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!”

How does it feel to be described as a rising star, as you have been of late?

“Am I really? I didn’t know. Oh gosh, I hope I can fulfil that. And just hope it leads to more work!”

You’ve had a pretty incredible year, filming three BBC dramas since January.

“Yes, it’s been so exciting. Each of the projects is very different in style and approach. I’ve been really lucky.”

How do you feel about your career taking off so quickly?

“It’s very exciting. Sense And Sensibility is really high-profile and I’m hoping it’s opened a few doors.

“I was very lucky to get the part (of Marianne). When I auditioned I felt such a strong kinship with the character. It was a role I really thought I could play, having been through some of the things she’s been through. Marianne’s very human. She has to say everything she feels, and I think I have that in me, too.”

Did you feel hesitant about the role knowing you were following in Kate Winslet’s shoes?

“I made sure I didn’t watch the film version, because Kate is such a wonderful actress and it would have been terrible to watch it and end up trying to copy her.

“She’s been absolutely revered for that (role) so it was quite awe-inspiring to get a part that’s already been done brilliantly. I do feel we had a different approach, though, and I could make the part my own.”

So what can viewers expect from the new version?

“The cast is quite young which is close to the original text. It’s a lively version and very natural, even though there are beautiful still shots in it. It’ll feel very real, not like watching a novel.”

You’re also in the BBC’s updated version of the fairytale Rapunzel, which sounds quite wacky. You play a tennis player in love with a male player who disguises himself as a woman to try and win a grand slam final.

“It is really wacky, a bit like Almodovar in the humour and the storyline. It’s written by the same guy who wrote the comedy show Smack The Pony. It’s very off-the-wall.”

Is there any similarity with the original tale?

“Well, my character’s the world number one. She’s a product; her image is used to sell shampoo and she has to give all these press conferences. And as such she’s kept in this ivory tower and locked away metaphorically.

“She’s never had a male relationship, because her mum thinks it’ll distract her from tennis. Then when she meets this guy disguised as a woman she falls for ‘her’ and becomes really confused about her sexuality.”

Did you always want to be an actress?

“I lived in Spain when I was young and because of the village festivals I was quite into dance and drama. Then all the way through school I was always trying to be in plays and pantomimes.

“My grandfather, James Hayter, was an actor, and my mother grew up as one of eight children to this then fairly famous actor, so she was used to being part of that world.

“She saw how wonderful and exciting it was, but also how difficult. She says now she knew I would always do it, but she definitely encouraged me to look at the other options. That’s why I didn’t do it straight away. I did A-levels and then took a year out to decide.”

Would you be interested in trying to make it big in America?

“I don’t think I would want to move there, but if I auditioned for an interesting project that was happening in America then I would love to go.

“My parents – my mother and her husband, whom I consider my father, live here – but my natural father lives in San Francisco, so I’ve been to the US a few times. I’d sooner work in Europe, though. I’m a huge fan of European cinema.”

Have you had any preparation for what it’s like to be recognised?

“No. I am sort of hoping it won’t happen too much. I won’t say the idea scares me. It’s great to be recognised for your work, but I feel very precious about my home life.”

You’ve been dating your boyfriend, actor David Newman for two years. How do you manage the separations that acting involves?

“Neither of us really wanted to date another actor, but it’s actually been incredibly useful because you do understand each other’s lives and schedules, and you can really celebrate each other jobs and work.

“If something’s worth it you’ve got to make time to see each other, and that time’s really precious.” Besides acting what other skills do you have? Are you one of these actors who’s secretly a carpenter or a croupier?

“Nothing that I have a qualification in. But I’m always very excited about jobs that mean I have to learn something. For instance, for Sense And Sensibility I bought an electric piano off eBay and learned all the songs so it really was me playing.

“And before doing Rapunzel I’d never played tennis before, but I had four weeks of lessons and now I can do really good strokes.”

Physical characteristics:

Charity has just finished shooting the lead role of Marianne in the new major BBC series SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, and the title role of RAPUNZEL for Hat Trick. She is currently shooting the period drama CASUALTY 1907 for the BBC

Charity trained at the Oxford School of Drama 2000-2003

Film

Production / Character	Director	Production Company
ACT OF GOD	Ezna Sands	Giant Films
EXITZ (Billie)	Laurens C Postma	Inspired Movies
PAST PRESENT FUTURE IMPERFECT (Beanie)	Roger Thorpe	Fluidity Films
THE BOOK (Becky)	Stanley Llewellyn Collins	Angelic Films

