Youth, Hope and Charity Wakefield
Emerging star of the small screen Charity Wakefield plays the impulsive Marianne Dashwood in this stylish, new Andrew Davies adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 19th-century novel, Sense And Sensibility.
Appearing alongside an impressive cast, including David Morrissey, Janet McTeer and Mark Gatiss, the 26-year-old actress explains that she was delighted to land such a choice role.
“Marianne is the embodiment of youth and hope,” the Sussex-born actress tells Catharine Davey. “I was so excited to be offered the part because I felt that it was a role which I could really attack. I understand her character and feel that we have lots in common. She goes on such a tremendous journey and that is why she’s exciting to play.”
The Oxford School of Drama graduate plays one of the three Dashwood sisters, who struggle to build a new life when they find themselves penniless and uprooted on the death of their father.
“She’s quite a wild thing,” laughs Wakefield. “Certainly, in those days, Marianne would have been talked about as ‘hot-headed’. She refuses to be bound by traditional codes of conduct. She’s very honest and earnest, and she wants to tell the truth.”
Wakefield’s musical grounding in the piano and her trained soprano singing voice meant that she was able to learn the advanced pieces that the music-loving Marianne performs.
“In order to make sure that I knew what I was doing, I bought myself a keyboard and practised the pieces a lot,” says the accomplished actress. “It’s not me playing on the soundtrack but I wanted to be familiar with the music in the scene. And I wanted to give the camera crew the freedom to shoot me from a variety of angles.”
The romantic Marianne is forced to choose between the young and dashing Willoughby, played by Dominic Cooper, and the brooding war hero, Colonel Brandon, played by David Morrissey.
“I learnt so much from just watching David,” she says of her well-known co-star, Morrissey. “He is so experienced in filming and I felt very inexperienced when I arrived. I knew the heart of what I should be doing but I learnt a lot about the technical side from him.”
The actress, whose previous small-screen roles include Miss Temple in the BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre, explains that her character’s tempestuous nature was matched by some fearsome Devonshire weather with which cast and crew had to contend.
“While we were filming, we had almost constant rain storms,” says Wakefield. “It was a bit of an obstacle, really. Everybody, by the end of the day, was absolutely soaked and I had very frizzy hair. There is a great wet-shirt scene, where Dan Stevens, who plays Edward Ferrars, is chopping logs in the rain. He does look rather dashing!”
Wakefield is descended from good acting stock. As the granddaughter of British film actor James Hayter – who appeared in The 39 Steps and Tom Brown’s School Days – she showed an interest in the stage from an early age. Encouraged to follow an academic path by her mother, it was on finishing her A Levels that she chose to attend drama school. The actress, whose career has blossomed since her 2003 graduation, has a great love for theatre and has appeared as Elaine Robinson in The Graduate at Staffordshire’s New Vic Theatre and as Desdemona in Othello at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank.
“This year, I feel like I’ve been away quite a lot,” she says. “Amongst other things, I’ve been filming Rapunzel [also being screened over the holiday season] – one of a four-part mini-series for the BBC. It is adapted by Ed Roe, who wrote for Smack The Pony. It’s a really fast-paced comedy based on the traditional fairytale but set in the modern day. I play a famous tennis player who is controlled by her ‘wicked stepmother’, Geraldine James. It’s wacky and fun.”
When given the opportunity to relax, Wakefield admits that she cherishes the freedom to explore London, the city in which she lives.
“I go and see as much film and theatre as I can,” she says. “When I’m filming, it’s a long day and, in the evening, I just learn my lines for the next day. But, when I’ve got some time out, there’s so much to do in London. It makes me feel like a kid in a candy store!”
The actress admits that she and her actor boyfriend are often separated by work commitments, so she’s looking forward to Christmas and the opportunity to spend time with him at his North London family home.
And, as far as the future is concerned, Charity claims that, for now, all she’s hoping for is a good haul of Christmas presents.
“What I’d like is a surprise,” she laughs. “You don’t get many surprises as an adult. So that’s what’s going on my list this year – a Christmas surprise!”