down to six and a half stone.

Gemma Craven23:11

And it it's it's purely the the sort of physical thing. And now with with doing South Pacific, it's that same sort of process. I mean, I've already lost over a stone.

Gemma Craven23:19

Doing that.

Gemma Craven23:20

Sometimes it is a conscious thing that I have to do, because when I stop working you can relax and you know, because the energy isn't being burnt up all the time, the adrenaline and everything, you do tend to put on weight. Of course everybody does. But I I've I've never consciously had to go on a diet.

Gemma Craven23:37

I think that would kill me if I ever had to do that. I really do. But, um

Gemma Craven23:44

I I I'm very careful when I'm working in a show like this particularly, because there are certain foods that can actually make you feel very heavy and tired and you know and I'm not a great one for salads.

Presenter23:57

How much again, another sort of discipline part of of your life, I mean, how much, given the dedication you have to to working um to work in the theater, no matter what it might it might be, how much do you think that you've had to sacrifice other areas of your life?

Gemma Craven24:12

I don't know, to be honest. I think maybe I have been a bit selfish in that respect, because, um but for a start off being an only child

Gemma Craven24:20

Gives you a certain independence, you know, because the only people I had to think about were my parents, and they backed me all the way.

Gemma Craven24:31

And so career wise, for a long, long time, my career was first and foremost to anything, absolutely anything.

Gemma Craven24:42

And then I g I gave it up for a very short while.

Gemma Craven24:45

But that that didn't work. And now um I've got the best of both worlds, really, now, because I'm getting married again, and my my husband to be is not in the business.

Gemma Craven24:59

And he's as mad as a hatter. But then what do you expect from somebody from Liverpool? I mean, he really is. He's got the most wonderful sense of humour. And he keeps me on the straight and narrow. And we have such good laughs together. And he sort of keeps my

Gemma Craven25:12

My life my real life, my proper life, so separate from from theatre, you know, making sure that

Gemma Craven25:20

I I

Gemma Craven25:21

I am aware the t the whole time that it is a job that I'm doing.

Gemma Craven25:25

It's a career, yes, but it's a job and I've achieved

Gemma Craven25:29

An awful lot of acclaim.

Gemma Craven25:32

you know well, I think I have, and um and I'm very proud of that fact. And I think he's made me realize that, you know, th there are more things to life than just being up on a stage or on a screen and

Gemma Craven25:45

you know, being wonderful and everything and and I I love that, you see, because it's made me realize that there is a lot more to life, you know.

Presenter25:53

Another choice of record please.

Gemma Craven25:55

Ah, now this is a lovely one. This is Nielsen's Without You.

Speaker 125:59

Can't believe

Presenter26:03

Living is without you

Speaker 326:07

Yeah.

Presenter26:10

Uh Uh

Speaker 326:11

Is there any more

Speaker 326:19

Uh

Presenter26:29

Without You sung by Nielsen.

Presenter26:31

Jim McCraben, let's now talk about the the show you're currently in in London, which is the Revival of South Pacific. It's the first ever Western Revival. It's been, what, thirty-five years and something like that? Yes.

Gemma Craven26:40

Yes, yes, Mary Martin was here in nineteen fifty, fifty one.

Presenter26:44

Also, it's part of a of a revival of of these movies like Kiss McKate and High Society and stuff like that, that's found a a whole new audience.

Gemma Craven26:49

I think so.

Speaker 126:52

Uh

Gemma Craven26:52

Um f

Speaker 126:52

Yeah.

Presenter26:54

Wha why do you think this is? I mean, uh d do you think that the modern musical is by comparison lacking something?

Gemma Craven27:00

I don't think it's lacking anything. I think it's just we've now got a whole generation of people who've who've never seen these musicals, just like there's a whole generation who've never heard of the Beatles. And

Gemma Craven27:11

I think there have been in the past few years

Gemma Craven27:14

There's been such a trend to the new musical, which is, I mean, they've been wonderful.

