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Drama BBC ONE

Four classic fairy tales made famous by The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen and Charles Perrault – Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Emperor’s New Clothes and Billy Goats Gruff – are re-invigorated and updated by contemporary writers Ed Roe, Richard Pinto, Anil Gupta, Debbie Horsfield and Jeremy Dyson and brought to life by a host of British acting talent.

Rapunzel, the first fairy tale in the anthology, has been updated by Ed Roe (Smack The Pony, Teachers) and tells the story of Jimmy Stojkovic, a terrible tennis player. Ranked a humiliating 1,004th in the world, he has never won a tennis competition in his life. His father, Sava, is desperate to see his son win a Grand Slam tennis final but the only way he can see this happening is if he disguises Jimmy as a woman.

After a narrow escape from baseball bat-wielding thugs, Jimmy discovers his father owes money to gangster loan sharks – exactly the same sum as the competition prize money at the forthcoming British Tennis Open at English tennis club, Rampion. So Jimmy, reluctantly, decides to don a tennis dress.

All seems to be going to plan until Jimmy, now called Martina, falls in love with the beautiful reigning champion, Billy Jane Brooke. Known to the public as Rapunzel, because of her unusually long hair, Billy Jane still lives with her over-protective mother and coach. Training together at Billy Jane’s fortified home does wonders for Jimmy/Martina’s game and he/she finally starts winning. However, as they grow closer Jimmy finds it harder to keep up the pretence, and he must decide whether to come clean to Billy Jane or stay quiet and win the prize money for his father.

The comedy Drama stars Lee Ingleby as Jimmy/Martina Stojkovic, Shaun Williamson as his father, Sava; Charity Wakefield as Billy Jane Brooke/Rapunzel; and Geraldine James as Mrs Brooke, her over-protective mother and coach. Oliver Chris is Vuk, Jimmy’s tennis nemesis and smarmy love rival; Tony Way is Jimmy’s brother, Boris; Alex Jennings is ex-tennis player-turned-pundit, Roger Bateman; Emily Joyce is Roger’s competitive colleague; and tennis legend Pat Cash also makes an appearance as a tennis commentator.

Janet McTeer and Charity Wakefield know there’s always going to be some picky person who’ll spot that their costumes aren’t quite period-perfect.

More behind the scenes pics at Radio Times

RISING star Charity Wakefield has a name you are unlikely to forget, especially after her latest TV role.

Sense And Sensibility (BBC1, New Year’s Day, 9.10pm) is the perfect way to start 2008, with the first film in a stylish three-part Andrew Davies’ adaptation of the Jane Austen novel.

With parts two and three to follow on subsequent Sunday nights, it features Charity as the impulsive Marianne Dashwood – a role taken by Kate Winslet in the award-winning 1995 film.

“I hadn’t watched any of the previous versions,” smiles Charity. “Kate is a wonderful actress but I really didn’t want to watch someone else be fantastic at it as I might have tried to copy what she did. This is a fresh look and a different way of telling the story.”

David Morrissey, Dominic Cooper, Hattie Morahan, Dan Stevens and Janet McTeer also lead the cast in this tale of two young sisters on a voyage of romantic discovery.

The death of their father has thrown their world into chaos. Along with their mother and youngest sister, they are forced to leave their grand house for a tiny cottage in Devon, surviving on a tiny income.

Dominic plays Willoughby, a dashing young neighbour who rescues Marianne after a fall on a hillside in the pouring rain.

“We were filming in Devon for a fortnight and filming was plagued by constant rain storms,” recalls Charity. “That’s fine for the days when we needed it to rain, but I learned that normal rain doesn’t show up on screen.

“So, even though it was raining, we still had to have these massive rain machines. We were drenched. By the end of the day, you’ve been out in the rain for so long you’re soaked through and exhausted.”

It was, perhaps, even worse for her co-star as his character has to pick Marianne up. He fell over on the first attempt. “We were in the middle of nowhere and there was no refuge,” says Dominic. “Charity was shaking.”

Fortunately, she dried off in time to film scenes where the music-loving Marianne plays the piano. “In order to make sure that I knew what I was doing, I bought myself a keyboard and practised the pieces a lot,” she explains. “It’s really me playing on screen but the sound that you hear isn’t me – it’s very difficult to record the sound with conversation on top of it.

Muted

“So, all the pianos were muted and the music added later. You can imagine learning a piece and then having to play it without actually being able to hear what you play.”

Charity researched the morals of the time. “Somebody gave me a book about codes of conduct. There were all these rules about when, or when not, to approach a man and speak to a man.

“You weren’t allowed to be in a room on your own with a man at all, or walk with a man. When to bow and not to bow. You lose your social standing if you don’t behave properly.

“Women weren’t allowed to make their own living, so they had no option to stay single. They had to make a match, otherwise they didn’t have any money. It’s a huge pressure for Marianne and her sister Elinor, when they lose their father and lose their money, to make a match.”

As well as appearing in the new period drama, Charity lets her hair down early next month in Rapunzel, the first of four stories in BBC1’s Fairy Tales season.

She plays a tennis champion in an update of the classic story, which co-stars Lee Ingleby as a man pretending to be a female player.

