preview
Scarlet woman
New political satire In The Red has a killer on the loose, a new party on the rise and SIOBHAN REDMOND on the game. The Scots actress talks S & M, high heels and midnight snacks.
Words: Peter Ross
Snooty overdraft refusals, mysterious charges. cash dispensers that swallow your bastard card just because you’ve had ten pints of strawberry daiquiri and can’t remember your number. It’s enough to make you go around killing bank managers in strange and unusual ways using one pound coins.
Well. that’s what’s happening in new all-star comedy satirical thriller In The Red. New Labour have been in office for a year. and there’s a feeling in the country that nothing has improved. When a serial killer starts imaginatively bumping off the money men with hard currency. the public are blithely unconcerned. Add to this premise the rise of a middle-ground political party. in-fighting within the BBC. a blue religious programme called Oh Jesus. an alcoholic crime-busting hack and a pocketful of spin- doctors, and you have the makings of a very British satire.
Scottish actress Siobhan Redmond plays Ms Sin. a Soho m'dam. who turns dominatrix tricks above the head arters of the Reform Party. The revealing costumes required for the role are very different from what the star of Between The Lines is used to.
‘l have very little in common with Ms Sin apart from a taste for high heels and certain ability to snap at people.’ she laughs. ‘But, it’s no wonder these women have slaves. You can’t get the clothes on by
Siobhan Redmond
‘When you're wearing something that ieastes absolutely nothing; ta imagination, yeti .. having that Wispa Mint bar at three in the morning.’
1 Chief whip: Siobhan Redmond in In The Red
yourself. but there are men who are keen to help the ladies get dressed and pay for the privilege! Then they clean your house. you’re awful to them. they pay you again. then they go. I‘m finding it hard to see a flaw in this.
‘Anyone else who was cast in such a part six months before shooting would probably have surgery and certainly go on a diet. Not me! My rationale was. “()ch. she‘s not meant to look fantastic. that‘s just what she wears for her work". But when you‘re wearing something that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. you do start to regret having that Wispa Mint bar at three in the morning.‘
Redmond. who will star as a celebrity hairdresser in Ll'l. l.ochhead’s new play l’er/‘eet Days at the
'l‘raverse Theatre during the lidinburgh Festival. has
been treading the boards in Stratford and London for the last eighteen months as a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company. This would be a career high- point for many actresses. but Redmond has been profoundly unhappy with her work.
‘I have disliked my performance for much of the run.’ she says of Much Ado About Nut/ring. in which she plays Beatrice. ‘I didn‘t know how to make myself get better. so I lost my confidence and felt a little bit paralysed. I haven‘t felt stuck like that as a professional for a long time.
‘lt‘s got a lot to do with self-confidence. It's difficult when you‘re not from a classical tradition. The first thing you see when you open the Mite/i Ac/u programme is loads of photographs of Dame Peggy and Sir John. Maggie and Judi. Uncle Tom (‘obbley and all. I have a feeling of being from somewhere else and not giving the punters what they've come to expect.‘
Of course. Siobhan can put that behind her now and revel in the sado-masochistic antics of Ms Sin. Is there anyone in particular she‘d like to strap down and give a heating to'.’ "l‘here are several critics that l
(Wye; -‘> §- ‘5 ‘1": " its'cui i. (if; int
dream of being stuck in a cupboard with and a load of
very sharp coat-hangers.‘ Sounds all right.
In The Red begins on BBC2, Tue 26 May, 9.30pm.
Box pops
Celebrity sofa surfing. This issue: Jayne Middlemiss
Favourite show? Coronation Street is getting funny again after the recent sensational storylines. It’s back to its camp best.
Fave TV snack? I like eating pizza With a glass of red Wine. Not all the time of course
When did you last shout at the telly? When a video of South Park that someone had taped for me, hadn't recorded properly.
If you went on Stars In Their Eyes, who would you be? I'd like to he Cher as Madonna.
Which TV personality makes you want to be physically sick? Darren Day He tries too hard and he smiles too much
Fave Blue Peter presenter of all time? Simon Groom because he always brought the conversation around to farming and himself. He didn’t care he was on telly,
Best advert? The Boddington ads With Melanie Sykes. I love the ’Torquil, you’ve not your trollies on backwards' line
Worst advert? L’Oreal Jennifer Aniston's line ’l've JUSI fallen in love With my shampoo’
Greatest TV moment of all time? Peter Powell falling flat on his face on Blankety Blank when it was hosted by Terry Wogari
Who would be on your dream Top Of The Pops? Velvet Underground, Dawd BoWie, Echo And The Bunnymen, Manic Street Preachers, Spiritualized, Belle And Sebastian
Who's sexier, Jamie Theakston or Des Lynam? Jamie Theakston because he hasn't got a rnoustac he
Greatest cartoon character of all time? Bart Simpson because he's yellow
If you could be in any TV show what would it be? Brooks/dc? but only if Barry Grant is in it 'cos I'd like to be his ()llllflOlid
jayne M/dcl/em/ss presents Top Of The Pops, 88C], Fri, 7 30pm and The Ozone, 88C2, Tue, 7 70pm Her Radio I show Sun, 3pm has just won a
Sony Award for best magazine programme
M 28 May 1998 THE lIST103