Changing Faces

Harbouring great expectations, Howard caught up with Miriam Margolyes.

 "I must say," starts the 71 year old actor, known for her roles in films such as The Age of Innocence and Harry Potter, "this isn't really a play I'm doing. It's more a show and tell. It's a piece about Charles Dickens' life and how he based the female characters in his novels on the real women in his life. Some nice, others not so."

That "show and tell" has become one of the most successful solo theatre shows in history, starting way back in 1989 at the Edinburgh Festival. In it, Miriam demonstrates her stunning versatility by performing 25 of Dickens' best loved characters, from young women to old harridans - even a midget. But inspiration for the show started a lot further back than the late 80s. "My love affair with Charles Dickens started when I was child," she explains, "as soon as I read Oliver Twist. I thought it was a truly magical book and I immediately started to read his other novels."

Evolution

But with the play now in its 23^rd year and with several world tours under her belt, how has Miriam changed and developed the performance? "Not at all," she laughs, "well… to begin with there was two of us. I had a man who performed the male roles, but he left very early on in the show's history. Since then it's just been little old me."

With so many great characters in her repertoire does she have one that is a particular pleasure to perform? "When we started I felt a certain connection to Mrs Gamp from Martin Chuzzlewit and I'd very much enjoy bringing her to life on stage. These days though, I feel I have more in common with Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. Don't quite know what that says about me."

It's been a gruelling tour for her, since revisiting the production especially for the Dickens 2012 celebrations - commemorating 200 years since the author's birth. Since February she has performed inAustraliaandNew Zealand, and after her whistle-stop show inYorkwill be hitting the road again for shows inCanada,Americaand then back toAustralia. How has it been? "To be honest, it's been exhausting. Lots and lots of fun, but very tiring nonetheless.

A good lay down

"I'm excited to be returning toYorkthough - it's such a lovely place. I have friends inYorkthat I'm planning to see. Touring can be wonderful for seeing old friends that are scattered around the globe. It's like revisiting your youth."

 And after this tour - what has Miriam got planned? "A good lay down I should think. This will definitely be the last time I do this show. Well… if someone should ask very nicely, I might be convinced to do it all again. But I'm very keen to do another, longer running show at the York Theatre Royal. I'd love to come back and spend more time there."

But just as she's saying farewell, she suddenly and excitedly pipes up. "Oh, I really must say… I think some people will be coming to the play because they saw me on Graham Norton's Show. I was a bit cheeky on that, so just wanted to be clear that Dickens' Women isn't a cheeky show. I just didn't want anyone to be disappointed!"

Cheeky or not, it's sure that Miriam certainly will not disappoint.

Catch Miriam in the one-night-only performance of Dickens' Women at the York Theatre Royal, 4^th September, 7.30pm.  To book call 623568.

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