Wendi really is a phenomenon on stage. We were lucky enough to catch her at our local theatre, The Sunderland Empire in the musical Wonderland. She was fantastic and you can read our review of her here.
If you're wondering whether to go and see Wendi on stage, then do. She really is amazing.
Earlier
this week I had the great pleasure of being in touch with the brilliant
Jayne Bickerton. Jayne is quite simply multi-talented. As well as her
work as a successful actress in the likes of Coronation Street, Jayne
has had great success in comedy and as an artist. So read on for more on
how Jayne got started in the business, her time in Coronation Street,
her thoughts on comedy past and present and of course, how she came to
know the legendary Bob Monkhouse...
First of all I'd love to know how you
got started in the business?
I saw an advert for Butlins redcoats
when I was 20 and became one at the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool. Three months
of learning to dance and getting a (very) rough impersonation act together. I’m
glad there is no footage! It got me on a stage though.
After leaving Butlins I started performing
‘punk poetry’ with a friend called Mandy Craig. We got our first break from
Barnsley poet Ian McMillan at a BBC radio show that was broadcast from the
Crescent Hotel Ilkley. We were so nervous but our comedy poems went down well
and we started from there.
I know you have done a great deal of
stand up comedy, something I've always thought must be pretty nerve-wracking.
How did you get into all that and what are your memories of it now?
The performance poetry led to
appearances on the James Whale TV Show and then Bob Says Opportunity Knocks.
From that we got management and lots of live dates supporting Phil Cool, Lonnie
Donegan, Jo Brand, Steve Coogan and many more. Our act was a bit hit and miss
depending on the crowd, but we learnt a lot about performing on stage.
Mandy then decided performing wasn’t for
her so I went solo and started doing less poetry and more one liners,
eventually adding a guitar and ultimately a ukulele (less to carry) and doing
comedy songs and one liners. My stage name was Mary Unfaithful and my act was a
slightly bizarre mix of 60s rock chick and music hall. I was influenced by
Victoria Wood but also Jasper Carrott, Phil Cool and the ‘folky’ side of the
comedy world.
I gigged throughout the 90s and
appeared on BBC1’s The Stand Up Show, Bradley Walsh’s Big Stage on Channel 5,
and then on ‘Live From The Lilydrome’ with Lily Savage. I made a happy
friendship connection with Paul O’Grady and supported him (as Lily Savage) at a
few big theatres in the north of England. A real thrill and we’re still friends
to this day.
I was a fairly decent stand up with a
solid twenty five minute act, but was never a naturally outgoing performer who
could wing it with the crowd. I had to stick to my script and have a few heckle
retorts up my sleeve. Always wracked with nerves before a gig, which eventually
led to me moving into writing and acting in 2000. Luckily again I had made
friends with other comics on the circuit like Dave Spikey, Johnny Vegas, Neil
Fitzmaurice and Peter Kay and this led to me being cast in ‘That Peter Kay
Thing’ and ‘Phoenix Nights’ as well as writing material and the end credit
sketches on Peter’s commercially released video ‘Live At The Top Of The Tower’.
You can see me at the end comforting Sian from car share, who was playing an
upset girl who Peter had snubbed!
As this is for my Carry On blog, I've
got to ask you about Bob Monkhouse - how did you get to know Bob?
Mandy and I auditioned for Bob Says
Opportunity Knocks in 1988 in a hotel out on the motorway somewhere near Leeds.
We did our poetry and got recalled to a second audition in London, at which Bob
Monkhouse was present in the audience. After our performance we were sitting in
the canteen with my parents when Bob came over to our table and told us we had
made it through to the show. We walked out to his chauffeur driven car with
him, absolutely gobsmacked but delighted. On the show we actually came last to
a team of Sheffield schoolchildren ringing handbells. Hilarious. Thankfully by
next week’s phone vote we came second to a returning winner, a singer called
Matt Mudd. We also met impressionist Simon Cartwright on the same show, and just
this year I have written a script with Simon and also Mark Bickerton which will
hopefully get on TV soon. Can’t say any more than that just now! Watch this
space.
