Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Stage actress who began performing as a child, appeared with the Old Vic, and played in Nigel Playfair's production of The Beggar's Opera.
On the island
Eight records
I played Jenny Diver. I think I was in it for nearly four years, nearly the whole run, yes.
We did it at the Hampstead Theatre, and then it was such a success, we brought it into the St James's, and it really was, I thought of … everybody said it was the most beautiful production.
Directed by Granville Barker, which was very thrilling. And I played a lovely part, Corita.
I said to the director, Would you mind if I played this part with a Scottish accent if I can copy Gene? And he said, Yes, we'll try it. And of course it absolutely stuck, and nobody who's ever played Marigold since has been allowed to be English.
The Light of HeartFavourite
He wrote a lovely play for me called The Light of Heart. which was one of the most thrilling things that's ever happened to me in the theatre, I think.
misses Bridges, the cook. Did you model her on anybody? … I think I sort of did s subconsciously I sort of thought about an old cook we had years ago. called Cookie and she had her she used to do her hair in a sort of flat way. It was always to me like a flat gray cap.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:10You started in the theatre when you were very young indeed, didn't you? Whose idea was it?
Actually it was somebody who was a friend of my mother's. And uh he said to my mother one day, I think these girls are very talented.
Presenter asks
0:33What was your very first job?
My very first job was part of a little orphan girl in a perfectly frightful old melodrama. at play at the Dalston Empire. which was called the Dawn of Happiness. Yeah. It really was most Terrible thing. It was supposed to come into London and go to Drury Lane, but It was really so very bad that it only played for a week in the Dalston Empire.
Presenter asks
2:51What happened after your big and early success in Beggar's Opera?
Well, then I played Hedwig. in a production of uh wild duck. Which we We did it at the Hampstead Theatre, and then it was such a success, we brought it into the St James's, and it really was, I thought of You know, everybody said it was the most beautiful production. And I really did make a big success in that.
The keepsakes
The luxury
Not recorded.
Presenter asks
4:03You had a very long runner and a great success in a Scots play. [Marigold]
Well, you mean Marigold? You know, my part wasn't meant to be a Scots girl. No. I mean, she's the daughter of an English colonel and a French mother. So there's absolutely no reason for it to be Scots. But I found it rather Um the dialogue rather sentimental and not very easy to speak, just in my ordinary sort of voice. And um Jean Cather was playing my aunt, and of course she was a tremendous Scot. And I said to the director, Would you mind if I played this part with a Scottish accent if I can copy Gene? And he said, Yes, we'll try it. And of course it absolutely stuck, and nobody who's ever played Marigold since has been allowed to be English. They're all Goats.
Presenter asks
6:37You haven't done a great many films, have you?
No, I don't think film producers like me very much. Years and years ago I made a film of the Speckled Band, I remember. Yes, and then I think I've only made one since then, which was Arms and the Man.
Presenter asks
8:26What about your children, any of those, in the theatre?
Uh my eldest daughter's in television, yes, she's at the B B C. No, the others are not in the theatre. I only have a an another daughter and a son. but six lovely grandchildren.
“We went round in a funny little old car, and we used to have to dance and sing and act. and help with the costumes and It was all absolutely gorgeous. Of course, we loved it.”
“We were the first English company to go there for forty years to Leningrad, and the excitement was absolutely unbelievable. They used they queued up for hours to get tickets, and at the end of the performance they used to rush down to the orchestra and applaud and applaud and applaud. It was really absolutely fascinating, most exciting.”
“I think I sort of did s subconsciously I sort of thought about an old cook we had years ago. called Cookie and she had her she used to do her hair in a sort of flat way. It was always to me like a flat gray cap.”