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Comedy Chameleon

An interview with Emma Kennedy

Emma has starred in film, had her own TV series, performed and toured with numerous theatre and comedy productions and clocked up hours of radio credits. She's also a writer. She managed to squeeze some time in to speak to The Stage.

Photo: © Polly Hancock

How do you usually describe yourself, job-title wise?

I prefer Writer/Performer but I either get described as a presenter or a comedian. I'm not really a presenter and I don't consider myself a comedian as I've never done stand-up. I am a problem for pigeon-holing as I do so many different things. Let's stick to Jack of All Trades and Master of None. That'll do.

You've managed to cross the various mediums on a regular basis (commercials, film, radio, theatre, television). Was that a case of being in the right place at the right time/having the right contacts or have you always actively chased the variety?

I do enjoy the variety of what I do. I get bored very easily so I'm always up for doing things that I probably shouldn't. There is always a risk when you do lots of different things that you won't get taken seriously in any one field but I couldn't bear only doing one thing. I would find that very restricting. In terms of being in the right place at the right time, that was certainly the case at the beginning of my career. I was in a play up in Edinburgh and a BBC radio producer came to see it. That led to me being in The Sunday Format which, in turn, led to all the other radio work I've done. If that producer hadn't seen me it would have taken a lot longer to break into that market. The same thing happened with the two big presenting jobs I did as well. I was doing another play in Edinburgh, a couple of years later, and a Channel 4 executive came to see it, liked me and gave me Real Holiday Show and Flatmates off the back of it. Edinburgh is a drag and a money pit but, if you want to be seen, it really is the best option.

Is it a case of auditioning for anything and everything at the suggestion of your agent?

I will go to most auditions - especially if I've never met the casting agent or director before, as it's always good to meet people but I don't go to everything or anything. I have an excellent agent whose judgment I trust and we have a relationship whereby she will tell me about every offer that comes in and then we discuss it. I will always audition for a sitcom or drama but tend not to go to presenting auditions. You do get to the stage with presenting where your showreel should be enough.

Do you find it easy to move between mediums and do you have a favourite?

I find it very easy. I think radio is my favourite medium, especially the shows in front of a live audience. I think that's when I'm at my best.

You seem to have a number of projects on at any one time. Do you find it easy to juggle such a busy schedule? Is there any routine to your day?

It can be difficult, especially if there are writing deadlines involved. I just have to be on top of my diary. That's the only way of managing it. Doing the Danny Baker show requires a massive commitment of time and I tend to work out my week according to when and where I have to be at screenings. If I'm filming though, I won't do Danny Baker that week as I won't review a film without seeing it. That sounds obvious but it's astonishing how many people will talk about a film without having ever seen it. Routine is my middle name. If I've got a big writing project on the go I will make sure I sit at my computer all day, everyday until it's done. I think it's far better to get something down on paper if it's not right yet. Everything can be fixed in future drafts but that initial outlay is the hardest part.

When do you think the performing bug kicked in? Did it only find an outlet at Oxford when you teamed up with Stewart Lee and later, Richard Herring?

It's hard to answer this one. I had done a bit of performing at school but nothing serious. I had certainly never thought about going to drama school or turning it into a career. Noone I knew was famous. I just thought that being on telly was something other people did. When I was 18 all I wanted to do was get into Oxford. That was, and still is, the greatest achievement of my life. At Oxford I fell into performing rather than actively pursuing it. I was quite bad at first but with all things, got better the more I did. I didn't really feel the need to perform until much later when I had given up all hopes of ever performing again. I certainly never wanted to be "famous" and I still don't. I just like being funny.

You originally trained to become a solicitor. Was there ever a sense of 'it's something to fall back on' or do you often wish you'd just jumped straight into performing? Was it a difficult decision to make to give up the steady income and regular hours?