Bob was really lovely and kept in touch
by letter after our appearance on the show, right up until his illness in the
early noughties. We also went to see him in cabaret a few times and he was
always absolutely lovely to us, sending a bottle of fizz over to our table and
chatting to us in his dressing room afterwards. Even when I was appearing in and
writing on Lily Live in 2000 and 2001 Bob used to phone up Paul O Grady after
each show and congratulate us. He was so thoughtful and we were so proud to
have known him. I even have a self portrait that he drew on the back of an
envelope. Such a talented, erudite and charming man.
What are your thoughts on Bob's talents
as a comedian and an entertainer?
Bob had such awe inspiring talents as a
writer, both serious and comic; as a cartoonist he was immensely gifted, he
also had a brilliant memory and was a consummate quiz show host. As a live
performer he was second to none and it was always delightful being in a cabaret
audience watching the glint in his eye as he relished being a lot ruder than he
was on TV! He was a very slick and polished comedian, like his hero Bob Hope.
He was so kind to young upcoming
performers, and had endless patience and wisdom in abundance. I recommend that
people read his autobiography ‘Crying With Laughter’. It’s such a stunning
book, so well written and very eye opening if all you know of Bob is the so
called ‘smarmy’ quiz show host. I can understand how he had ‘Marmite’ appeal
for some people but really, to know him was to love him.
I write a lot about British comedians
and comedy actors from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Do you have a favourite(s) from
that era and if so, who and why?
I love Morecambe and Wise. They were TV
fixtures and part of my childhood. I just thought they were wonderful,
especially in the Eddie Braben era. I was a big fan of Peter Sellers as a
child. Clouseau, The Wrong Box, Only Two Can Play, The Party and There’s a Girl
In My Soup…far too many to mention. From the Carry Ons I love Kenneth Williams
and let’s not forget the comedy actresses. Irene Handl, Margaret Rutherford,
Joan Sims, Thora Hird and the fabulous Hylda Baker both as a comedy actress and
comedienne.
With my other blogging hat on
(Coronation Street Blog) I remember you fondly from your time in Corrie as
Yana, best friend to Cilla. What was it like to get the call to join the
Street?
I actually appeared in Corrie in 2001
as a ‘temporary florist’ who had to prevent Peter Barlow from trying to get
into the flat of Lucy, the florist he eventually married bigamously (he was
also married to barmaid Shelley).
Walking into the green room for the
first time was very intimidating but I was immediately made welcome by
everyone, but especially Helen Worth who was so lovely to me that day. She
could see I was petrified!
Three years later I got to audition for
the part of Yana Lumb, Cilla Brown’s best friend. I got recalled and happily
got the part. It was meant to be one episode in October 2004 but the character
went down so well with the writers that they kept writing me in and I think I
did about 52 episodes over three years in total. Cilla and Yana were a typical
Corrie comedy double act and we thoroughly enjoyed all their shenanigans! Wendi
Peters and I are still friends to this day and we still enjoy getting up to
mischief. We just dress better (I hope)
Do you have a favourite memory of your
time playing Yana?
The wedding episodes with Status Quo
were great fun.I always enjoyed scenes
in the chippy, and of course the time I had to sit in a bath of mushy peas with
Les Battersby. Hard to forget! Also off screen I got to meet George Michael
when he did a private tour of the street and you have to treasure memories like
that.
Do you still watch Coronation Street
now and would you ever go back?
I catch it occasionally, and sometimes
don’t know who characters are, but it’s lovely to still see friends like Sue
Nicholls, Andy Whyment, Alan Halsall, Jenni McAlpine and Sam Aston still going
strong. Of course I would go back! I loved my time on the show, it was the best
job ever.
I know you have many strings to your
bow and you're a very creative person. Can you tell me a bit more about your
work as an artist and a designer? I believe Paul O'Grady has a house full of
your work!
I have a BA Hons in art and design and
it’s something I’ve done all my life really. Paul O Grady is a great supporter
of artists and craftspeople and yes he has paintings I did of Diana Dors, Bet
Lynch and Tara King of The Avengers, as well as Bill and Ben puppets, a faux
hare head and a doll of Lily Savage (and Buster) as the statue of Liberty. He
has mad taste, thankfully! I don’t paint so much these days although I still
sell prints of my Coronation Street and Mad Men paintings (as well as lots of
pop stars too) Suranne Jones and Kate Ford both have paintings of mine too.
