Last night the BBC's much-heralded feature length Barbara Windsor biopic Babs was finally broadcast. There has been a whole heap of publicity about this project, coming as it does in Barbara's 80th birthday year.
I sat down to watch it last night full of anticipation. I knew Barbara had been involved in the project, that the cast included the wonderful Samantha Spiro, an actress with a track record of playing Barbara really well and that the whole thing had been scripted by the talented Tony Jordan. That being said, I did wonder how this new drama could bring a fresh approach to Barbara's story. Barbara's life and times are extremely well documented through several books, documentaries, chat show appearances and of course Terry Johnson's play Cleo, Camping, Emmannuelle and Dick and the television play that followed, Cor Blimey.
Could the BBC's drama give us something new? Well, in part, yes it could. The theatrical staging of the play provided a fresh approach and it was quite novel. The use of flashback sequences is not new in storytelling on the box, but this worked well. Many of us know about Barbara and her father and the fractured relationship there so it was touching that the main conversation running through Babs was between father and daughter.
I don't want to give too much away in case you haven't seen it yet - get to the BBC iplayer if you haven't - but the 90 minute drama covers the period from Barbara's early family life, through her war years, entering the world of showbiz, relationship with Joan Littlewood who guided her career at Stratford East and her association with the likes of Ronnie Knight and the Kray twins. It is all dealt with fairly sympathetically although it doesn't shy away from the sometimes uncomfortable truth of the decisions Barbara (and those around her) made. As a fan of the Carry Ons and their stars, not much of this was new to me but I enjoyed the way it was portrayed on screen. And yes, the Carry Ons did get a look in. Barbara's first experience with the team, Carry On Spying, was featured with a scene from the film played out showing the first meeting of Barbara and Kenneth Williams. It is faithful to the original script and worked pretty well. We also see a brief mention of Barbara in Carry On Doctor but sadly we don't see any more of her famous Carry On colleagues. I think ending the story in the late 1960s was very wise as the previous drama, Cor Blimey, covered the 60s through the late 1970s. This was very much a separate tale and worked well in its own right. I must praise the sublime Samantha Spiro who once again played Babs quite brilliantly. This was a different portrayal, with Spiro playing Barbara in middle age and it was funny, touching and very real. There were moments - looks, gestures, phrases - which were quite uncanny. She is almost more Babs than Barbara! However this was so much more than an impersonation. It was a towering dramatic performance. Credit also to Nick Moran for tackling the difficult role of Barbara's father. Moran and Spiro had some good chemistry and what might have been awkward actually worked well.
My other stand out performance is the fantastic Zoe Wanamaker as the legendary Joan Littlewood. Joan was such an iconic figure so casting this part must have been really tricky. Zoe grabs the role with both hands and has terrific fun with it. She sparkles every time she appears and she left me wanting more. BBC, could we please see The Joan Littlewood Story, starring Ms Wanamaker? What didn't I like? Sometimes the number of Babs on screen was confusing! I know there was a lot to cover but it did feel that some aspects of Barbara's life and career were glossed over rather quickly. I also wasn't sure we really needed an appearance from Barbara herself. I think her cameo in Cor Blimey back in 2000 actually worked better than this. I'm not sure what it added to Babs. And the ending was quite sweet but again, I'd rather have seen the film end on Samantha Spiro's beautiful performance.
So all in all, I enjoyed Babs. What did you think?
Actress Samantha Spiro was interviewed on BBC Breakfast this morning about reprising one of her most famous roles, as everyone's favourite Cockney sparrow, Dame Barbara Windsor. Samantha is one of three actresses to portray Barbara in the new BBC biopic "Babs" due to be screened this coming weekend.
Samantha is a terrific actress and comes across really well in person. She is obviously really fond of both Barbara and her association with the Carry On star. Samantha first played Barbara nearly twenty years ago in the stage play "Cleo, Camping, Emmannuelle and Dick". This play focussed on the relationship between Barbara, Sid James and Kenneth Williams during the making of the Carry On films. It was made into a television film, Cor Blimey, which was broadcast on ITV back in 2000.
