Carry On Blogging Exclusive: From Fenella's Diary...

A bit of a Carry On Blogging exclusive for you now. I've already blogged that Fenella Fielding's memoirs will be published in hardback version on 16 November, the day before the legendary actress turns an amazing 90 years young. Before publication, I wanted to share an interesting Carry On related snippet with you from Fenella's very own diary. 

In Fenella Fielding’s memoir, written with Simon McKay, she says she turned down a few Carry On roles including that of Cleopatra in Carry On Cleo because it clashed with her schedule, although adds: “That would have been a nice thing to do… There were some other ones that, after reading the script, my agent more or less turned down for me. Carry On Camping was one; I got the impression it was a bit much. Usually your agent says, ‘I don’t know, see what you think of it. Read the script and we’ll talk about it.’ Sometimes they go so far as to tell you, ‘It’s a wonderful part, you really ought to do it.’

This diary entry is from January 1964 when Fenella had lunch with Gerry Thomas and Peter Rogers at Mirabelle’s and turned down the lead in Carry On Cleo.

I’d said to him, ‘I want to do some straight plays. I want to do some Shakespeare and so forth, but I don’t want to be laughed out of court.’ He said, ‘Fine, but you’ll have to be prepared to turn a lot down.’ I think despite everything he’d have been jolly glad if I had done Cleo, and there didn’t seem to be any ‘yes or no’ about Screaming.” 

Later in the book, Fenella expands on the reason there was a clash in her schedule Cleo: “I turned down Carry On Cleo to go to New York to spend time with an American boy I’d met in London. I was led to think that it was on between us, but when I got there it was all awkward. It was in the winter. I was only there for a few weeks. I was wearing my little fur coat, but it was like wearing a bit of tissue paper. Winter in New York is bitterly cold. I should have done Cleo really.”

 

Fenella’s memoirs, Do You Mind If I Smoke? is published by Peter Owen on 16^th November. Ask your local bookshop to make sure they will be stocking it or order a signed copy from www.fenellafielding.com

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Fenella's Memoirs Published This Week!

 

Details have been released of the publication of the hardback book version of Fenella Fielding's outstanding memoirs. As regular blog readers will know, Fenella has been reading excerpts from her memoirs to packed houses both at the Phoenix Artist Club and at many other venues across the country. The memoirs have already been released as an audio book, but now a print version will soon be available. Published by Peter Owen on 16th November 2017, the eve of Fenella's 90th birthday. Signed copies of this hardback book will be available via Fenella's official website.

Based on the scripts for the audio written by Fenella and Simon McKay, but with additional material:

1. New anecdotes in various places... some absolute gems.

2. A brand new chapter 'Drink, Drugs and Psychiatry'.

3. Thirty stunning photos from Fenella's personal collection.

4. An appendix of Fenella's daily appointments from 1958 to 1968, which reveal an incredible whirlwind of high profile activity.

In these pages you will fall in love with the real Fenella, whose genuine innocence in her early days in often seedy and dangerous post-war London was her best protection. You’ll learn how she crafted the career she longed for in the face of determined and sometimes cruel opposition from her parents. How she went up the ladders of fame and down the snakes of self-doubt and despair. How she learned to live with, like and sometimes loathe the famous actors, impresarios, conmen and characters of the day.

So famous in the 1960s that she was chosen by Littlewoods to hand over a cheque for a third of a million pounds to a Pools winner, by the 1970s she had one of her own cheques returned and realised she was broke.

The story nearly ended there, but talent and sheer guts pulled her though the dark times and out into the light of new-found success. In 2017 she turned 90. The star known as the 'England’s First Lady of the Double Entendre' is still seducing audiences with that unforgettable voice, her perfect timing and wicked humour never better.

The memoirs very carefully kept the authenticity of Fenella's voice throughout and even though this is the print version, Fenella's voice comes over as beautifully resonate and utterly unique as ever.

You can find out more and pre-order a signed copy here

Fenella Fielding will be at Waterstones Covent Garden on Thursday 16th November at 5:30pm to sign copies of her memoirs 'Do You Mind If I Smoke?' (published that day).

The evening will begin with a short reading from Fenella.

Fenella turns 90 the following day! Do come along, buy a book and wish her happy birthday.

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan on Facebook and on Instagram 

Fenella Fielding Interview in The Guardian

The actress Fenella Fielding is interviewed in The Guardian newspaper today and it's a fascinating read. The interview is part of a round of publicity ahead of the publication of Fenella's memoirs, Do You Mind if I Smoke?, on 16 November.

