LesleyScoble.com

Hey, I was interviewed by Melissa Lemay, The Spillword’s Author of the Year 2024!

It pleases me to offer you an excerpt below. Please read the full interview on Collaborature.

If You’re Reading This, Mr. Hockney: An Interview With Lesley Scoble

Melissa Lemay: Lesley! How lovely to have you with us today for a chat. Without further ado… I’d say your career has been and continues to be very collaborative! Is there anything you haven’t done?!

Lesley Scoble: Yes! Loads! For instance, I haven’t saved the ancient rainforests or flown to the Moon. I haven’t been Prime Minister, nor sung the part of Mimi in La Bohême. Nor climbed Everest (actually, I don’t want to do that). Unfortunately, I’ve only got one lifetime. Many dreams and ambitions shall, alas, go unfulfilled.

ML: There’s still time. Tell us about some of your earlier collaborations.

LS: I love the collaborative teamwork that’s involved with filmmaking or producing a stage production. Film and theatre are a huge part of my life. My first experience in film was at Pinewood Studios at the age of three. I can still remember it! Live theatre also holds a big piece of my heart—whether it be in the Fringe or upon the West End stage. My first West End appearance was at the age of twelve playing Peaseblossom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Royal Court. The cast was an extensive list of the greatest actors anyone could hope to work with. It was unforgettable. An enjoyable part of being a member of a stage company is the first read-through of the script and the anticipation of working with everyone cohesively. All with the aim of putting on a show.

When my two boys were little, I wanted to work around their school schedules, so I set up drama and filmmaking workshops in both their primary and secondary schools. They were so popular, I opened more workshops in other inner-city schools. Collaborating with other teachers and the kids to make films and staging productions was tremendous. We produced an amazing rap musical, and films with screenings at international film festivals.

I love scenery painting and collaborating with the set designer, wood workers, and theatre producers. I was lucky to paint scenery for several productions at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln. My favourite set was for a play starring Adam Faith. As a child, he was my favourite pop star—and I would fall asleep gazing at his photo by my bed. At a special dinner for the cast and crew (and me), I sat next to him at the table. I could barely speak (very unusual for me). I chickened out of telling him how much I drooled over him. We spoke about the weather.

I am proud to say that I joined the Phil Parsons Studio at an enormous warehouse in Kings Cross, London, to paint gigantic back cloths for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. After eating full English breakfasts provided by Phil, all his artists (including me) would go and splash bucketfuls of wonderful paint together on these immense cloths. I was especially proud of a proscenium arch we painted for the opera Manon. Happy days.

To read the complete interview on Collaborature, please click here

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My thanks to Melissa Lemay for interviewing me.
Most of all, I thank you the reader, for reading.

Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; mime artist; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.