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Tamzin Malleson Interview
Fans of Tamzin Malleson, who plays the gorgeous but manipulative
Penny in Teachers, are in for a treat this autumn. Not only does
Channel 4’s comedy drama return for a new series this month,
but she appears on the BBC’s new drama, Bodies, as well, this
time playing not Penny, but Polly. It would be confusing, except
for the fact that the characters are not what you’d call identical.
“Polly is very hard-working, very, very good at her job,
very likeable, very easy-going, a breath of fresh air,” explains
Malleson. “Not absolutely the words that would first spring
to mind for Penny.”
The new series of Teachers features wholesale changes in the staff
room. Summerdown has merged with another school, and is now Wattkins
Comprehensive. Remarkably, both Penny and Lindsay have held onto
their jobs, but being accepted by their new colleagues proves an
altogether tougher proposition. Ben, the atheist R.E. teacher, and
Damien, the cynical teacher of food technology, are particularly
hard nuts to crack. Then there’s Ewan, the super-sexy head
of English, whom Penny wastes no time in attempting to seduce.
Did the “them and us” mentality on-screen persist off
it, or did the new cast members receive a slightly more hospitable
welcome? “I hope we were a bit more welcoming,” laughs
Malleson. “Throughout my career, I’ve always been the
newcomer, coming in and joining an established cast, so I’m
very aware of what it’s like when you turn up in the second
series. I’d like to think we were all very welcoming. We were
all quite excited – it was a great idea, rather than bringing
new people into Summerdown, to turn it on its head so that, in the
series, we’re the new people.”
“It all worked fantastically well. The new guys were brilliant,
and we’ve all got on very, very well socialising. We had a
lot of great nights out, it’s been really, really good fun.
And I think the show’s benefited from the new blood as well.
It’s been fresher. And I love being thrown in with a group
of people and just getting on with it.”
This gung-ho approach is just as well, as recently, she’s
been required to do more than her share of passionate clinches on
screen. Are they funny, terrifying or hideously embarrassing? “Generally
they’re funny, though it can be embarrassing. You just have
to dive into it. Up until two years ago, I’d never done any
screen kissing or anything. Suddenly, since I did The Vice, every
series I’ve been in I’ve had to jump into bed with somebody,
or be in a broom cupboard or a stationary cupboard or a car. So
I’m a bit of a dab hand at it now.”
Is there an etiquette to screen kissing? “No tongues –
I think that’s the etiquette! No tongues. And no groping unless
discussed. And obviously clean your teeth. And no garlic or curry
the night before.”
Since she first appeared in Teachers, Malleson has seen her public
profile considerably raised – she’s recognised more
for Penny than any other role. “It depends how I leave the
house, though. If I’ve made an effort, put on some make up,
brushed my hair, and particularly if it’s tied up in a ponytail,
then I tend to get recognised a lot more. But for the most part,
because I’m such a scruff, people don’t associate me
with Penny, who is so sleek and made up. It’s nice when people
do recognise you, though, because the feedback for Teachers is so
positive – people really love the show.”
Which is why it’s become the first ever Channel 4 drama to
be given a fourth series. This year, there’s also a Christmas
special. “It was like shooting a movie – and I think
it must have had the budget of a movie. There’s a wedding,
endless parties, nativity plays, we had an igloo built in the school
field, the school dining staff dressed as elves and reindeer, we
had penguins running around, it was absolute mayhem. Really good
fun.”
As was the wrap party, by the sound of things. It’s three
days later, and Malleson says she’s just recovered. “It
went on for a couple of days,” is as much as she can groan
about it.
Now, it’s time for a well-earned break. “Being an actress
is a wonderful life, you get to explore new cities and meet new
people all the time. But the being away from home can get tough.
You might only get home once every fortnight. So now I’m looking
forward to spending time resuming all my relationships and catching
up on all the films and so on. I’ve been unable to read a
book for the last five months – you just can’t concentrate
on anything outside of work. So I’m going to get my entertainment
guides and catch up with everything.”
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