The inspiration for my Passionate Woman By Kay Mellor

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The inspiration for my Passionate Woman

by Kay Mellor

I must have been about 28 when my mother told me. She was at the sink washing up at the time and I was drying the pots. It’s hard to remember what’s fact and what’s fiction now, but I’ll try.

“We had a bit of a thing,” was how she described her affair with the Polish neighbour that lived in the two-roomed flat below her. I thought I was hearing things. One minute we were talking about me and my husband having a bit of a fall out and somehow the conversation turned to Mum telling me how she’d committed adultery with a Polish fairground worker.

 

Now you’d have to have known my mum to realise how shocking that was. She was the most ordinary woman, very mumsy, not a vain bone in her body. She wasn’t one to show her emotions, she was strong but affectionate with me and my brothers. She wasn’t a man’s woman, she had three sisters and was, in her own way, a bit of a feminist – way ahead of her time.

My dad had a violent streak and she divorced him when I was three, refused to wear a wedding ring, wouldn’t accept money off him and refused to take ‘handouts’ from the state, preferring to work full time as a tailoress instead. It sounds nothing now, but you’ve got to remember this was the 1950s, people didn’t get divorced. You married and that was it – for better or worse. I remember the other kids off the council estate making fun of me and my brother, saying we didn’t have a dad.

Anyway I digress.

“His name was Craze and I loved him with every breath in my body,” she continued. She’d mentioned a man and the word love in the same breath – it was unheard of for her to say that; even her second marriage had not been successful.

But even more shocking than that, I realised that tears were falling from her eyes into the washing up bowl. I tried to reassure her.

“I’m happy for you Mum, I’m glad you found someone to love.”

“He was murdered.”

“What? In Leeds?”

“In a fairground brawl. I’ve never been able to tell anyone.”

It was hard to take it all in and then I realised that not only had Mum never told anyone about this affair, she’d never been able to grieve properly for the man she’d loved and lost.

For the best part of thirty years she’d held onto this grief – it had been locked in. No wonder her marriages hadn’t worked and she found it difficult to show emotion. She had no trouble showing emotion now – 30 years of tears cascaded into the washing up bowl as she continued with her story. At the end of it she was exhausted.

“You won’t ever tell anyone will you?” She made me promise. And I didn’t – for 10 years. Then it was my younger brother Philip’s wedding and I could see this really pained her as she faced a life alone with my stepfather Alan.

He was a good man and the marriage should’ve worked. He was the same religion (my dad was a Catholic, Alan was Jewish) and he was political – a strong socialist, but they clashed.

 

The look in my mother’s face reminded me of the day she told me about Craze. Somehow these two events – my mother’s affair and her youngest son getting married – were linked.

A play was burning inside of me and I started to write it for the West Yorkshire Playhouse. I called it A Passionate Woman – because I realised that’s what my mother was.

I set it on the day of her son’s wedding. Betty climbs into the loft to escape from all the arrangements and chaos and drops the flap shut! Her dead lover Craze comes to her and she relives her time again with him. Her son and husband realise she’s in the loft and try and coax her down to the wedding, but she’s not going anywhere – except up!

The play went into rehearsal with the glorious Anne Reid playing the middle-aged Betty. Two days before press night, I thought I should take Mum to see the play. It was essentially Mum’s story, but I’d changed loads of things and I was interested to see if she realised it was her story. She absolutely loved it, wanted to see it again.

The second time she saw it, she turned to me at the end and with tears and bewilderment in her eyes she said: “This is my story.”

I reassured her. “Yes, but I’m not going to tell anyone and you’re not, so who’s going to know?”

Then came the opening night of the show. All the press were there. The play went well and as is customary with a new play, the cast, myself and the director David Liddiment all sat on the stage to answer questions. One particular journalist kept asking me where I got the idea for the play – “Did something or someone inspire it?”

I could see my mother sat in the middle of the audience – I had to protect her and keep my promise. I replied: “Yes, someone did inspire me to write it, but I’m not at liberty to say who it was.”

And then from the middle of the auditorium came –

“It was me!”

I looked up. My mother was waving her hand in the air; her eyes were gleaming with pride. “It’s MY story!”

