|
I recently caught up with Jonathan Harvey while he was visiting New York for the Off-Broadway opening of Beautiful Thing. He graciously agreed to answer the following questions for me.
Movie Related Questions:
Q: If "Ste" is short for "Steven," is "Jamie" short for "James?"
A: Ste is indeed short for Steven. Jamie is usually short for James, but I believe Sandra never called Jamie James, he was always Jamie.
Q: Near the beginning of the film, Jamie is watching a "weepie" on TV. What is that film??
A: I have no idea what film Jamie is watching. All I remember is that it was very cheap to get clearance for it. <I have since found out that the film is "Algiers." - Eric>
Q: Was Ste's bedroom a set? It doesn't look like the other bedrooms that I presumed were real.
A: All the flats were real flats in Thamesmead, dressed to fit how we saw the character's living. As it happens, Ste's flat was no different. Jamie's bedroom was rebuilt on a studio set for most scenes to get all the cameras in for their various probing angles.
Q: When Sandra parts from Louise after work (before coming upon Ste) Sandra gives her a look, that some have interpreted as being, well, lesbian! Was this intentional, or is it nothing more than a thoughtful look?
A: Sandra's look at Louise is not meant to be lesbian in any way. It is a maternal protective look. Louise is her best friend, nothing more.
Q: "Sally. I hate that name." Why does Jamie hate that name? Or is he just trying to make conversation?
A: Sally is a typically old fashioned name. That's why it irritates Jamie, but he is of course just trying to make conversation.
Q: Jamie and Ste the next morning. Some people insist they didn't have sex. I think they did. Right?
A: Jamie and Ste have sex for the first time after the massage scene.
Q: "Nolene busy tonight?" Sandra looks out the door after Ste comes in, like she is expecting to see someone. What is she looking for?
A: When Sandra looks out of the doorway , this is a very working class British thing. She is checking to see if anyone saw her letting someone into the flat so late. She doesn't want anyone knowing her business.
Q: While casting Jamie and Ste, I've read you interviewed a lot of people. When you were deciding on Glen and Scott, did you always have them in mind for the roles they ended up playing? I always thought that Scott could have played Jamie and Glen could have played Ste.
A: Yes, when casting we only ever saw Glen as a Jamie and Scott as a Ste.
Play Related:
Q: When Leah sings "It's Getting Better" she sings in an American accent. But she says "haff" which Jamie questions. In the Chicago/New York production, this is meaningless. Is it supposed to be that Leah has dropped out of her American accent and Jamie is pointing that out?
A: Lean sings "Haff" because that is how Mama Cass pronounces it. The London pronunciation would be "Arff", so Jamie is taking the piss out of her imitation.
Q: "Some feelings carry on." Is Jamie trying to express his gay feelings? Does he hope they will stop?
A: Jamie is not trying to express his gay feelings out loud, but he is definitely sorting them out in his head at this point.
Q: In New York, Dan Gold stripped down to just his boxers on the first sleepover in the previews, but by opening night he was wearing a Tee shirt. Did you make that change? Without the shirt, one could see that he wasn't bruised at that point. Keeping the Tee shirt on avoided that question.
A: Yes I did make that change in keeping the shirt on. Ste is bruised at that point and we should only get to see the bruises in the next bedroom scene.
Q: Lastly, do you have any message to share with your fans? They'd love to hear from you.
A: I'm not very good at coming up with 'messages for the fans,' but I suppose I could let you know what I'm up to at the moment. My sitcom for the BBC got good viewing figures in its first series and has been commissioned to go to a second series, so I'm currently writing that (GIMMEE, GIMMEE, GIMMEE). My play GUIDING STAR is coming to the end of a 9 month run at the Royal National Theatre in London. Another play, HUSHABYE MOUNTAIN is currently on tour, and I think it's the best thing I've written to date. It transfers to London in a couple of weeks time and has been very well received so far. My musical with the Pet Shop Boys is cracking on a pace, we hope to have it finished in a couple of months. I'm also developing a film called THE HAIRDRESSER'S APPRENTICE, and the two other TV series THE BELLES OF SAINT PAUL'S and BIG SMOKE. So you could say I'm pretty busy!
Make your own kind of music!
-Jonathan Harvey
|
