6 saturday review Saturday May 28 2022 | the times
of roses make me think of her and my
love for her.The place I feel happiest
Dorset, where I grew up and where
my parents live. There is a wild beauty to
that stretch of Jurassic coastline. I feel
very nostalgic about it thanks to happy
childhood memories.The music that always cheers
me upI Am Wild by MaMuse.My guiltiest cultural pleasure
Heading straight for the property
pages of The Week and dreaming of
a country life.Underrated
Piers Torday’s The Last Wild series.
I was at university with Piers
and he directed me in the first
plays I did. Not only was he
a brilliant director, he is a
fantastic writer of young
adult fiction. I highly
recommend his books.The poem that saved me
A Woman Should Have...
by Maya Angelou.I wasted an evening
listening to...Boris Johnson’s
defence to
parliament
of partygate.Signora Volpe is
streaming now on
Acorn TVThe box set that I’m hooked on
Anatomy of a Scandal with Sienna Miller
and Rupert Friend, which is absolutely
gripping with some great acting and a
compelling plot.My favourite TV series
The Bureau — they interviewed real
spies as part of their research for this
series, and it has the best antihero lead
I’ve seen in a long time.The instrument I played
I played the cello until I was 18, inspired
by seeing a photograph of Jacqueline du
Pré when I was four years old. And I’ve
just taken up playing the piano again
with my boyfriend, Jonathan [Stadlen,
a TV producer]. We have been playing
duets together at night, which is an
absolute joy.The instrument I wish I’d learnt
The guitar. I like the idea of taking a
guitar travelling and being able to play
music wherever I am. You can’t take a
cello or the piano, and acting isn’t
something you can do by yourself, like
singing or painting or writing. So I
have always wished I could play the
guitar. One day...The lyric I wish I’d written
“I love you in a place where
there’s no space or time/ I
love you for my life,
you’re a friend
of mine” from A Song
for You by Donny
Hathaway.If I could own one
painting it would
be...Van Gogh’s Roses. I
have a daughter called
Rose and all picturesthe part. It was my first main role as
an actress and ignited a love for the
profession that I’ve had ever since.The book I’m reading
The Sleeping Beauties: And Other Stories
of Mystery Illness by Suzanne O’Sullivan,
which was given to me by the
criminologist Professor David Wilson,
who regularly gives me books he thinks
I will like — and he’s always right.The book I wish I had
writtenAll of Us: The Collected Poems
by Raymond Carver. After
reading English at university,
which was so focused on the
classics, I craved modern
writing and discovered Carver.
I love his short stories, but I
particularly love his poems —
they are so raw and honest. Cherish
is my favourite.The book I couldn’t finish
The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck.
It also happens to be the book I’m
ashamed I haven’t read.My favourite film
This changes all the time whenever
I see an excellent film, but at the
moment I think my favourite is
an Italian documentary called The
Truffle Hunters, which explores the
relationships between old truffle hunters
and their dogs. It follows the journey of
the truffle from the ground to the table
and is moving, funny and exquisitely
shot. I also absolutely love Another
Round with Mads Mikkelsen for its
superb acting and original storytelling.The last movie that made me cry
Dirty Dancing, which I saw again
recently. This quote made me cry:
“Me? I’m scared of everything. I’m
scared of what I saw, of what I did, of
who I am. And most of all, I’m scared
of walking out of this room and never
feeling the rest of my whole life the way
I feel when I’m with you.”My favourite play
Cabaret. I saw Natasha Richardson
and Alan Cumming in the Broadway
production in the Nineties, which was
a spectacular experience I will never
forget. I’ve just seen it again in London
with Eddie Redmayne and Jessie
Buckley in an equally fabulous
production. It remains one of my
favourite shows and I loved being
back in the Kit Kat Club.The play I’m looking forward to
Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth. I loved
seeing the original production and
have already booked my tickets for
the current revival. I’m excited
about seeing Rafe Spall in To Kill
a Mockingbird too.The play I walked out of
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? It was
a great production at the Almeida with
David Suchet and Diana Rigg, but
they were so believable and there was
so much shouting and animosity in it
that I started to panic and feel unwell
and had to leave.My favourite author or book
The Rebecca Notebook: And Other
Memories by Daphne du Maurier
because it has played a part in
my life in so many different
ways. The first job where I
remember being on set with
my mum, Joanna David, was
when she played the second
Mrs de Winter [in Rebecca in
1979]. I was five years old.
Then I loved reading the
book as a teenager and it has
remained one of my favourites.
When I was at university I was asked
to audition to play the second Mrs de
Winter in an ITV adaptation. They took
my name off the audition tape so it
couldn’t be linked to my mum, and I got
my culture fix
The actress lets us into her cultural life
perfectly marvellous
Above: Eddie Redmayne and Jessie
Buckley in Cabaret. Right: Roses by
Vincent van Gogh. Left: Maya
Angelou. Below: Jacqueline du PréMARC BRENNEREmilia Fox
Underrated
Piers Torday’s The LastW
I was at university w
and he directed m
plays Idid. Not on
a brilliant direc
fantastic writer
adult fiction. Ih
recommend his boThe poem that sa
A Woman Shou
by Maya AngI wasteda
listeningBoris J
defen
parlia
of parSignora
stream
Acornent I wish I’d learnt
ke the idea of taking a
g and being able to play
r I am. You can’t take a
no, and acting isn’t
can do by yourself, like
ting or writing. So I
shed I could play the
y...ish I’d written
aplace where
e or time/ I
y life,A Song
nnynone
ouldses. I
er called
cturesf akemethinkofherandmyI will like —The
wriAl
by
re
wh
cla
wri
I love
particu
they are so
is my favourer
erasked
Mrs de
hey took