And as the press turned to interview her, I watched the years of shame and secrecy drop away. My mother came out publicly – she’d had an affair, she’d known love, she had a sexual awakening, she was A Passionate Woman.

Two years later the play opened in the West End to rave reviews. The play ran for a year at the Comedy Theatre and has toured extensively all over the world. Film rights were fought for, but I held on to them tightly as I didn’t want Cher playing my mum on a rooftop in Detroit.

It’s still running in Poland I think.

Kay Mellor is the writer of A Passionate Woman.

 

Sue Johnston On A Passionate Woman

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A Passionate Woman: Sue Johnston plays Betty in the Eighties

 

How easy was it to portray Betty – the character Kay’s mother is based upon?

“Kay told me the whole story about how her mother admitted to a lost love. There is a scene in the second episode where I tell Mark (Andrew Lee Potts) about Betty’s affair and the fact she never loved her husband and that’s what happened to Kay – she came up to me afterwards in tears.

“It added a certain kind of pressure and in a way, the compliment that she wanted me to play her mother gave me confidence and there must have been some essence of her mother that she saw in me.”

What happens to Betty 30 years on from the affair?

“Betty has a mini-breakdown. She leaves her son, Mark’s wedding and eventually finds herself on the roof – you don’t know whether she is going to throw herself off or not…”

How do you feel about Billie Piper playing Betty 30 years younger?

“I was flattered and I kept thinking – as long as they don’t show my nose… Betty must have fallen over at some point and broken it! We both had brown hair for the character and I wore brown contact lenses.

“When I look at old photographs of me at 19 and 20 I don’t look anything like I do now! Billie is lovely – sure she’ll be brilliant. I met her as I was finishing and she starting. We had a drink and had a chat.”

You have played wife to Alun Armstrong before?

“It’s my third time married to Alun Armstrong! Donald is a different character – very loving. He is taken for granted though and is the safe one Betty married. She carries this yearning, and of course she’s put it all into her son – the love that she thought she’d lost.

“The biggest loss is when she discovers he is going to Australia to live with his new wife – that’s the breaking point.”

Do you get the impression that Betty is not happy because of this marriage?

“You get the impression that she’s lived through her son, so she has been happy as she has had him. Donald’s always on the outside and she never realises – when it all comes to a head, that’s his point – Donald is upset as he says to her that she has never needed him, and never wanted him. Betty and Mark have been a tight unit and she’s lived her life through him so now she doesn’t feel that she has anything left to live for…”

Do you think people will identify with the character of Betty and her situation?

“I think they might, I know I did because my mother lived a lot of her life through me and when I left and went to live in London she said: ‘My life’s ended now’, which felt terrible! Not bad enough to say: ‘Well, ok, I won’t go’, though!”

Did you spend any time on the roof when you were doing the shoot?

“I spent about three days on that roof. We had a stunt woman, but I like getting up there and doing it myself and I was well supported. Once you’re up there it’s quite amazing. Alun made me laugh when he was climbing up the roof, I think he was waiting for them to shout cut but they didn’t so he kept going and his face was very funny!”

What are you most passionate about?

“Liverpool Football Club, I’m afraid!”

 

Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award – A sneak preview at the work of the finalists!

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 The finalists of the Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award have been announced and we have the winning sketches that are taking this year’s hottest new designers to FS2012!

 

Now entering its 20th year, the St Andrews Charity Fashion Show is a professionally run and high achieving student organisation, which is passionate about both fundraising and fashion. It is currently the largest student-run charity fashion show in the UK. FS2012 will take place on 25th February and will showcase young design talent alongside big fashion brands and as official jewellery partner of this year’s show, Swarovski will adorn models with pieces from its couture jewellery collection, Atelier Swarovski.

 

Nadja Swarovski commented, “The St Andrews Charity Fashion show has a long history of promoting both young and established design talent, which is in keeping with Swarovski’s commitment to supporting creative industries. As a patron I am delighted to be a part of this exciting event which also benefits such a deserving cause as the Muir Maxwell Trust.”