Samantha spoke of how much she enjoyed playing Barbara again for the new drama, written by Tony Jordan. Without giving too much away, Samantha plays an older Barbara, in her fifties and the drama uses Samantha's portrayal to tell Barbara's story through flashback sequences. Samantha spoke of the fresh challenge of playing a different Barbara at a very interesting time in her life, when times were hard and friends were few. She also praised Barbara for going with a version of the script that tells it how it was, warts and all.
I was immediately looking forward to this new drama when I heard Samantha had been cast. Her portrayal of Barbara is spot on and it lends gravitas to the production. I for one cannot wait to see her back in the role.
You can view the trailer for Babs here:
Babs will be broadcast on BBC1 this Sunday, 7 May at 8pm.
The Radio Times has revealed the first official photos of both Jaime Winstone and Samantha Spiro in character as Barbara Windsor in the BBC's new biopic of the famous Carry On and EastEnders star.
Looking scarily the part as Barbara in her youth is Jaime, pictured on the left while Samantha picks up the story of Windsor's eventful life when she reaches her fifties. I'm impressed with both of these transformations and it bodes well for the production. In other news, legendary actress Zoe Wanamaker has joined the cast to play another big character - theatre director Joan Littlewood. Joan ran the Theatre Royal at Stratford East where Barbara got her big break.
And playing Barbara's parents in the drama will be Nick Moran, as John Deeks while Leanne Best will play her mother, Rose.
Entitled
"Babs" the drama will tell the story of Windsor's life both in front of
and behind the camera. It will be written by former EastEnders
scriptwriter Tony Jordan, someone Barbara knows well. Barbara has said
she is thrilled the BBC are telling her story. It seems that while Dame Babs
is interested in what the production will bring and what slant it will
take, she is taking care to stay back from the decision making and let
the production team get on with it.
As with Cor Blimey! Barbara herself will have a cameo in the new BBC drama. There will also be a couple of child actors portraying Barbara in her early years. The Radio Times reports that the 90 minute drama will focus on Barbara's story from 1943 until 1993. This time period will take in her childhood during the war, her rise to fame on stage and through the Carry Ons right up until she was about to taste new levels of fame and success as part of the EastEnders cast as legendary matriarch Peggy Mitchell.
So what do you think of the two actors' transformations?
So now we know. The Radio Times has today revealed which actors will be playing Dame Barbara Windsor in the BBC biopic, due to be screened as part of Windsor's 80th birthday celebrations next year.
Entitled
"Babs" the drama will tell the story of Windsor's life both in front of
and behind the camera. It will be written by former EastEnders
scriptwriter Tony Jordan, someone Barbara knows well. Barbara has said
she is thrilled the BBC are telling her story. It seems that while Dame Babs
is interested in what the production will bring and what slant it will
take, she is taking care to stay back from the decision making and let
the production team get on with it.
Well we know that at least two actors will portray the famous star of Carry On and EastEnders. First of all, actress Jaime Winstone, daughter of actor Ray, will play Barbara in her 20s and 30s. Taking over the role as Barbara reaches middle age will be the terrific actress Samantha Spiro. Spiro has of course played Barbara in the 1998 National Theatre play, Cleo, Camping, Emmannuelle and Dick which told the story of Barbara's relationship with the late actor Sid James as well as her friendship with Kenneth Williams. The story was turned into an ITV drama, Cor Blimey! which was transmitted in 2000, again with Spiro in the part.
As with Cor Blimey! Barbara herself will have a cameo in the new BBC drama. There will also be a couple of child actors portraying Barbara in her early years. The Radio Times reports that the 90 minute drama will focus on Barbara's story from 1943 until 1993. This time period will take in her childhood during the war, her rise to fame on stage and through the Carry Ons right up until she was about to taste new levels of fame and success as part of the EastEnders cast as legendary matriarch Peggy Mitchell.
