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Speaking of her role as the estranged wife in Simon Williams’ (who
also stars) comedy play, Nobody’s Fool, she said: “I think I
was first choice for the part. I don’t know – that’s what they
always tell you anyway. I didn’t have to do any audition for the
part. Sam (Simon Williams) saw me in Dinner and the whole thing
slipped into place.”
Nobody’s Fool, which comes to Peterborough this week, has just
over a month to run. Louise is then off to Eastbourne for the
panto season to appear as Fairy Bow-Bells in Dick Whittington.
This will be her fourth panto season – her third since leaving the
BBC soap Eastenders.
After Christmas she plans to work in the West End to star
alongside Joe Pasquale in Tom, Dick and Harry. She has appeared in
many plays including Sex Wars, Corpse and Ghost Train. She said:
“I’ve been on the road for four years.” As for the Key Theatre
she said: “I won’t recognise the place again, until I walk out
on stage.”
Living out of a suitcase is not ideal for a balanced work - life
mix. Louise, who has two sons said: “It definitely puts a
strain on family life – I miss them like mad. Being a working
mother I’ve been juggling house and career from day one. I want to
hold out for telly for the second half of the year.”
Louise has a production company with partner David Warwick. She
said: “I’m hopefully touring with Colin Baker next year in
Perfect Strangers. I have performed with Sylvia Simms in poetry
and music evenings. I would love to do those for the rest of my
career – they are so fun and witty.”
So what was it like working with the other Baker, Tom, in Doctor
Who? She said: “Tom is the most eccentric person I have ever
worked with. We get on very well and I am most impressed with how
he can hold an audience in the palm of his hand. He was incredibly
good as Dr Who. He brought all his eccentricities to the role and
was so charismatic and charming. He must be the fans firm
favourite.”
As for the BBC’s much awaited resurrection of the famous science
fiction series, she said: “It’s about time I’d say. The whole
Doctor Who thing was a lifeline to the business for me at times in
the form of personal appearances and voiceovers on DVDs and
videos. I’m still part of the business and I’m very, very grateful
to Doctor Who for that. I would love to go back as Leela in this
new series.”
Louise also has fond memories of the Japanese Prisoner of War
drama series Tenko. She said: “It was an extremely busy time in
my life. Tenko was written by women, for women, which was
virtually unheard of in the 1980’s. It was high profile, ground
breaking stuff. I had both my babies then.” Sadly, her mother
also died at this time.
The friendships Louise made during the filming of Tenko still
remain strong. She said: “It was such an intense and
extraordinary time for me. The Tenko cast had such a hard-core
sisterhood, which still exists. There’s six of us who meet up
regularly and chat on the phone once a week.”
Co-incidentally, Director Pennant Roberts hired Louise for both Dr
Who and Tenko. She said: “Pennant gave me the roles of both
Leela and Blanche Simmons in Tenko. I’m very grateful for him for
that.”
Louise’s experience of television is not all good, however. She
has bad memories over her exit from the BBC’s Eastenders as Rosa
Demarco three years ago. She candidly said: “They handled it
very badly. It was disappointing and very humiliating. John York
(the then producer) was very rude. He never consulted with me over
what he said to the press. In every other series I was involved in
it was discussed with great tact and tenderness. I was in
Emmerdale and I was killed off and that was handled well.”
Typically, Louise remained positive and bounced back to use her
soap profile to find work in the theatre. She said:
”I’m quite grateful to the BBC. They helped me back onto
the touring circuit.” She admits that she has no time to sit
down and watch television herself. She said: “I never watch TV.
I’m a Radio Four addict. I love listening to music too.”
Louise has some advice for anyone considering an acting career.
She said: “They must have a feeling of do or die. It is such an
overcrowded profession. I cannot understate the ability to handle
classical texts such as Shakespeare.”
Will Louise’s sons Harry and Tom follow her onto the stage? She
says: “My youngest has potential, but he’s trying to be a
chef, while my oldest is a personal trainer."
However, there was never any doubt Louise would become an
actress. She said: “I would maybe have been a homeopath or some
sort of healer or even a pianist. But from age four I knew I was
going to act. It was predestined really.”
Nobody’s Fool opens on Monday October 18 and runs until Saturday
October 23 at Peterborough’s Key Theatre. It also stars Coronation
Street's Chloe Newsome and Joanna Van Gysegham from Duty Free.
To make a booking call the box office on 01733 552439.
October 2004 |