 

FS 2012 are working this year with the Muir Maxwell Trust (MMT), a charity that supports the 70,000 children in the UK with epilepsy and their families. Established in 2003 by Ann and Jonny Maxwell, the Trust is named after the Maxwell’s 14 year old son, Muir, who is profoundly damaged by a severe form of epilepsy that began in infancy.

 

The Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award will function as a platform for UK-based new and emerging young designers. In conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of our show, it will combine the authority of well-known designers with the flare of the country’s best student design talent both on the catwalk and throughout our campaign.

 

The recipient of the Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award will receive:

 

  • The Alfa Romeo Young Designer Award 2012
  • £1000 in prize money, courtesy of Alfa Romeo
  • The opportunity to design a fashion line, worth £500, in support of our chosen charity: The Muir Maxwell Trust
  • Exclusive feature and spread in The FS Magazine, with over 7,000 online readers.

The 2011 judging panel included the PPQ design duo, Amy Molyneaux & Percy Parker, as well as Britain’s Next Top Model Winner, Alex Evans.

Is President Obama Right About Engineers?

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Is President Obama Right About Engineers?: Significant Numbers Unemployed or Underemployed

WASHINGTON,  During a recent video chat session, President Obama told a woman that he could not understand why her engineer husband was unemployed because “industry tells me that they don’t have enough highly skilled engineers.” However, in an analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies of the data from the American Community Survey collected by the Census Bureau show that there are a total of 1.8 million U.S.-born individuals with engineering degrees who are either unemployed, out of the labor market, or not working as engineers. This is true for those with many different types of engineering degrees.

For a complete review of the American Community Survey, including a table containing detailed employment figures for specific engineering degrees, visit the Center for Immigration Studies website at: http://cis.org/obama-and-engineers

The 2010 American Community Survey shows:

  • There are 101,000 U.S.-born individuals with engineering degrees who are unemployed.
  • There are an additional 244,000 U.S.-born individuals under age 65 who have a degree in engineering but who are not in the labor market. This means they are not working nor are they looking for work, and are therefore not counted as unemployed.
  • In addition to those unemployed and out of the labor force, there are an additional 1.47 million U.S.-born individuals who report they have an engineering degree and have a job, but do not work as engineers.
  • President Obama specifically used the words “highly skilled.” In 2010, there were 25,000 unemployed U.S.-born individuals with engineering degrees who have a Master’s or Ph.D. and another 68,000 with advanced degrees not in the labor force. There were also 489,000 U.S.-born individuals with graduate degrees who were working, but not as engineers.
  • Relatively low pay and perhaps a strong bias on the part of some employers to hire foreign workers seems to have pushed many American engineers out their profession.
  • There are many different types of engineering degrees. But unemployment, non-work, or working outside of your field is common for Americans with many different types of engineering degrees.
  • The key policy question for the United States is how many foreign engineers should be admitted in the future. Contrary to President Obama’s statement, the latest data from the Census Bureau indicate there is a very large supply of American-born engineers in the country. It would be better for the president to seek more diverse sources of information than simply relying on “industry” to determine what is going on in the U.S. labor market.

Data Source: Figures for the above analysis come from a Center for Immigration Studies analysis of the public-use file of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Figures on degrees and employment are based on self-reporting in the survey and have been rounded to their nearest thousand. The survey asks about undergraduate degrees, so some of the individuals who have a Master’s or Ph.D. may not have their graduate degree in engineering. Also, those who indicated that they have a “professional degree” are not included in the discussion of those with Masters’ and Ph.D.s because a large share have law degrees. The 2010 data is the most recent ACS available.

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute that examines the impact of immigration on the United States.

 

SOURCE Center for Immigration Studies

Brits would rather share meal with Stephen Fry than Hollywood stars

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Brits would rather share meal with Stephen Fry than Hollywood stars

* Stephen Fry most popular well-travelled celebrity to share a meal with
* Italian food is British people’s favourite foreign cuisine
* Half of Britons say food is important factor when choosing holiday destination

A new survey by Intrepid Travel has found that more people would like to share a meal with TV presenter Stephen Fry than with Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie or George Clooney.

