Interview with Katherine Levy (Sarah de Talmont)
May 31, 2020 19:27:50 GMT
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Post by Lucy of Ravenscar on May 31, 2020 19:27:50 GMT
Daniel Rendell did an interview with Katherine Levy, who played Sarah de Talmont in The Children of Israel, which he's kindly let us share here:
** LOCKDOWN INTERVIEW. MAY 2020 **
· How did hear about the job originally. I presume it was via the inimitable Esta Charkham, caster to the stars?
Esta had cast me in several television shows over the years and yes, when she was casting RoS she called me in to play Sarah De Talmont. She was a very loyal supporter of my career.
· What were the main cast like to work with. Were they welcoming and friendly? Did anyone stand out - Michael Praed. A young Ray Winstone? Was it obvious these people would be destined for bigger things?
Many of the cast were friends from a course I did at RADA including the lovely Clive Mantle – so we knew each other well. I believe that Esta met most of them and cast some of them at my 21st Birthday party! The whole cast were lovely and welcomed me like I had been part of the team from the start. I had worked with the crew at HTV West, many times before, on Children of the Stones and Follow Me – so it was like a wonderful family reunion. Michael, Nick Grace, Clive and yes Ray was amazing to work with. We laughed an awful lot – there were some great outtakes I remember seeing at the end of series wrap party.
· What was it like working with David de Keyser as your ‘dad’, and Amy & Adam, who were Maureen Lipman’s children?
I was a little in awe of David – such a fine actor and he was gracious, helpful and friendly. Amy and Adam were a delight.
· What was it like on filming on location? [Your scenes were Farleigh Hungerford Castle and Blaise Woods, Henbury] It seemed almost idyllic in the hot summer of 1984. Any tomfoolery?
I remember it being a really lovely shoot and yes, we laughed a lot. I have a memory of a scene where I was being rescued from the clutches of Guy of Gisburne and the ‘merry men’ started singing ‘That girl is mine’…. A very happy time.
· Do you have any special memories of the role, and did you take anything personally away about the story which followed the persecution of Jewish people in the early middle ages. Did you have any input into how this would be played out with the producers? I believe Esta C fought for this story.
I had to ask my grandmother to remind me of the sabbath prayer and my Aunty Pat also helped make sure I got it right on the shoot! I didn’t know about the history of the Jews in Nottingham, so it absolutely resonated with me.
· You had a number of scenes with Robert Addie as Guy of Gisburne, sadly no longer with us. An exceptionally gifted actor and horse rider who I had the pleasure in knowing briefly for a few years. How was he to work with? Are there any scenes that stand out for you?
I am sad to find that out – I didn’t know we had lost him. Such a lovely generous actor. There was a lot of laughter on the set. The horses were fun – I have never been a natural horsewoman, despite playing Princess Margret in Backs to the Land many moons ago! All I know is I think I asked someone at some point to help me get my leg over when I was trying to get up on the horse and Robert quickly corrected me – leg up Kate, leg up
.
· Do you have a mementos from your work on RoS?
No! Just a few photos somewhere and some lovely memories.
· Lastly, I’d be most remiss if I didn’t ask about “The Children of the Stones,” and indeed “The Watcher in the Woods,” a fantastically creepy Disney movie with the unsurpassable Bette Davis. What was it like to work as a child actor on two shows heralded later as cult “folk horror” classics? Were Gareth Thomas/Ian Cuthbertson/Bette Davis nice to work with? And have you been back to Avebury (Milbury) lately? Were there any spooky incidents on set?
Children of the Stones was a wonderful show to work on. The cast and crew were a tight family unit and Gareth Thomas, Freddie Jones and Ian Cuthbertson were wonderful to work with. It was the log hot summer of ’76 and it was a very happy time ...
** LOCKDOWN INTERVIEW. MAY 2020 **
· How did hear about the job originally. I presume it was via the inimitable Esta Charkham, caster to the stars?
Esta had cast me in several television shows over the years and yes, when she was casting RoS she called me in to play Sarah De Talmont. She was a very loyal supporter of my career.
· What were the main cast like to work with. Were they welcoming and friendly? Did anyone stand out - Michael Praed. A young Ray Winstone? Was it obvious these people would be destined for bigger things?
Many of the cast were friends from a course I did at RADA including the lovely Clive Mantle – so we knew each other well. I believe that Esta met most of them and cast some of them at my 21st Birthday party! The whole cast were lovely and welcomed me like I had been part of the team from the start. I had worked with the crew at HTV West, many times before, on Children of the Stones and Follow Me – so it was like a wonderful family reunion. Michael, Nick Grace, Clive and yes Ray was amazing to work with. We laughed an awful lot – there were some great outtakes I remember seeing at the end of series wrap party.
· What was it like working with David de Keyser as your ‘dad’, and Amy & Adam, who were Maureen Lipman’s children?
I was a little in awe of David – such a fine actor and he was gracious, helpful and friendly. Amy and Adam were a delight.
· What was it like on filming on location? [Your scenes were Farleigh Hungerford Castle and Blaise Woods, Henbury] It seemed almost idyllic in the hot summer of 1984. Any tomfoolery?
I remember it being a really lovely shoot and yes, we laughed a lot. I have a memory of a scene where I was being rescued from the clutches of Guy of Gisburne and the ‘merry men’ started singing ‘That girl is mine’…. A very happy time.
· Do you have any special memories of the role, and did you take anything personally away about the story which followed the persecution of Jewish people in the early middle ages. Did you have any input into how this would be played out with the producers? I believe Esta C fought for this story.
I had to ask my grandmother to remind me of the sabbath prayer and my Aunty Pat also helped make sure I got it right on the shoot! I didn’t know about the history of the Jews in Nottingham, so it absolutely resonated with me.
· You had a number of scenes with Robert Addie as Guy of Gisburne, sadly no longer with us. An exceptionally gifted actor and horse rider who I had the pleasure in knowing briefly for a few years. How was he to work with? Are there any scenes that stand out for you?
I am sad to find that out – I didn’t know we had lost him. Such a lovely generous actor. There was a lot of laughter on the set. The horses were fun – I have never been a natural horsewoman, despite playing Princess Margret in Backs to the Land many moons ago! All I know is I think I asked someone at some point to help me get my leg over when I was trying to get up on the horse and Robert quickly corrected me – leg up Kate, leg up
.
· Do you have a mementos from your work on RoS?
No! Just a few photos somewhere and some lovely memories.
· Lastly, I’d be most remiss if I didn’t ask about “The Children of the Stones,” and indeed “The Watcher in the Woods,” a fantastically creepy Disney movie with the unsurpassable Bette Davis. What was it like to work as a child actor on two shows heralded later as cult “folk horror” classics? Were Gareth Thomas/Ian Cuthbertson/Bette Davis nice to work with? And have you been back to Avebury (Milbury) lately? Were there any spooky incidents on set?
Children of the Stones was a wonderful show to work on. The cast and crew were a tight family unit and Gareth Thomas, Freddie Jones and Ian Cuthbertson were wonderful to work with. It was the log hot summer of ’76 and it was a very happy time ...
