FIRST IMPRESSIONS: IMELDA STAUNTON
What are you working on?
A play called Good People, at the Noël Coward Theatre. Great play. Great part. It’s been very successful.
When were you at your happiest?
My daughter’s first sports day. I recognised something in her that I don’t have – the ability to run really fast. I saw something that I didn’t possess. I don’t know what it was, but I just saw her face and she ran and she used to win every bloody race. That was lovely.
What is your greatest fear?
Being very ill in your old age. I would like a healthy old age.
What is your earliest memory?
Standing in my cot in my parents’ bedroom, looking over at their bed. I absolutely remember standing up in my cot.
What do you most dislike about yourself?
I can get a bit short with people. I don’t mean it that way; I get a bit impatient with people. My partner will say, ‘Oh, don’t get grumpy!’ I have to talk to myself and say, don’t react immediately because if I overreact immediately that is not good.
Who has been your greatest influence?
I suppose it’s got to be the teacher who got me into drama school, Mrs Stoker. She taught me elocution at school, which then turned into drama lessons. I didn’t know about going to drama school but she said that’s what you have to do and she worked hard and got me in there.
What is your most treasured possession?
My garden.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Rudeness. What do you most dislike about your appearance? I think we’re all obsessed with how we look and how we need to look and how we should be looking, and I’m going to try and not think about it.
What is your favourite book?
Wild Swans by Jung Chang. It’s the most extraordinary epic story of a woman surviving and fighting against utter repression and conquering it.
And your favourite film?
There are too many, of course, of all different genres. I love Sense And Sensibility; I know it’s a bit cheeky because I play a tiny part in it. But the writing, directing and the acting is phenomenal. It’s one of those that comes on and I go, ‘I am absolutely not watching that again’, and I watch it every time.
What is your favourite record?
I love Tina Turner.
Your favourite meal?
Oh, it’s got to be a roast! A roast lamb dinner.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
I’d have The Beatles. Then I would like to get the Arctic 30 [environmental protestors who were imprisoned in Russia] and President Putin.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
No one has ever said anything nasty, really. And maybe if they had I chose to ignore it.
What is your secret vice?
If I tell you, God knows, it will be out there! I don’t know if I have any real vices. If I do have a secret one, it’s staying secret.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Yes.
Which phrase do you most over-use?
‘Completely brilliant’.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Someone living on the premises who could provide meals, drive me somewhere, and then go, ‘I have a Nurofen, here you go’. At the moment, doing theatre, it would be very nice to have that set-up.
Tell us something we might not know about you.
I play the spoons. It’s not that hard. My family is Irish and so we used to have Irish parties with music. I couldn’t play any other instrument so I had to try something.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
‘I worked hard and I loved it’.
Imelda Staunton is starring in Good People at the Noël Coward Theatre until 14 June: 0844-482 5140, www.goodpeopletheplay.com
A play called Good People, at the Noël Coward Theatre. Great play. Great part. It’s been very successful.
When were you at your happiest?
My daughter’s first sports day. I recognised something in her that I don’t have – the ability to run really fast. I saw something that I didn’t possess. I don’t know what it was, but I just saw her face and she ran and she used to win every bloody race. That was lovely.
What is your greatest fear?
Being very ill in your old age. I would like a healthy old age.
What is your earliest memory?
Standing in my cot in my parents’ bedroom, looking over at their bed. I absolutely remember standing up in my cot.
What do you most dislike about yourself?
I can get a bit short with people. I don’t mean it that way; I get a bit impatient with people. My partner will say, ‘Oh, don’t get grumpy!’ I have to talk to myself and say, don’t react immediately because if I overreact immediately that is not good.
Who has been your greatest influence?
I suppose it’s got to be the teacher who got me into drama school, Mrs Stoker. She taught me elocution at school, which then turned into drama lessons. I didn’t know about going to drama school but she said that’s what you have to do and she worked hard and got me in there.
What is your most treasured possession?
My garden.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Rudeness. What do you most dislike about your appearance? I think we’re all obsessed with how we look and how we need to look and how we should be looking, and I’m going to try and not think about it.
What is your favourite book?
Wild Swans by Jung Chang. It’s the most extraordinary epic story of a woman surviving and fighting against utter repression and conquering it.
And your favourite film?
There are too many, of course, of all different genres. I love Sense And Sensibility; I know it’s a bit cheeky because I play a tiny part in it. But the writing, directing and the acting is phenomenal. It’s one of those that comes on and I go, ‘I am absolutely not watching that again’, and I watch it every time.
What is your favourite record?
I love Tina Turner.
Your favourite meal?
Oh, it’s got to be a roast! A roast lamb dinner.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
I’d have The Beatles. Then I would like to get the Arctic 30 [environmental protestors who were imprisoned in Russia] and President Putin.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
No one has ever said anything nasty, really. And maybe if they had I chose to ignore it.
What is your secret vice?
If I tell you, God knows, it will be out there! I don’t know if I have any real vices. If I do have a secret one, it’s staying secret.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Yes.
Which phrase do you most over-use?
‘Completely brilliant’.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Someone living on the premises who could provide meals, drive me somewhere, and then go, ‘I have a Nurofen, here you go’. At the moment, doing theatre, it would be very nice to have that set-up.
Tell us something we might not know about you.
I play the spoons. It’s not that hard. My family is Irish and so we used to have Irish parties with music. I couldn’t play any other instrument so I had to try something.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
‘I worked hard and I loved it’.
Imelda Staunton is starring in Good People at the Noël Coward Theatre until 14 June: 0844-482 5140, www.goodpeopletheplay.com