When asked to choose from a list of well-travelled celebrities, Stephen Fry was the most popular person to share a meal with (15%), followed by Frozen Planet presenter Sir David Attenborough (11%) and adventurer Michael Palin (9%). Just one in 20 people said they’d most like to share a meal with Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie or George Clooney (both 5%). Three times as many people chose Jamie Oliver compared with Gordon Ramsay (6% and 2% respectively).

The poll, which was carried out for the small group travel specialist by YouGov, found that although Chicken Tikka Masala may be thought to be the nation’s favourite dish, Italian food is British people’s favourite foreign cuisine, with one in six (17%) saying it’s their top choice.

Italian was voted the most popular cuisine among 18 to 34 year-olds*, Indian cuisine is the top choice for 35 to 44 year-olds**, while 45 and overs are more patriotic in their choice of meal and most likely to favour British food***.

Almost half of those surveyed who have been on holiday abroad (47%) said that the local cuisine is very or fairly important when choosing their holiday destination abroad. But although almost 9 in 10 with a favourite cuisine (87%) have eaten it in a restaurant, and 8 in 10 have cooked it at home, less then four in ten (38%) have eaten their favourite cuisine in a restaurant in the country that it comes from.

Within the UK, Londoners are the most likely to seek out the most authentic food they can find when travelling, eating from street stalls and markets whenever possible (18%), while Scots are the most likely to stick to Western chain restaurants or familiar cuisines (15%).

“It’s refreshing to hear that British people would rather share a meal with someone famed for their great wit and conversation, than with a Hollywood heartthrob,” says Rebecca McKernan, Manager at the Intrepid My Adventure Store.

“Sharing a meal is a great way to get to know people, their tastes and their culture. That’s why eating in family-run restaurants, local markets and people’s homes features so highly on Intrepid’s itineraries. Whether your favourite cuisine is Italian or Indian, Mexican or Malaysian, you haven’t tasted it at its authentic best until you’ve enjoyed it in the country where it comes from,” adds McKernan.

Throughout February, Intrepid Travel is offering 15% off gastronomic tours in more than 15 countries known for their fabulous cuisine, from India to Vietnam, Sri Lanka to Mexico, as well as destinations closer to home including Italy, Spain and France.

The discounted trips showcase global food at its most authentic, with cooking classes, street food and local markets featuring prominently on many of the itineraries. Trips can be booked at www.intrepidtravel.com/deliciousdiscoveries.

HEARTNUTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

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‘Why not treat your loved one to Heartnuts this year?’

NutsandSeeds.co.uk, a London based company, are introducing a brand new nut or seed to the UK every month. Last month they welcomed Black Walnuts. This month they’re introducing Heartnuts!

Heartnuts are a beautiful variety of the Japanese Walnut. They are a rare and delicious nut that are shaped like a heart and open like a locket – with two heart shaped halves.

Once inside, the small pieces of nut meat will delight your taste buds.

The heartnut has a pleasing taste of a mild, sweet Walnut but without the bitterness. Like walnuts they have the same heart healthy properties of omega 3 and 6 and are packed full of healthy antioxidants, protein and fiber which are proven to be good for cardiovascular health and brain function.

A wonderful nut raw, in cooking or baking, it is especially flavourful toasted. They can be used in any recipe that uses walnuts. Heartnuts make a wonderful pesto and are delicious in cookies and baked goods. The mild, sweet flavour is excellent with cheeses such as feta. 

The Heartnut’s beautiful shells are also great for crafting. The heart shape, sturdy structure, and texture work very well in wreaths and decorations.

If you’re a grower, Heartnut trees are fast growing, hardier and more vigorous than walnut trees, less prone to disease and more tolerant of wet climates. They have the potential to grow very well in the UK and Ireland and NutsandSeeds.co.uk are highly supportive of English growers. Nuts and Seeds already sell English grown cobnuts, chestnuts and walnuts from UK organic farms.

For more information, recipes and to purchase Heartnuts fresh this season, raw and in shell, visit NutsandSeeds.co.uk

Frost Loves…Modern Milk

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Modern Milk is smooth, creamy and delicious. Very natural and healthy. It is exactly what the names says, it is a better version of milk

Modern Milk comes in four flavours Smooth Coffee with a hint of Vanilla, Milk Chocolate with a hint of golden Caramel, Lush Banana and Honey and Ripe Strawberry and Raspberry. My favourite is a toss up between the Milk Chocolate and the Ripe Strawberry and Raspberry.