As she approaches her 90th birthday, Fenella has lost none of her quirky appeal and this interview showcases that to the full. There are tales I've heard before having attended a couple of her memoir readings at The Phoenix Artist Club, but they are so good you can hear them time and time again. Of course, the article touches on her association with the Carry On films and Carry On Screaming in particular. She has this to say about her troubled relationship with co-star Kenneth Williams, who she also appeared with on stage in revue:

Fielding talks about working with famous men. It was often difficult, she says. “The more famous comedians don’t want you to be funny, they want you to be straight and allow them to shine. They want you to be appreciative of how funny they are being by smiling a lot and laughing engagingly.” She fell out with Kenneth Williams in Pieces of Eight. He was put out in rehearsals when he saw a newspaper article that praised her as a “beautiful butterfly of comedy”. 

“Kenneth came out of the wings and he had the paper in his hand and he had the most terrible temper about it. I thought, God! I can’t help the fact they’ve said something nice about me.” Is this envy common in showbusiness? “Well, I’ve never had somebody so open about it! I couldn’t believe my ears.”

There is also a brief and rather alarming reference to having worked with Norman Wisdom, but I'll leave that one for you to read in the article and then in your copy of her book. The interview represents what you can expect from the memoirs and from Fenella herself. It's unique, funny, deeply personal and sometimes quite sad. 

You can read the interview in full here 

Further details on the launch of Fenella's memoirs and where to meet her and get your own signed copy are here

And I'll have more, both on the memoirs and Fenella's 90th birthday, next week.


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Book Now: Fenella Fielding Memoir Shows

Fenella Fielding has some more of her fantastic memoir shows lined up over the coming weeks. On two consecutive Saturdays this month (21st and 28th October), Fenella will be appearing at the Phoenix Artist Club, underneath the Phoenix Theatre on Charing Cross Road in London. And on 23 November, Fenella will be giving a reading at Crazy Coqs in London.

Fenella Fielding is best known for her film appearances in Carry On Screaming (1966), Doctor in Clover (1966) and Carry On Regardless (1961). She was the voice of the Blue Queen in Dougal and the Blue Cat (1970) and the telephone operator and loudspeaker voice in The Prisoner (1967). Her stage credits include the title roles in Hedda Gabler (1969) and Colette (1970). She's fondly remembered for a number of appearances on the Morecambe & Wise Show (1969-1972) as well as playing The Vixen in Uncle Jack (early 1990s). Her most recent TV appearance was Skins (2012).

During her career, Fielding has worked with many of the greats and has known, or at least met, practically everybody else. She has amazing recall and can tell a story about most of the people who were special in the 60s or 70s… Kenneth Williams, Peter Cook, Tony Curtis, Francis Bacon, Joan Sims… the list is endless.

Fielding will be reading chapters from her audio book Do You Mind If I Smoke? - there are stories about innocence, her struggle to get started, family strife, professional jealousies and intriguingly a chapter about London tarts and gangsters. The stories are witty and beautifully observed scenes from her life and all told in that unmistakable and ever alluring voice.

To conclude, there will be a short Q&A with Simon McKay, co-author of the book and a personal friend of Fielding. The book will be on sale at the shows and Fielding will be available to sign copies.

You can buy tickets for the Phoenix shows here and for the Crazy Coqs show please click on this link

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan on Facebook and on Instagram  

Fenella's Memoirs at the Homotopia Festival!

 

Fenella Fielding is best known for her 1960s film appearances in classic comedies including ‘Carry On Screaming’, ‘Doctor in Clover’ and ‘Carry On Regardless’. For the past year she has been playing a series of live shows, reading extracts from her audio book of memoirs and now that show is heading for Liverpool's Homotopia Festival. 

 

She was the voice of the Blue Queen in ‘Dougal and the Blue Cat’ and the telephone operator and loudspeaker voice in ‘The Prisoner’. Her illustrious career in theatre includes the title roles in ‘Hedda Gabler’ and ‘Colette’. She’s fondly remembered for a number of appearances on the ‘Morecambe & Wise Show’ as well as playing The Vixen in ‘Uncle Jack’. Her most recent TV appearance was ‘Skins’ in 2012.

Fenella will be reading excerpts from her recently released audio book of memoirs ‘Do You Mind If I Smoke?’ They are very personal stories about innocence, early struggles, professional jealousies and intriguingly a chapter about London tarts and gangsters. The stories are witty, warm and beautifully observed scenes from an extraordinary life – expressing great warmth for the characters encountered… and all told in that unmistakable, ever alluring Fenella Fielding voice.