Television

Production / Character	Director	Production Company
CASUALTY 1907 (Ethel Bennet)	Bryn Higgins	BBC
RAPUNZEL (Rapunzel)	Catherine Morshead	BBC
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (Marianne)	John Alexander	BBC
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF FREDDI FAROUBB (Yasmin)		BBC
DOCTORS (Carole Hilton)		BBC
JANE EYRE (Miss Temple)	Susanna White	BBC
HEX (Lucy)	Brian Grant	Shine Productions
HOLY COW (pilot) (Vix)	Dan Brown	Riverchild films
STATE OF PLAY (VO) (Sonia Baker)	David Yates	BBC

Theatre

Production / Character	Director	Production Company
THE THREE MUSKETEERS (Constance)	Tim Sheader	Bristol Old Vic
YESTERDAY WAS A WEIRD DAY (Siobhan/Camilla/Baz/John)	Mimi Poskitt	Edinburgh Festival /BAC
24 HOUR PLAYS (THIS ONE’S FOR YOU HULA GIRL) (Mutzi)	Claire Lizzimore	Old Vic
THE GRADUATE (Elaine)	Chris Garner	New Vic
OTHELLO (Desdemona)	Jo Howarth	Shakespeare’s Globe Tour
BABY WITH THE BATHWATER (Cynthia/Angela/MsP/Susan)	Jonathan Loe	Old Red Lion
IT’S YOUR FUNERAL BABY (Sally Payne)	Maria Pattinson/Susannah Waters	Soho Theatre
SUGARED GRAPEFRUIT (Ros)	Andrea Brooks	Old Vic
PALESTINE YANI (Basra Boy /Puppeteer)	Maria Pattinson	Komedia
LETTERS & NIGHTS (Mara)	Andrea Brooks	Komedia
ITS YOUR FUNERAL BABY (Sally Payne)	Sue Gibbons	Komedia
HUMAN SHIELD (Alice)	Jo Howarth	Komedia
BADNUFF (Jay)	Owen Lewis	Bush Theatre
KURT WEILL CABARET (Soprano Soprano)	Julian Dawes /David Sibley	Ketners
THE SUICIDE (Margarita)	Joyce Branagh	B.A.C
FAST FOOD (Bates)	Anna Linstrum	St Gabriels
THE TEMPEST (Ariel)	George Peck	Pegasus Theatre
PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY (Mrs Holt)	Katie Goodwin	Pegasus Theatre

Drama School

Production / Character	Director	Production Company
THE MONEY SHOW (Flower Bonham-Bon)	William Kerley	Oxford School of Drama
TWELFTH NIGHT (Viola)	George Peck	Oxford School of Drama
THE JEALOUS WIFE (Lady Freelove)	Jacquie Crago	Oxford School of Drama
THE PROVOKED WIFE (Mademoiselle)	Jacquie Crago	Oxford School of Drama
THE THREE SISTERS (Irena)	Robert Fried	Oxford School of Drama
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (Meg)	Katie Goodwin	Oxford School of Drama

Skills

Accents: Native RP, Strong accent skills

Musical Instruments: Violin (grade 5)

Sports: B.A.D.C Stage Fighting Certificate

Driving Licence: Full Clean Driving Licence

Singing: Strong Soprano

CHARITY WAKEFIELD
Expect to hear a lot more of Charity Wakefield over the comings months. She plays Marianne Dashwood in the BBC’s prestigious autumn series Sense And Sensibility, and the role is likely to propel her right into the spotlight. It comes after several solid performances on the stage, including the verbatim play about the London bombings, Yesterday Was A Weird Day, which played at the Edinburgh festival to wide critical acclaim, and the Old Vic’s 24 Hour Plays last year.

On Sense And Sensibility, Wakefield and her co-star Hattie Morahan, who plays her sister Elinor, were encouraged to make their characters real people, “not historical figurines stuck in corsets”. A fan of Dogme films – which she says “bridge the gap between theatre and film” – Wakefield is now filming the BBC’s modern retelling of the Rapunzel fairytale, in which she plays the lead.

A selection of verbatim monologues extracted from interviews about the July 7 London bombings, the play received a large amount of media attention due to its inclusion of Robin Cook’s last ever interview.

“There was a lot of anticipation about how it was going to be received as it’s a sensitive subject,” says Charity. “But we felt it needed to be explored.

“The interviews were done with the knowledge that the people could be really personal about their feelings, so the interview with Cook was incredibly moving.”

Charity graduated from the Oxford School of Drama in 2003 and has starred in several short films, including Exitz with Malcolm McDowell. She was also chosen from thousands of hopefuls to take part in the Old Vic’s 24-hour plays at the end of July, an experience which she says has made her feel more excited than ever about the industry in which she works.

“I met a vast selection of incredibly creative and intelligent young people, who I’ll stay in touch with. We all feel that we’re now part of this amazing, competitive theatre industry that we have in London.”

from The Stage