Gemma Craven27:22

They've the album has gone out a maybe a year or six months, whatever, before the actual show, so people are prepared.

Gemma Craven27:29

Whereas with the old style musical, with what I call the real classics.

Gemma Craven27:34

Um like South Pacific.

Gemma Craven27:37

A lot of the older people know the songs, they know the story. It's a very simple story. Yet with South Pacific there there is that sort of side of it that is very dark. There's the the the colour prejudice and um the war with America and Japan, all this sort of thing. There's come a time it's like a full circle really there's come a time where people they just want to go into a theatre, sit and relax and have a good night out, cry their eyes out if they want to, have a good laugh and a giggle, and not have to worry too much about what's going on with the sets or the lighting or or the songs being too complicated or whatever.

Presenter28:09

Last choice of record.

Gemma Craven28:11

Well, my last one is Peter Sarstis. Where do you go to, my lovely? I go to a desert island.

Speaker 328:17

You talk like Malera Dietrich

Speaker 328:20

And you dance like Zizi Jamaire

Speaker 328:24

Your clothes are all made by Balman.

Speaker 328:28

And there's diamonds and pearls in your hair, yes they're all.

Speaker 328:35

You live in a fancy apartment.

Speaker 328:39

Off the Boulevard, Saint-Michel

Speaker 328:43

Where you keep your Rolling Stones records Any friend of such a distance?

Presenter28:50

Where do you go to my lovely song by Peter Salsted?

Presenter28:53

Gemma, you're now on your on your desert island. You have to pick one record you care to keep.

Gemma Craven28:57

Okay.

Speaker 128:58

Yeah.

Presenter28:58

Uh given that seven of the others are washed away by a tidal wave, which would it be?

Speaker 128:58

Uh

Gemma Craven29:02

Oh oh, this is very, very difficult.

Gemma Craven29:05

But I think I've got to go for the Chieftains.

Presenter29:07

The chiefdom.

Gemma Craven29:08

Yes, I've got to.

Presenter29:09

Members

Gemma Craven29:10

Wonderful. Well, yes, the the whole album is just

Presenter29:11

Be th thou

Gemma Craven29:13

It's such a mixture. I mean, am I allowed the album or just the one song?

Presenter29:16

I'm gonna take the album, certainly.

Gemma Craven29:17

Oh, thank you very much.

Presenter29:18

Yeah.

Gemma Craven29:18

Um

Gemma Craven29:19

It says the whole album is such a mixture, and there is another beautiful song on there that I remember my my my grandmother used to sing to me when I was little. It's lovely.

Presenter29:27

And what about the book? Assume you've got the Bible and the works of Shakespeare.

Gemma Craven29:30

Or can I not change that?

Gemma Craven29:33

Oh, I hope to be rescued by the time I get through Shakespeare.

Gemma Craven29:36

I mean all right then. Okay, I'll have those. I'll learn them.

Gemma Craven29:41

My book

Gemma Craven29:42

Is Floyd on Fish?

Gemma Craven29:45

Because if I'm going to be stuck on this desert island and I do manage to catch a couple of fish, you know, it it would be nice to sort of dream about different ways in which to cook them.

Presenter29:55

And what about the luxury object, inanimate?

Gemma Craven29:58

Ah, well now

Gemma Craven30:00

This was difficult, really.

Gemma Craven30:02

But um I'm going for a manicure set, including buffer and nail cream. Now you may say, why is this? Why is this?

Presenter30:10

Okay, two words out of my mouth.

Gemma Craven30:12

Well, it's because um I don't really have very good nails, and probably because I've bit them for a long time. But um if I'm going to be rescued off this island, I'd like one part of my body to look good.

Presenter30:25

Jeremy Raven, thank you very much indeed.

Gemma Craven30:27

Thank you.

Speaker 130:36

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Islandists archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.