My role as Miss Matthews

When I was asked to play Miss Matthews for Bellington Academy, I wasn’t given much guidance as to her character. Much of what I’ve brought to the role derives from my own personality – she is strict but compassionate, soft-spoken, fair-minded, and utterly devoted to the noble art of physical discipline. All this we share. After playing her in so many films I do feel she’s become a part of me – or rather, that I’ve become a part of her. I’m very fond of Miss Matthews, but when shooting is over I do enjoy becoming Amy again – Amy likes to swear, giggle and drink lots of wine, which I suspect would shock her stern-faced counterpart.

Miss Matthews in the classroom is easy enough to portray, although Miss Svenson has an unfortunate habit of telling me on the day , “now you will ask the girls forty questions about Shakespeare, and thrash them when they get them wrong”, which means I have to speedily dredge my brain for everything I’ve ever known about Shakespeare (and they told me that English degree was a waste of time!) It’s utterly exhilarating, if terrifying,  to pit your wits against two girls and a video camera, on the spot, with scant time for blunders. Equally, I know a little something about music, and very much enjoyed playing a music teacher for a few of the films; I feel I can bluff my way through the part with reasonable ease. But my knowledge of ballet is pretty well non-existent, which made The Rehearsal, with Ariel Anderson, quite a challenge, much as I enjoyed it. I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to be involved, and determined to make a success of it.

My mother was a dancer with the Royal Ballet, and taught dance while I was growing up, tap, ballet and modern; but I, being a rebellious child, thought of that very much as ‘her thing’, and would sit in the corner of a church hall reading my book while she drilled my contemporaries in plies and jetes. “Pah!” I thought; “I’ll never need this nonsense.” My mother had the good grace not to say I told you so when I begged for her help preparing for this role. (In fairness, she never envisaged a career as a spanking model for me, and if she had, could hardly have predicted I’d need ballet knowledge to fulfil my duties). I had to learn the Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker; learn it well enough that I could teach it, and look confident and accomplished as I did so. We spent most of the Christmas holidays practising together. It was enormous fun, and I learnt a lot, but I was still scared to death as the shoot approached. The day before I slept awkwardly, probably a result of nerves, and my right arm was suddenly stiff, agony to move, of all the wretched things! I stocked up on every drug I could find before the shoot, and Miss Anderson, bless her, kindly offered me a massage before filming – immensely brave, as any improvement would instantly be felt upon her bottom! She was charming to work with, and luckily very knowledgeable about ballet, so much of the pressure on me was eased.

It was one of the best films we’ve ever made, I think. Ariel was frightened at the lines emerging on Charlotte’s beautiful bottom, and confessed she struggled to get into “the zone” when a girl thrashed her, as she much preferred men dealing with her – the fear and pain you see in the film are very much real.

That evening my shoulder improved as if by magic. It was pure fear that had frozen it! Making films with Miss Svenson is always challenging and exciting. I feel it uses all my skills, my creativity, my acting ability, my knowledge and skill with discipline, my capacity to think on the spot, my nervous energy: I end the day drained, but utterly content with life. I’m very privileged to have such an outlet, and boy, do I know it. I look forward hugely to every film, and eagerly anticipate being asked to take part in the next!