Only Fools and Horses star Gwyneth Strong tells Katherine MacAlister about her latest role, bringing real stories of courage to life

Gwyneth Strong may not be starring in Only Fools and Horses any more, but she hasn’t been idle.

Instead, the famous actress, best known for her role as Cassandra, has been focusing on new work, some of which is written just nights before opening night.

STAND is no different, part of the Playhouse Plays Out season and based on local Oxford stories of bravery and defiance.

Gwyneth is starring in a real life story about a mother’s pride in her adopted Ukranian daughter Aliona who stood up for a homeless man being bullied on an Oxford bus.

Gwyneth only got the script a few days ago, so is frantically learning her lines in preparation for the opening night at West Oxford’s Community Centre on Botley Road, one of six stories being depicted every night of the two-week run.

“I found the story very inspiring, moving, surprising and shocking but that’s what the theatre is, a way of telling people’s stories,” she says.

Gywneth likes living by the seat of her pants, having worked for Chris Goode the director before, and is used to his ad lib style: “I’ve worked with Chris for two years and he makes amazing theatre. Monkey Bars was his last play which got a Fringe First at Edinburgh last summer when he interviewed lots of children and crafted a play out of it. This is quite similar – Chris has gone and interviewed people and written a play about each of their stories.”

Even so working on that much of a knife edge must be fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants stuff? “It’s quite terrifying to work that way, I’m not going to lie to you, because you have to learn the vocabulary verbatim in a very short space of time. It’s not easy to learn because Chris is very strict on body language and personal idiosyncrasies, so it always gets to a point when I think ‘what am I doing this for?’ “Until it’s finished that is, when you remember why you’re doing it. Because Chris’ work is quite extraordinary and I’m sure this won’t be any different.”

So how did it feel meeting the mother in person? “I feel a real duty of care towards her – to look after her story and do it justice.

“It was amazing to meet her and a bit unnerving, probably for both of us, but we got on instantly.

“Chris must have seen a similarity in us though when he cast me, because I noticed it too and I could immediately visualise the mother’s story.”

In terms of casting, is Gwyneth’s Only Fools and Horses legacy a blessing or a handicap then? “It’s always been a mixed blessing because it puts you in the running for some things and excludes you from others. But I would never complain. It was an amazing job and I reaped the rewards,” she says honestly.

The 54-year-old Londoner intersperses her stage work with TV appearances, and was last seen alongside Jim Broadbent in BBC One’s The Great Train Robbery.

Married to former Footballers' Wives and Eldorado star Jesse Birdsall, they have a daughter, Lottie, and son, Oscar, meaning Gwyneth can identify with Aliona’s story even more. “My daughter is just a few years older than Aliona and although I wouldn’t advise my daughter to do the same, if she did I would be equally as proud. So I do feel protective towards her character.”

STAND has even made Gwyneth question her own principles: “It does make you ask why certain people stand up for others while others don’t? Who knows? I haven’t myself, but STAND is about the people who do. What I like best about this is that these stories are running through Oxford which otherwise would otherwise remain hidden away, and if you come and see this piece you can watch them for yourselves.”

As for Gwyneth, her children are grown up now, meaning she is freed up to do the kind of work she really wants to.

Having been a child protegee, has Gwyneth almost reached full circle then? “Yes, although I peaked too early in my career because, when I was a child actor, my first film was in Oxford and my late mother and I stayed in The Randolph. She thought she’d died and gone to heaven!”

SEE IT
STAND runs from today until Sunday, June 8, at West Oxford Community Centre, Botley Road, OX2 0BT
Book on 01865 305305 or see oxfordplayhouse.com