I've never, ever thought I would go back to being a solicitor. I was rubbish at it. People used to come in wanting to sue the pants off of someone and I'd stare at them and say "Let it go", which isn't what you should be doing if you're a litigator. I sometimes wonder how my career would have gone if I'd ventured into performing as soon as I left Oxford. I may have been a bit more successful, as I would have had the steal on a couple of female performers who would have then come after me, but who knows? I think it's a good thing that I came to it late as I have an unshakeable joy in what I'm doing and that is different to many of my contemporaries, for whom being in the business of show is all they've ever known.

Oxford Revue 1988: Ben Pope, Emma Kennedy, Katie, Richard Herring and Ben Moor Photo by kind permission: Richard Herring

Have your Oxford roots been a benefit or a curse in a performing career?

It's been a curse. I know for a fact that there are jobs I haven't got just because of it, which is upsetting for me as I'm so proud of having gone there. I went to a comprehensive and my parents were teachers. We were never rich or posh but everyone assumes that if you went to Oxford or Cambridge then you come from a land of privilege and you should be knocked down at every opportunity. I went to Oxford because I did my homework and that's all there is to it. One of the worst incidents I can recall (and the reason why I gave up performing when I left Oxford) was in 1988 when I was in the Oxford Revue. A group of professional comedians clubbed together and got us booked on Late and Live in Edinburgh. They booed us before we'd even got on the stage. It was awful. I have never experienced such hatred. We were only students and we weren't very good, so I was baffled as to why they felt the need to crush us so completely. And no, I won't tell you who those comedians were but that had a profound effect on me and turned me off the world of comedy for the next seven years.

How did your folks react to the prospect of you relinquishing a respectable career as a solicitor for 'the actor's life'? Do you have any tips to any of our readers who are anticipating 'coming out' to their loved-ones as full-time performers?

When I told my mother I was giving up being a well-paid London solicitor and going to become a comedy writer and performer, I think it's fair to say she had an attack of the vapours that lasted for a year. And then I introduced her to Rory Bremner and didn't she love it then? My dad was far more sanguine. I think it's obvious when your children aren't happy and I was miserable being a solicitor. I think all parents just want their children to do something that makes them happy. They still worry about me and constantly ask me if I've got enough money. Yes. I have, thanks. As far as tips are concerned - if you've got to do it, you've got to do it. I had got to the stage where I couldn't shift the "What if..." question from my mind. If you have that, you have to find out the answer. If you try and fail, then so be it but at least you'll have tried.

Martin Freeman and Emma Kennedy in Under 11s at the Soho Theatre

Have you ever had any 'official' drama training? If not, is it something you've considered?

No, I've never "trained". I don't think it's hindered me in performing comedy as I don't think anyone can teach you how to be funny. You either are, or you're not. I don't ever get asked to do Greek tragedies or drama roles, which is probably a good thing as I'd be forever wondering where the laughs were. Comedy is about following your instincts and you don't need any training to follow those.

How and when did you find yourself first represented by an agent? Are they a necessity for a performer starting out? Do you tend to rely on your agent finding you work or are you pro-active?

I was very lucky as far as this was concerned and I owe it all to Mel and Sue. They were instrumental in encouraging me to give up the law. They gave me my first job and they asked their agent to take me on. I had a casual relationship with her for about a year but when I was offered an ITV sketch show, I rang her and asked if she would like to represent me. Obviously, it makes it a bit easier if you've a 20 part series to offer an agent but getting an agent is crucial. It is the most important thing you have to do and will be the most important relationship you have during your career. As far as finding work is concerned, I don't expect my agent to find me any work. I regard that as my job. Agents don't find their clients work. That's a myth. They can recommend you for castings but getting the job is down to you. I generate all my own writing work.

Some of your comedy work allows a more hands-on approach, not only in performing but also in the writing - eg: Planet Mirth and your work with Richard Herring - but how does that compare to comedy in the form of sitcoms like The Smoking Room? Do you get to improvise much on a sitcom set?

I love being in things I haven't written. It's so much easier! As far as improvising around the script is concerned, I will only do this if I'm specifically asked to. I've been very lucky in that the comedies I've been in, which I haven't written, have been very well written - People Like Us and The Smoking Room instantly spring to mind. Given how hard those writers have worked to get their scripts just right, I would consider it rude of me to tinker with their work. Plus - it's their vision, not mine. If I'm working as just an actor then my job is to serve the script, not my own sense of humour. If a very funny joke comes to me during rehearsal I might mention it to the writer but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Is there a marked difference on set when you work with 'friends' and those you've worked with repeatedly over the years?