Dominic has been equally busy. He plays Earl Grey and gets to kiss Keira Knightley in a new film called The Duchess. He also appears in the new big screen adaptation of stage hit Mamma Mia!

“I got to wear an all-in-one purple spandex jump suit, medallion and big white heels,” he grins. “I got booted out of my drama school musical for having no rhythm so suddenly being in a studio and singing in front of Abba’s Benny and Bjorn was terrifying.”

For all the latest news from the world of television, check out Ian Wylie’s blog, The Life of Wylie .

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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!”

Colonel Brandon (David Morrissey) is called away on urgent business

Colonel Brandon is called away on urgent business and Marianne and Brandon’s rival, Willoughby, are left to fall blissfully in love, as Andrew Davies’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 19th-century novel continues.

Eleanor finally receives her visit from Edward, but his behaviour is so odd and distant that she is far from reassured. Sir John’s nieces, the Misses Steeles, come to Devonshire and Eleanor receives the shock of her life when Lucy Steeles confides in her that she is secretly engaged to Edward. Eleanor is heartbroken, but she’s true to her word and keeps Lucy’s secret, even from her sister, Marianne.

Marianne receives a horrible shock of her own when Willoughby suddenly takes off for London, declaring that he’s unlikely to ever return. The girls, however, are invited to London themselves to stay with Sir John’s mother-in-law, Mrs Jennings. Marianne sets off for London full of hope of being reunited with Willoughby. Little does she know how much Willoughby’s plans have changed since his happy days with her in Devonshire…

Colonel Brandon is played by David Morrissey, Marianne Dashwood by Charity Wakefield, Willoughby by Dominic Cooper, Eleanor Dashwood by Hattie Morahan, Edward Ferrars by Dan Stevens, Sir John Middleton by Mark Williams, Lucy Steeles by Anna Madeley and Mrs Jennings by Linda Bassett. The cast also includes Janet McTeer, Mark Gatiss, Claire Skinner and Daisy Haggard.

(L-R) Dan Stevens, David Morrissey, Dominic Cooper, Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield star in Sense And Sensibility

David Morrissey, Hattie Morahan, Charity Wakefield, Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens lead the cast in Andrew Davies’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 19th-century novel.

Sense And Sensibility is a story of two young sisters – restrained, rational Elinor Dashwood and the wildly romantic, impulsive Marianne Dashwood – on a voyage of burgeoning sexual and romantic discovery.

The death of their father throws their privileged world into chaos. With no entitlement to his estate, they are forced to live in poverty. Although the sisters’ chances of marriage seem doomed, attractive men are drawn to them. Elinor becomes attached to the highly eligible Edward Ferrars – but why is he so guarded and secretive? Marianne attracts both war hero Colonel Brandon and glamorous, Byronic Willoughby.

But do these attachments represent true love, or are these men simply amusing themselves with the young heroines? With a sub-plot that features the seduction and abandonment of a 15-year old schoolgirl – not to mention a duel – the stakes are high.

In episode one, Mrs Dashwood is devastated when her beloved husband dies. The late Mr Dashwood’s estate and fortune are bequeathed by law to his son from a previous marriage, John Dashwood, to the delight of John’s rapacious wife, Fanny.

Mrs Dashwood and her daughters are forced to move to a tiny cottage on a cousin’s estate in Devonshire, to start their lives again. It is perhaps Elinor, the eldest daughter, who is most upset to leave her childhood home. She has fallen in love with Fanny’s brother, the kind and unassuming Edward Ferrars, who promises to come and visit her in her new home.

Meanwhile, Mrs Dashwood’s cousin, Sir John Middleton, ensures that the family settles into life in Devonshire. Before long, Elinor’s younger sister, Marianne, finds that she has an admirer in Sir John’s friend, Colonel Brandon. However, a rival soon emerges in the form of the dashing young neighbour, Willoughby, who rescues Marianne after a fall. As Elinor eagerly awaits the arrival of Edward, Marianne realises that she has two suitors to choose from…

Elinor Dashwood is played by Hattie Morahan, Marianne Dashwood by Charity Wakefield, Edward Ferrars by Dan Stevens, Colonel Brandon by David Morrissey, Willoughby by Dominic Cooper, Mrs Dashwood by Janet McTeer, John Dashwood by Mark Gatiss, Fanny by Claire Skinner and Sir John Middleton by Mark Williams.

Sense and Sensibility actress Charity Wakefield talks to HELLO! about being plucked to star in the BBC’s latest Jane Austin adaptation and following in Kate Winslet’s footsteps.

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.”

Very high res pictures from the BBC’s Sense and Sensibility

Hattie Morahan as Elinor and Charity Wakefield as Marianne

Charity Wakefield as Marianne and Dominic Cooper as Willoughby.

Charity Wakefield as Marianne Dashwood

Charity Wakefield, David Morrissey, Dominic Cooper, Dan Stevens, Mark Williams, Janet McTeer and Mark Gatiss lead an all-star cast in Andrew Davies’s romantic, witty and stylish new three-part adaptation of Austen’s Sense And Sensibility, a BBC Drama Production for BBC One.

Sense And Sensibility is a story of two young sisters on a voyage of burgeoning sexual Read the rest of this entry »