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Don't forget me, Sarah Jane
Book Review: Elisabeth Sladen - The Autobiography, by Elisabeth Sladen
This had been on my to-read list for a while, when it cropped up in a Kindle sale. The format is conventional: childhood in Liverpool, growing up in post-war austerity, but determined to pursue a career in performance, working behind the scenes and on stage in and around Liverpool and Manchester before heading to London. It's interesting to read about and contrast her early stage and television work. For the cameras, she found it was sometimes difficult to be and stay in the right space; on the stage, the actor has more freedom. I recall reading or hearing somewhere that Hartnell conceived of this rather the other way around: with television you could do so much acting "close up" with small facial and hand gestures that just wouldn't be significant enough to be seen on stage. Although she catalogues her varied oeuvre, Sladen knew the kind of people who would read the book, and much of it is dedicated to her Doctor Who years as Sarah Jane Smith. I may have seen her the first time around, but I admit to not remembering; Robots of Death with Louise Jameson is the first story I would claim to recall. I was a bit surprised reading the foreword by David Tennant, where he claims to remember her; and then I was even more surprised to discover that he is a little older than myself. (Of course I read plenty of Target novelisations featuring her character.)
Although admitting to not having any particular interest or being drawn to sci-fi, Sladen writes mostly fondly about her time on the series. Diplomatically, she finds positive things to say about both Pertwee and Tom Baker, although it's clear the former could be quite trying (with everyone) and one gets the impression that the relationship was easier between fellow Liverpudlians. She has more mixed views about directors and producers; favourable about Barry Letts who conceived of her character, but some directors gave direction only to the Doctor (whichever that was at the time), at the expense of the rest of the cast. She had concerns about introducing another companion, but in the end found Ian Marter as Harry Sullivan good to work with. Location shoots and stunt work were more patchy and there were a few nasty injuries and close misses. It was safer working in the studio with the wobbly sets.
After leaving Who she did more television work, but also began to take part in conventions both in the US and UK. It seems to be only at this point that she really appreciated how much some people liked the show. When John Nathan-Turner asked her to reprise her role, she said no, but was eventually persuaded to try out a pilot for a spin-off: somehow a story about Sarah Jane morphed into the less successful K-9 and Company, although she writes that she thought that with adjustments, it could have been successful had the BBC bosses at the time been prepared to commission a series. She had been led to understand she would work with Tom Baker in The Five Doctors but was disappointed there (she writes that the story itself wasn't up to much, but it was very much an anniversary show. I think that's fair). Having more-or-less retired, she was apprehensive about Russell T Davies bringing the character back in the new series, but she found Tennant was also nervous. In fact School Reunion is one of my favourite episodes from the new series; it's a fairly average plot but it's brought to life by Sarah Jane. (Perhaps it's a better-than-average plot, but it has the misfortune on that account to be followed by The Girl in the Fireplace). And that, of course, led to The Sarah Jane Adventures, which I've never seen, but believe to have been successful as a spin-off on this time of trying.
Sadly, Sladen died before the book was published, and it's wrapped up by Sladen's surviving husband and daughter. But it makes a very enjoyable and fitting memoir.
This had been on my to-read list for a while, when it cropped up in a Kindle sale. The format is conventional: childhood in Liverpool, growing up in post-war austerity, but determined to pursue a career in performance, working behind the scenes and on stage in and around Liverpool and Manchester before heading to London. It's interesting to read about and contrast her early stage and television work. For the cameras, she found it was sometimes difficult to be and stay in the right space; on the stage, the actor has more freedom. I recall reading or hearing somewhere that Hartnell conceived of this rather the other way around: with television you could do so much acting "close up" with small facial and hand gestures that just wouldn't be significant enough to be seen on stage. Although she catalogues her varied oeuvre, Sladen knew the kind of people who would read the book, and much of it is dedicated to her Doctor Who years as Sarah Jane Smith. I may have seen her the first time around, but I admit to not remembering; Robots of Death with Louise Jameson is the first story I would claim to recall. I was a bit surprised reading the foreword by David Tennant, where he claims to remember her; and then I was even more surprised to discover that he is a little older than myself. (Of course I read plenty of Target novelisations featuring her character.)
Although admitting to not having any particular interest or being drawn to sci-fi, Sladen writes mostly fondly about her time on the series. Diplomatically, she finds positive things to say about both Pertwee and Tom Baker, although it's clear the former could be quite trying (with everyone) and one gets the impression that the relationship was easier between fellow Liverpudlians. She has more mixed views about directors and producers; favourable about Barry Letts who conceived of her character, but some directors gave direction only to the Doctor (whichever that was at the time), at the expense of the rest of the cast. She had concerns about introducing another companion, but in the end found Ian Marter as Harry Sullivan good to work with. Location shoots and stunt work were more patchy and there were a few nasty injuries and close misses. It was safer working in the studio with the wobbly sets.
After leaving Who she did more television work, but also began to take part in conventions both in the US and UK. It seems to be only at this point that she really appreciated how much some people liked the show. When John Nathan-Turner asked her to reprise her role, she said no, but was eventually persuaded to try out a pilot for a spin-off: somehow a story about Sarah Jane morphed into the less successful K-9 and Company, although she writes that she thought that with adjustments, it could have been successful had the BBC bosses at the time been prepared to commission a series. She had been led to understand she would work with Tom Baker in The Five Doctors but was disappointed there (she writes that the story itself wasn't up to much, but it was very much an anniversary show. I think that's fair). Having more-or-less retired, she was apprehensive about Russell T Davies bringing the character back in the new series, but she found Tennant was also nervous. In fact School Reunion is one of my favourite episodes from the new series; it's a fairly average plot but it's brought to life by Sarah Jane. (Perhaps it's a better-than-average plot, but it has the misfortune on that account to be followed by The Girl in the Fireplace). And that, of course, led to The Sarah Jane Adventures, which I've never seen, but believe to have been successful as a spin-off on this time of trying.
Sadly, Sladen died before the book was published, and it's wrapped up by Sladen's surviving husband and daughter. But it makes a very enjoyable and fitting memoir.