Deborah
McAndrew has always been one of my favourite Coronation Street actors.
Deborah first appeared in The Street towards the end of 1990, which was
around the time I started watching the show. As Angie Freeman, she was
an immediate hit and over the next four years on and off throughout the
decade she entertained millions of Corrie fans. Angie was a design
student who lodged with Curly Watts. I seem to remember Curly had quite a soft spot for Ms Freeman...just don't mention the red wine! Angie was a modern Corrie woman - capable, intelligent with
both quick wit and temper! Easy to love really!
Deborah very kindly agreed to answer some of my questions, both on her time in Coronation Street and her more recent work as a playwright, working with Northern Broadsides and as Creative Director at Claybody Theatre.
- First of all I have to ask a few questions about Coronation Street.
What are your memories of joining the show as Angie back in 1990?
I
remember being surprised to get the job, as it was my first professional
acting job. I remember the director, Brian Mills, being very kind. I
remember thinking that the three month contract meant I could pay off my
student overdraft. I never thought I'd end up being there for three
years!
- I grew up watching Corrie in the 90s and Angie was always one of my
favourite characters. Why do you think she was so popular at the time
and has remained a fondly remembered character ever since?
I
think Angie was a nice person, but not too sugary. She was fiery and
flawed (a lot like me in that respect) The writers gave me some great
one-liners, especially in scenes with Curly and Raquel. Because Angie
was a smart girl she could always be given the quick come-back, which
was great to play. I don't think I realised at the time how popular the
character was with viewers - you find yourself in a bit of a bubble.
It's difficult to know what the secret to a good 'Corrie' character is,
but I think comedy is a key ingredient.
- You probably worked most closely with Kevin Kennedy, who played Curly. What was he like to work with?
I
enjoyed the whole Angie/Curly/Raquel love triangle and became very fond
of Kev. It's no secret that he had a lot of problems back in the early
and mid 1990s, and I did see some of that troubled time for him. I'm
pleased to say that I saw him very recently when he was on tour with The
Commitments, and we had a cuppa after the show. He's really happy and
loving life now, and doing great work with his charity for people
suffering alcoholism and other addictive disorders. He's a great guy.
- You appeared in Corrie in an era that still featured many classic
characters and big names. What was it like to work with people like
Julie Goodyear, Liz Dawn and Betty Driver?
At
the time I just did my job. You can't go into work every day thinking
you're working with 'legends' - it would be paralysing. However, with
hindsight I do feel very privileged to have been part of the show at a
time when those iconic characters were at their height - particularly
the strong women that have always been the cornerstones of the show.
They were all wonderful.
- We've seen Sally Ann Matthews reprise her role as Jenny Bradley over
the last year or so. Would you ever consider a Corrie comeback?
I
guess it's dangerous to ever say 'never', but I can't imagine a time
when it would be right either for me or the show for Angie to make a
comeback. My Corrie years belongs to another era, another life, and I'm
content with that.
- I'm interested in how you made the transition from Coronation Street
actor to playwright. What was that process like and which do you find
the most rewarding?
I
was always a writer really, and always a theatre creature. I started in
Corrie, and it's what people know me for - but in a career that now
spans almost 27 years I actually spent less than 4 of those years in
Corrie. The other 23 years have been in the theatre and on radio, as an
actor and writer. There was no transition really. I just grew into my
own skin and the work for which I was always destined.
- I've heard great things about Northern Broadsides - we've written
about the company before on the blog. What is it like to work with that
team?
When
I joined Northern Broadsides as an actor in 1995 it felt like I'd found
my spiritual home. After 22 years association with the company, and
over half of that time as a writer, there is no doubt that Broadsides
has been the most important creative relationship of my career. I have
definitely spent some of the happiest times of my life with the team, I
met my husband Conrad Nelson there, and most of our closest friends are
connected to Broadsides too. From the very start Barrie Rutter always
gave me great support as an actor and when my focus switched to writing
he never doubted me.
- You have also set up your own company, Claybody Theatre. Can you tell me a little more about that?
Claybody Theatre Company came about because I had written a play called Ugly Duck
about my adopted home city of Stoke-on-Trent, and I wanted to put it
on. I applied for Arts Council funding and got it. What followed was a
successful site-specific production of the play, directed by Conrad, a
remount of the production for the New Vic Theatre, and subsequent
commissions and projects for the new company. It wasn't my plan to be
running a theatre company, but it's just happened. Our mission statement
is to create work that is inspired by the people, history and heritage
of Stoke-on-Trent, and present these plays in non-theatre spaces in the
city.
- Away from television and theatre, you've also done a great deal of
radio drama, mainly for the BBC. Why do you enjoy acting on radio as
much as you obviously do?
I
love doing radio drama. It's the purest form of drama really - just
actors and text. I get to play characters on the radio that I'd never be
cast as if you could see me. The voice is so much more flexible than
the body. I've also loved doing the radio over the years because it has
kept me in touch with acting while my daughter was growing up. These
short contracts - either in Manchester or Birmingham - were jobs I could
do when she was little and Con was away on tour.
- Finally, what's next for you?
At the moment my adaptation of Cyrano is on tour with Northern
Broadsides, directed by Conrad Nelson. It's a lovely show. I'm really
proud of the wonderful cast, and it's getting great reviews. Next up is
another adaptation I've done of Anne Bronte's novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which opens at Bolton Octagon at the end of March and then goes to York Theatre Royal. After that my adaptation of Anna of the Five Towns
will be on at the New Vic Theatre, to celebrate 150 years since the
birth of the author Arnold Bennett. Then I'm hoping Claybody Theatre
will be producing a new play of mine in the autumn (funding permitting)
before my adaptation of A Christmas Carol rounds off my year at Hull Truck Theatre. I've done the Chester Mystery Plays for
2018, which will be performed in the Cathedral in the summer, and I
also have another couple of commissions coming up for next year. There
might be a bit of radio drama dotted around all that writing, which
would be lovely. I'm very busy - but very happy to be so.
I'd
like to thank Deborah for taking the time to answer my questions and I
wish her all the best with all her future projects. Thanks also to Fay
at Pemberton Associates for helping to set up the interview.
You can find out more about Northern Broadsides here
More information on the Claybody Theatre Company here
And you call follow Deborah on Twitter here
And if you are so inclined, you can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82
Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Download our free App | Visit Corrie.net
NEW! Coronation Street Blog - the book.
A must for all Corrie fans!
Please read
our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a
Creative Commons License