Definitely. I loved working with Mel and Sue and would love to work with them again. Working with Richard Herring and Stu Lee was also very relaxed. You just know each others rhythms and what they like and need. You can work in shorthand and you don't have to pussyfoot round each other if something isn't working. You can just say "That's crap" rather than spend an hour working out how to convey that without causing offence.

Is there a feeling of community amongst comedians that differs from working with actors? Is there a change in the feel of the production?

There is a different attitude amongst people from a comedy background as opposed to "proper actors". Actors are far more committed to working out how to create the character and do the acting bit. Comedians concentrate on making the funny bits work. Actors are much more obedient and are forever doing what they're told, whereas comedy people are pesky imps who endlessly muck about. If you're the only comedy person in a production that's full of trained actors it can be quite a culture shock. You definitely have to be more respectful. I love working with trained actors because they fascinate me a bit. I like watching how they prepare themselves. I've got a bit of a "Just get on and do it" attitude and that does change when I'm with proper actors. They make me work harder.

Do you find working with old friends like Richard Herring creates a more creatively challenging atmosphere, or is it a struggle to not resort to in-jokes?

Well, it can be a bit of both. I love working with Richard because he just makes me laugh more than anyone else I know. It can be a slog though, as Richard tends to be harder on me than people he doesn't know so well. We're like brother and sister really. It's a love/hate thing but with more emphasis on the love bit.

Do you tend to workshop or improvise characters?

If I'm writing with someone else then I do a lot of improvisation. If I'm writing on my own, then I just concentrate on the writing. If the script is funny then you put any characterisation on top of it. If I was a stand-up I would probably spend more time workshopping characters but with radio there's almost no point. It's all about the script. Having said that, we did a workshop for The Smoking Room where we went in character to a management course. That really helped me realise who Heidi was.

You have quite a range of accents - do you have a process you go through when creating or performing a character? And have you ever used 'method'?

No. I've never used method. I think that's a load of old tosh. Just use your imagination. I start with the script and then play around with where the character might have come from and then it's just about fitting the voice to the words. It's not difficult.

Have you picked up the voices through observations or did you teach yourself styles and accents specifically?

I base a lot of characters on people I've met - Heidi from The Smoking Room is a woman I used to work with. India Spago from The Sunday Format is just an impression of Fay Weldon. I am lucky in being able to do most accents. The only one I've ever had to teach myself was Bart Simpson for a job I did for Radio 1.

Emma Kennedy, Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins and Geraldine McNulty in The Big Squeeze which was part of the Edinburgh Festival in 1997.

You've been to the Edinburgh Festival numerous times. Is it something you enjoy or do you see it as more of a necessity? Do you have any tips for beginners wanting to journey to Edinburgh for the first time?

If you want to get on in comedy, you have to do Edinburgh. There's no two ways about it. It's very tough, it can be demoralising, it'll cost you a fortune but you just have to think of it as an investment in your future. Everyone I know was discovered in Edinburgh. Everyone. That says it all. When a festival goes your way, there's nothing like it. It's a blast and you'll have fun but beware too many late nights, one too many beers and setting your entire happiness on what one reviewer from The Scotsman thinks of your show. Illness is a major part of the festival. One person will get a terrible chest infection and then everyone will get it, so stock up on your vitamins and try not to kiss too many people and you might be alright.

You do a lot of writing, and not just for comedy. How did you get involved with script writing and is that something you enjoy?

