Would you believe it? This week’s guest President is the wonderful Karen Ford — actor, writer and director, perhaps best remembered by millions as art teacher Miss Booth in Grange Hill, but with a career that has embraced theatre, television and film in equal measure. As ever, Tony’s enchanted bingo machine has no idea who our guest is… and somehow knows exactly where to take us.
So pull on your wellies and join us for another ramble as President Ford guides us through three destinations selected entirely at random. Above it all, the reassuringly omniscient voice of Sir Stephen Fry keeps watch while the rest of us wander happily off the beaten track.
Our first destination is 819: Not Used (818 – Writings, Miscellaneous). A gift for any actor. Karen takes us back to childhood, when her father first introduced her to Shakespeare through Charles and Mary Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare, igniting a lifelong love of the Bard. We follow that thread through one of her earliest roles as Juliet, discussing how actors discover character, what separates a good script from a great one, and why precious rehearsal time has become such a rarity in modern television. Fond memories of the legendary Acton Hilton rehearsal rooms follow before we arrive in the present day with Karen’s acclaimed new play, All of Them Dead (TICKET LINK BELOW!), and ask the question that concerns everyone who loves live performance: how do we restore theatre to the heart of our cultural life?
Next, the bingo machine presents 922: Travel and Geography of Europe. Naturally, we leave Europe almost immediately. Instead, we head for Japan, where Karen toured with Macbeth, before one delightfully tenuous conversational leap lands us at the White House. Somehow, this becomes the gateway to Britain’s most famous comprehensive school: Grange Hill. Karen reflects on seven memorable years playing Miss Booth, revisiting the programme’s groundbreaking storylines, including Zammo Maguire’s heroin addiction and the unforgettable “Just Say No” campaign. We also celebrate the joy—and occasional unpredictability—of working alongside young actors, remember the magnificent Michael Sheard as the fearsome Mr Bronson, and lament the passing of the days when television brought the entire nation together around a shared story.
Our third and final destination is 132: Not Assigned (133 – Parapsychology). Theatre has always been rich in myths, rituals and superstitions. Never utter the name of the Scottish play. Never whistle backstage. And whatever you do, don’t leave knitting needles in the wings. Karen shares some of the rituals that have accompanied her throughout her career, before reflecting on a life spent performing across stage and screen. Is it possible to choose a favourite medium after such a varied and distinguished career? The answer, as with so much in the Rambling Club, proves rather more interesting than the question itself.
And then it’s back to the Presidential shed, where the props have all been accounted for, nobody has tempted fate backstage, and the bingo machine is already plotting next week’s adventure.
TICKETS TO KAREN'S SHOW----> www.linktr.ee/everybodypanic
Presented by Paul Carmichael & Allan Lear
Music composed and performed by Michael Livesley & Andy Frizell
The voice of Pwfthhh- Michael Livesley
www.michaellivesley.com
Series Producers- Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson
Producers- Alan Dyebing & Stuart Morris
Series Executive Producer- Mark Strickson
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