These days I have a business called Crafted Creatures which is fauxidermy
animal sculptures in fabric. I love animals, I’m good at sewing and I like
upcycling things like fabric so it’s a combination of likes!
I've got to ask, what's your favourite
Carry On film and why?
As a child I would’ve probably said
Carry On Screaming as I liked Fenella Fielding and Oddjob, but as I’ve got
older probably ‘Carry On At Your Convenience’ or ‘Carry On Matron’
Finally, what's up next for you?
Hopefully the script I’ve just written
with Mark Bickerton and Simon Cartwright will get commissioned and we’ve also
written ourselves parts in it (if they’ll have us!) because why not? I’m also
about to write another script with Mark Bickerton which is a biopic of a
British entertainment icon of yesteryear. I can say no more! I will be in an episode of 'Moving On' directed by Corrie's
Reece Dinsdale and starring Sue Johnston and Paula Wilcox. I also have a
cameo role in a film called 'Funny Cow' starring Maxine Peake, which will be released next year.
You can find out more about Jayne's career by taking a look at her showreel:
Coronation Street fans know Wendi Peter best, of course, as Cilla Battersby. And as Cilla, we all knew how well Wendi could act the brash, brazen, shrieking, screaming harpy who was mum to Chesney and Fiz. What we didn't know about Wendi was how amazing she is to watch acting live on stage - and what a great singing voice she's got too.
Wendi stars as The Queen of Hearts in Frank Wildhorn's musical version of Alice in Wonderland. Wonderland started its European premiere in Edinburgh before embarking on a UK tour and I saw the show at Sunderland Empire last night.
The musical adapts the traditional Alice in Wonderland story and brings it bang up to date. It starts in a tower block with a divorced, single mum and a stroppy teenager. But it's not long before mother, daughter and a friendly neighbour called Jack slide down into the rabbit hole and into the familar Alice story we know.
Kerry Ellis as Alice
It's a real feel-good musical show and just what was needed on a chilly Monday night. There are some amazing scenery changes and some very funny laugh-out-loud set pieces.
Look out for the boy band, they're a scream...
Stephen Webb as Jack (centre)
... and the sexy caterpillar is worth noting too!
Kayi Ushe as the caterpillar
Sadly there are no production images of Wendi dressed in her costume as the Queen of Hearts and I would have loved to have blogged some of these because it's a costume and a half, a real show-stealer!
I had no idea that Wendi Peters could sing, never mind sing so well. She belted out her show tunes all the way to the circle and back again, but her voice had another quality to it that made it distinctive, better, not 'stagey' at all. I'd love to hear more of her singing, to be honest, and I can even see her in a stage play that's written just to show off her vocal talents, it really was something else.
As The Queen of Hearts, Wendi sang and danced her way through a couple of show-stopper numbers in the musical - all while eating jam tarts. I swear she must have got through about ten of them during the course of the show. She plays the comedy card to perfection and is well worth seeing on stage.
I always say that you never know what our favourite Corrie actors are capable of until you see them working outside of the confines of the cobbles. Not that I wouldn't welcome Wendi's Cilla back to Corrie at any time, she's sorely missed in our house.
Wonderland the Musical is a real feel-good treat and I highly recommend it. I came out of the theatre smiling more broadly than the Cheshire Cat and give it 5 stars.
Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby-Brown in Coronation Street, was interviewed on ITV's Lorraine show today.
Wendi talked about the new musical she's starring in - State Fair - and working with a 32 piece orchestra. Richard Fleeshman (Craig in Corrie) also stars in the musical too.
And of course, talk turned to Corrie's Cilla. She was asked if she'd ever go back and Wendi said:
"Luckily the door is still open because Fiz and Ches are still there. I'm a firm believer in never say never. You never know what's around the corner. I went back a couple of years ago for a few weeks and had a lovely time. I love doing what I do now..."
After State Fair, Wendi is starring in panto in Sheffield and next year as The Queen of Hearts in new musical Wonderland which is touring the UK until August. She's a very busy lady and if she did ever return to Coronation Street, they'd have to be quick to pin her down and get her booked up!
Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby-Brown, along with Vicky Binns, who played Molly Dobbs in Coronation Street, have been cast in a new stage play in London.