Writing is about just keeping on doing it. I wasn't very good when I started but that was inexperience. My first paid writing work was for Mel and Sue. I wrote the songs and sketches for Light Lunch. I found that easy to do as I knew them both so well. After that I concentrated on writing for radio. I became involved in Tracy Beaker as I was asked to go on a course by the BBC, where they took writers from other disciplines and asked them to write for children. I really enjoyed it and hope I can do more in the future. There's always a degree of anxiety with writing comedy, as what might seem funny written down can often fall flat when performed. I remember once writing a script and having to listen to it being read out by an actress with no comedic flair whatsoever. If that had been earlier in my career I would have automatically assumed the fault was with my script but it wasn't. It was because the actress was rubbish. I think the most important thing with writing is to have someone (preferably a producer) with whom you have a good working relationship. Having your script edited by someone whose opinion you trust is vital. Writers aren't always right and need someone looking over their work who is going to make it better. Noone writes a perfect script at the first attempt.

You were cast in a popular commercial campaign which enjoyed an extended run. Did the degree of recognition or 'celebrity' affect your other work?

Hard one this. I don't think being the face of Heat did me any harm, in that I don't believe it stopped me from getting work. That said, I don't think it got me any either. It was mildly annoying that, having worked for years, I was then known as "that woman off of the Heat advert" but it was a good, funny campaign and I was happy to do it.

You were involved in The Other Boat Race as well as The Theatre Biz documentary on Bill Shakespeare's Italian Job. How did you find reality TV, particularly now that you've seen both sides as you've seen a good friend (Sue Perkins in Celebrity Big Brother) go through the paces on live TV too?

I loved doing The Other Boat Race. I got so much out of it on a personal level. It was a very rewarding experience and I'm really glad I did it. I was a bit worried about doing a reality TV show but in the scheme of things, it was a very low key affair and was one with a point - ie; we were being trained for a race. Another thing I liked about it was that it was all about the team rather than the individuals. In that respect it was very different from normal reality TV style shows. Theatre Biz wasn't a reality TV show, it was a documentary about a play I was in, so I wasn't required to do anything. I'm not interested in doing the big reality TV shows like I'm A Celebrity or Big Brother. I'm not a household name and have no interest in being one - I think you can have a long and happy career working just below the radar and I'm happy to stay there, thanks. In fact, I've just turned down Celebrity Fit Club. Still, good to know they think I'm fat enough! For a certain type of performer there is no doubt that going on these shows will give their careers a shot in the arm, so I can understand the attraction but they're not for me. I hated Sue being on Celebrity Big Brother. Mel and I spent the week gripped to each other. I hated seeing Sue cry. Hated it. Big Brother is great but not when you know one of the housemates. Then it's like a slow and relentless torture.

You've got your own website and appear to be quite a champion of the internet. Is this the next medium to explore? What do you feel are the benefits and disadvantages of promoting yourself and publishing online?

I haven't got a single job because of my website, nor would I expect to. The website was a suggestion of my literary agent. I was writing a book (and still am, when I have the time) and the thinking behind the website was to build up a small following of people who would then buy the book when it came out. This is what Mil Millington did. So that was the idea but it turned into something far more organic. I have a small but dedicated following and the website is just for them really. It's a lot of hard work - I have to spend an hour on it every day but when I get emails from people in America, Canada and Japan who have become regular readers of my blog, it makes it all worthwhile. I also like to have an interactive element, so hence the Ultimate CD section and the galleries where people can send in pictures.

How do you see your career evolving? Any future plans?

I'd like to do The Smoking Room for ever. It's the happiest job I've ever worked on. In terms of radio, I think I'd like to think of another documentary series. I was very proud of Who Wears The Trousers, the documentary series I wrote about the husband and wife teams who dominated early radio comedy. It took a year to research. I'm thinking about that now but given that Trousers took over a year to research, it's got to be something I'm really interested in. I'd like to write a film script. I'd like to direct and I want to finish my book.

Emma as Heidi in The Smoking Room Christmas Special on BBC Three.

Is there any advice you've received over your career which you would like to impart to any budding performers reading?

Best piece of advice I ever got was from Chris Langham when we were doing People Like Us. I was wondering how to get the tone right for the naturalistic style. He said - "Don't act". I didn't and it's the best thing I've ever done. Other than that - if you have something to say or offer, keep going. Talent will out.

You can keep up to date with what Emma is doing by visiting her website http://www.emmakennedy.net