The Milk Chocolate is great if you are trying to diet, you can just have one of these instead of a chocolate bar. It takes the edge of and it has a hint of caramel. It’s rich but not too rich.

None of the drinks have a horrible aftertaste and after drinking Modern Milk I felt a lot healthier. They are like a snack all in one. The ultimate in a health drink.

The design is really good, they all have a different cow cartoon on them, and they all have ‘think differently’ written on them backwards. The way they open is cool too.

Frost loves Modern Milk.

Modern Milk is a delicious low fat dairy drink that has been created to get people excited about drinking milk again and encourage them to include it in their weekly diet to keep them healthier.

Many adults are not drinking enough milk and this can have an effect on health issues such as osteoporosis, obesity and tooth decay. Modern Milk contains extra calcium, added vitamin D and fibre and with these added health benefits can help to show that what makes you feel good on the inside, can also help make you look good on the outside.

Research confirms that vitamin D makes our bodies to absorb calcium. Lack of calcium  makes our bodies to increase the production of
synthase, a fatty acid enzyme that coverts calories into fat. Consequently the higher levels of vitamin D in the blood, the easier it is to lose weight.

Milk is an important source of nutrients for many age groups and can help your body operate properly; calcium – for strong bones,
carbohydrates – for energy, protein – for growth and healing processes. When hunger pangs strike, Modern Milk can help fill you up for longer so that you don’t snack. The calcium can also have a positive effect on your nails, teeth and hair playing a part in your weekly beauty regime.
 
TV’s Dr Hilary Jones endorses Modern Milk as a great low-fat, after-workout drink. He says milk is the nearest thing you can find to a totally complete food containing, as it does, a perfect balance of protein, minerals, vitamins, essential fats and carbohydrates.

Modern Milk is currently sold in Tesco Extra for just 0.99p and comes in four delicious flavours – Smooth Coffee with a hint of Vanilla, Milk Chocolate with a hint of golden Caramel, Lush Banana and Honey and Ripe Strawberry and Raspberry.
 

NITE WATCHES – WATCHES FOR STYLISH ADVENTURERS!

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Combining innovative design, beautiful aesthetics and high-precision technology, Nite watches are renowned for their reliability and functionality in the most extreme situations – a perfect solution for individuals seeking the true spirit and challenge of adventure.

All Nite watches are fitted with a superb, self powered illumination technology known as GTLS; providing wearers with a constant light source that can last up to 15 years and is just one of the reasons why some models are NATO-approved and used by elite Special Forces.

Nite watches are made to exacting standards, using the best materials, production methods and specifications to create watches in a class of their own. With the design and quality comparative to some of the most highly respected brands in the world, the prices are not- instead representing excellent value to the owner.

The ICON is fashionable and comfortable – as cool and comfortable to wear on the street as on top of a glacier. The contemporary design of the ICON attracts looks with its stylish simplicity, bold large face, 316 grade brushed stainless steel case, brightly glowing Swiss illumination and high quality, studded tan or white leather strap.

Nite watches are the perfect choice for style conscious explorers, adventurers and businessmen. To view the complete Nite watches range for both men and women, visit www.nitewatches.com.

The GTLS technology is a light source emitted by every Nite watch and allows Nite-wearers to see what the time is, night or day, blizzard or monsoon. Each watch face and hands feature minute laser sealed glass tubes (the GLTS – Gaseous Tritium Light Source) – which are internally coated with phosphor. The electrons in the gaseous tritium excite the phosphor causing it to glow continuously without any external power source.

Nite watches are exclusively available from the brand website – www.nitewatches.com. This world-class digital platform is designed to communicate exactly what the Nite ethos is all about. It features a fully compliant and secure online store, where Nite’s products are clearly displayed and explained. There is also a social programme called Unite where customers share their user experiences. Nite believes that nothing represents their brand values better than their customers’ stories.