The play is called Hatched ‘n’ Dispatched. It is set in 1959 and you are invited to a party. The Needham family have buried Uncle Arthur and christened Baby Clifford in a double booking at the church. As Dorothy-Mavis takes charge of preparations for the after-party, tensions erupt and toxic secrets threaten to destroy her family. But she is not a woman to let family love come between her and social respectability - whatever the cost.
The play opens on September 2nd. If you're in London, this play could just be right up your Street.
Ah Cilla's soon to be back on the cobbles. No, not the Liverpudlian song bird, the other one, she of the 666 wedding day kiss curls. Ahem. I'm hopeful Cilla's temporary return will lift us all out of the Peter-Carla-Rob-Tracy trial-athlon. A bit of light relief would be just the ticket. I must admit I found Cilla just too over the top during most of her original stint in Corrie. She was a character we could love to hate and her first couple of years were fine, but by the end I think it had gone too far and I was relieved when she left. While I was worried about it all kicking off again, I was glad to read Wendi Peters saying Cilla will be toned down a bit on her return. A little closer to actual reality would be an improvement. I think it will be interesting to see how she interacts with Fiz and Chesney now they are all grown up. And by the looks of it it will actually give Sinead something to do. I don't know how others feel about returning characters, but I rather like the continuity of former street residents popping up from time to time. That doesn't mean I want a glut of former cast members turning up but it seems more realistic for old characters to reappear if they have current links with the street. If I had to choose which former characters I'd like to see again, however briefly, I just don't think Cilla would have been top of the list. I'd much rather see Fiona Middleton come back and tempt Steve away from Michelle. Or Angie Freeman return and take up her much forgotten share of Underworld. Kevin's sister Debbie could make an appearance which might even give him something interesting to do. And I'm sure Flaming Nora would love for Spider to pop in to visit his Auntie Em. So what are your thoughts on Cilla's return and returning characters in general?
Whether departing
soap characters disappear into the night gazing longingly from the rear window of
a cab, or are despatched in more dramatic circumstances, the extent of their
legendary status is only really felt through the passing of time, and I think it’s safe
to say that Cilla Battersby-Brown has firmly etched her legacy into the annals. In some ways it’s hard to believe she
has been away from the street almost twice as long as she spent causing havoc
on it. I caught up with Wendi Peters at ITV in Manchester to chat about her infamous
character’s return to the cobbles.
Wendi
herself is surprised at Cilla’s iconic status considering she was only there
for four years, putting it down to a combination of her storylines and her
bold, brash nature. But what has Cilla back after seven years, and where has
she been?
Despite her
departure for Las Vegas, and later move to South Africa, Wendi reveals that Cilla has been living of late in slightly less exotic Wolverhampton.
“That did make me giggle” says Wendi on learning the news.
She reveals that Chesney and Fiz are skeptical of Cilla's reason for returning and are right to assume that there’s an ulterior motive, as Cilla is harbouring a secret. “She’s Cilla. She’s not back just to say hello,” observes
Wendi, “there always has to be a reason.” However, her children don’t ask, accustomed as they are to being lied to.
Wendi reveals that the only person who really takes to her that doesn’t know her of old is Sinead who tries to persuade Chesney to give her a chance. Describing him as Cilla’s “blue eyed boy”, Wendi notes that, by extension, his son becomes the apple of her eye. “On her first
sighting of Joseph, she’s absolutely thrilled” she reveals, “she thinks he’s
very bonny and takes after his Nana.”
However, while Fiz
isn’t exactly happy to see her, “Chesney is the one that really knocks her for
six as he’s so hostile towards her” reveals Wendi who confirms that Cilla gets
a “huge shock” when it becomes apparent that “they can’t wait to get rid of her.”
It’s clear
therefore that Cilla’s return is going to be far from prodigal.
Much has naturally
been made of potential clashes and comparisons with Beth Tinker. “All I’ve been
getting Twitter-wise is ‘we can’t wait to see the arguments and the fights with
Beth’” observes Wendi. “It’s an odd one this. You have to say we’re the typical
strong Corrie women and I suppose there’s a slight resemblance.” However, Wendi
anticipates that interactions between the two might offer “a bit of a twist on
what people are expecting.”
So how did Wendi
feel when she learned they wanted to bring Cilla back? “It was a
complete shock” she reveals, “I’d put it to bed really, I’d moved on. It was
something I’d never really considered. It’s lovely just to come back for a
short break to find out where she’s been and what she’s up to, and to have the
purpose of getting Jennie out for her maternity leave. The fact that my
daughter’s properly having a baby, it’s so lovely to come back and see her go
out”.
With regard
to her preparations for playing the part after 7 years away Wendi reveals “I’d
obviously learned my lines at home but I didn’t read them out with anybody, so
the first time she actually spoke was when I walked on set and said ‘Well
aren’t you pleased to see me?’ It’s really weird, because I feel like I’m in
full swing again, it’s like riding a bike.”
While Cilla's loud personality has traditionally been matched by her wardrobe, viewers
can anticipate a change in this regard. “She’s gone a bit more upmarket this
time” Wendi reveals, explaining how she was anxious to tone Cilla down.
“Although she still has the essence of Cilla, she’s never going to change,” she
notes, “we did want to bring her a little bit back down to earth. She’s still got the
gold jewellery which I’ve picked out of my loft; I have a Cilla box in which I
put a few scripts, my last continuity photos, her jewellery and a little hat
from the last scene.”
Wendi’s
preparations also included watching Cilla’s last week of episodes, but she regretted
doing this, disliking bits of both the character and the way she played her. I
asked Wendi if that contributed to her decision to tone Cilla down. “Before I
even watched that I wanted to tone her down slightly” she confirmed. “She’s 7
years older, she’s nearly 50. I loved playing her, but I just felt we needed to
find a little bit more reality in her. I felt over the 4 years she’d maybe
gotten a bit too much at certain times.”
Wendi
describes her nerves on returning as being like the first day at school, revealing, “It
wasn’t until I’d got about 2 or 3 scenes under my belt that I relaxed and
thought this is going to be okay now".
With regard
to whether or not she resembles Cilla in any way, Wendi observes “I think there
always has to be a bit of you in a character you play. I’m very impatient, I’m
a bit of a control freak, and I’d like to think a much nicer version of Cilla.”
Wendi has
no idea if Cilla will return again after this 6 weeks, but isn’t closed to
the idea. “Never say never” she observes, "for me it’s very much dependent on what
they come up with, the way it’s going to go, and how she’s going to be” as well
as what’s going on in her own life at the time. For now though, it's clear that an intriguing few weeks lie ahead as far as her return is concerned.
Wendi is a
true breath of fresh air, and the enthusiasm with which she talks about her
character, her love of theatre and the life she has carved for herself, filled
with all the things about which she is passionate, is an inspiration.
Here's the first picture showing Cilla Battersby-Brown back on Coronation Street. We'll see Wendi Peters back on screen as Cilla on Wednesday 22 October.
Radio Times says that Cilla will turn up and interrupt a meal that Fiz and Tyrone have arranged for Roy, Chesney and Sinead. Her arrival leaves everyone stunned, especially when is turns out that she has both an overnight bag and a mysterious injury.
Actress Wendi Peters - who is back for a six-week guest stint - said recently of he return: "I'm really thrilled to have the opportunity to revisit Cilla and the cobbles for a short while and to see what she has been up to for the last seven years."
Cilla's new storyline will help facilitate Jennie McAlpine's maternity leave when she leaves the show in the autumn to have her first baby. Read more about Corrie's pregnant pause here.
This news might not please everyone but I'm chuffed to little mint balls about it. Wendi Peters is reprising the role of Cilla Battersby later this year in a six week return.
ITV says she'll be back in October and that the storyline will involve Jennie McAlpine's exit for her maternity leave. The storyline is hush hush at the moment but Fiz and Chesney will no doubt get a big surprise when Cilla sashays back into their lives, causing trouble, I would imagine.
Wendi is looking forward to coming back.
"I'm really thrilled to have the opportunity to
revisit Cilla and the cobbles for a short while and to see what she has
been up to for the last 7 years."
Producer Stuart Blackburn says “We can't wait to see Cilla back on the cobbles, she's a truly
unforgettable character who is at the heart of Corrie's rich history.”
Wendi has been keeping herself busy on screen and doing a lot of theatre work over the past few years. I am looking forward to Cilla's sneer once again! She's one of those "love to hate" characters that I always enjoyed, thanks to Wendi Peters' great portrayal!
There's a story in today's Mirror suggesting that ex-Coronation Street actors Wendi Peters and Bruce Jones have been approached to join the next series of Celebrity Big Brother.
Wendi and Bruce played Cilla and Les Battersby-Brown and the paper says that both are said to be
seriously considering the proposal, which would see them back together
on TV for the first time since 2007.
I did chuckle when I read this quote though: 'Last night a TV source said: “If they
sign up, it will be a real coup as there are at least 10 million Corrie
fanatics out there who will immediately be interested in watching.”
While Wendi Peters has gone to do theatre work since leaving Coronation Street and could well return to the cobbles at any time as both her character and the actress left in good grace, the same can't be said for Bruce Jones. Despite a campaign by his PRs to get him back in the press, on telly and even on this Blog, this fan won't be interested in watching anything he's on.
Wendi Peters, who played Coronation Street's Cilla Battersby-Brown, is starrring in the Broadway musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood at The Landor Theatre, London in April/May 2012.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a thrilling and comical play within a play, originally based on the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens. Full of intrigue and mystery, the story follows the exploits of the Theatre Royale Music Hall Company. The Tony Award winning score is full of beautiful and evocative melodies, encapsulating the Victorian vaudevillian spirit of the show.
Wendi Peters stars as Princess Puffer in the musical. And it's not the first time she's tread the boards as an actress on stage. Wendi has performed in a variety of productions including Brighouse’s The Game, April In Paris, Cecelia Ahern’sMrs Whippy, Grumpy Old Women Live 2 – Chin Up Britain and Noises Off. Also no stranger to musicals, Wendi has appeared in national tours of Hello Dolly! and Guys and Dolls, as well as The Scarlet Pimpernel, Into the Woods and Follies In Concert.
Wendi became a fan of The Mystery of Edwin Drood after watching the 1986 Tony Awards on television and seeing the original Broadway cast perform; she is delighted to be playing Princess Puffer for this London revival.
She says “I love the idea of old time Music Hall mixed in with Dickens. The score is so beautiful, a real mix of genres, from Music Hall through Broadway to almost Classical”.
The role of Princess Puffer is one that Wendi has been keen to play for a long time. “Dickens creates such fabulous characters - they are so funny, he really was ahead of his time. They are almost 'soap' like. Since seeing the clips of the show in 1986 it's always been a role I've had my eye on, and now 26 years on I'm getting to the right age! She is a larger than life ‘grande dame’ of the Music Hall; playing a run-down woman who runs an opium den - I can't wait, but it's the show as a whole that's the real pull”.
Wendi Peters, who played the gob-almighty Cilla Battersby-Brown on Coronation Street, is currently appearing in The Vagina Monologues which is on tour in the UK.
And when she's not acting, she's baking. She describes herself as an actress, mum and baking addict.
Wendi has set up a blog to showcase her cake making. Called Pudding Queen, Wendi blogs with pictures of her baking, all of which look amazing.
I used to love watching Coronation Street's Cilla Battersby Brown, played by Wendi Peters. Blimey - she was vile, wasn't she? But brilliantly so. I really miss her, and the recent mention of Cilla's pal Yana reminded me of her. I also noticed a photograph of her, in the Stape's house. Nobody really mentions her though. Mind you - I suppose that's hardly surprising given her awful past behaviour towards Ches and Fiz.
One of her later storylines involved her getting a job in a nursing home, and finding a wealthy resident to seduce - who turned out to be more than a match for her. I loved that one. After he died, she sold the necklace she had been left, and headed off to, well, I remembered it as Vegas, which feels right for Cilla, but on reading back about this, it seems that it was Florida. Her character kind of softened from being a thoroughly nasty, screechy harridan to start with to more of a Wilma Flintstone cartoony type.
Wendi seems to have done a bit of reality TV and some chat shows over the past year or two. I remember her singing on Soapstar Superstar as well, and getting a right slagging off the American judge for not being thin enough. Infuriating. Anyway - good luck to you Wendi, whatever you're up to.