The evening will include a short Q&A with Fenella hosted by Simon McKay, co-author of the book and a personal friend of Fenella. Afterwards, there’s a chance to meet Fenella and buy a signed copy of the book.
  
Homotopia launched in 2004 and is a Liverpool based arts & social justice organisation making art, interventions and participation that inspires and unites communities. Every November it presents an annual festival of local, national and international LGBT+ arts & culture featuring an eclectic programme including theatrical world premieres, contemporary dance, visual art, debate, youth & community participation, heritage & film.

Fenella will be at Homotopia on Saturday 4 November. Her memoirs show will be at Liverpool's Unity Theatre and will start at 7.30pm. You can buy tickets here and you can find out more about Homotopia here

 

And you can read my review of one of Fenella's fantastic memoir shows at the Phoenix Artist Club here

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan on Facebook and on Instagram

Do You Mind If I Smoke? The Memoirs of Fenella Fielding

 

 
Fenella Fielding is best known for her film appearances in Carry On Screaming (1966), Doctor in Clover (1966) and Carry On Regardless (1961). She was the voice of the Blue Queen in Dougal and the Blue Cat (1970) and the telephone operator and loudspeaker voice in The Prisoner (1967). Her stage credits include the title roles in Hedda Gabler (1969) and Colette (1970). 

She’s fondly remembered for a number of appearances on the Morecambe & Wise Show (1969-1972) as well as playing The Vixen in Uncle Jack (early 1990s). Her most recent TV appearance was Skins (2012).

During her career, Fenella has worked with many of the greats and has known, or at least met, practically everybody else. She has amazing recall and can tell a story about most of the people who were special in the 60s or 70s… Kenneth Williams, Peter Cook, Tony Curtis, Francis Bacon, Joan Sims… the list is endless.

During a total of eight Saturday matinee appearances Fenella will be reading a series of chapters from her forthcoming audio book ‘Do You Mind If I Smoke?’ Each show will be different. There are stories about innocence, her struggle to get started, family strife, professional jealousies and intriguingly a chapter about London tarts and gangsters. The stories are witty and beautifully observed scenes from her life and all told in that unmistakable and ever alluring Fenella Fielding voice.

Each performance will include a short Q&A about the book with Misty Moon's special guest MC Simon McKay, co-author of the book and a personal friend of Fenella.

There’s also an opportunity to pre-order the audio book with extra goodies included. 

Fenella will be appearing at the Phoenix Artist Club in London's West End on the following dates: Saturday 19 and Saturday 26 November; Saturday 3 December; Saturday 21 and 28 January and finally, Saturday 4 February. All shows kick off at 2.30pm. More details are available here

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

Do You Mind If I Smoke? The Memoirs of Fenella Fielding

 

 
As you'll no doubt be aware Carry On legend Fenella Fielding has been working away on her new audio book of memoirs. "Do You Mind If I Smoke?" will be released on CD in 2017 but in the meantime, Fenella will be performing extracts from the text over eight Saturdays at the Phoenix Artist Club in London.

The first of these shows will take place this Saturday, 5th November and I'm delighted to be going along for a unique afternoon of entertainment in the presence of a true legend.

Fenella Fielding is best known for her film appearances in Carry On Screaming (1966), Doctor in Clover (1966) and Carry On Regardless (1961). She was the voice of the Blue Queen in Dougal and the Blue Cat (1970) and the telephone operator and loudspeaker voice in The Prisoner (1967). Her stage credits include the title roles in Hedda Gabler (1969) and Colette (1970). 

She’s fondly remembered for a number of appearances on the Morecambe & Wise Show (1969-1972) as well as playing The Vixen in Uncle Jack (early 1990s). Her most recent TV appearance was Skins (2012).

During her career, Fenella has worked with many of the greats and has known, or at least met, practically everybody else. She has amazing recall and can tell a story about most of the people who were special in the 60s or 70s… Kenneth Williams, Peter Cook, Tony Curtis, Francis Bacon, Joan Sims… the list is endless.

There are stories about innocence, her struggle to get started, family strife, professional jealousies and intriguingly a chapter about London tarts and gangsters. The stories are witty and beautifully observed scenes from her life and all told in that unmistakable and ever alluring Fenella Fielding voice.

Each performance will include a short Q&A about the book with Misty Moon's special guest MC Simon McKay, co-author of the book and a personal friend of Fenella.

There’s also an opportunity to pre-order the audio book with extra goodies included.

As I've mentioned, the first of these appearances will be on Saturday, 5th November at 2.30pm at The Phoenix Artist Club in London's West End. More details can be found here

I will be blogging a little review of my trip to the Phoenix so stay tuned to find out more over the weekend! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook