2005
Wah-Wah
Director: Richard E. Grant
Role played: Lady Riva Hardwick
Summary
WAH-WAH is a semi-autobiographical 'coming of age at the end of an Age' story, told through the eyes of young Ralph Compton. Set during the last gasp of the British Empire in Swaziland, South East Africa, in 1969, the plot focuses on the dysfunctional Compton family whose gradual disintegration mirrors the end of British rule.
As an 11 year old, Ralph witnesses his mother's adultery with his father's best friend. His parents divorce and Ralph is sent to boarding school. Harry Compton not only loses his wife and best friend, but also his position as Minister of Education with the coming of Independence, prompting his rapid descent into alcoholism.
Now 14, Ralph returns home to discover that his father has re-married an American ex-Air hostess called Ruby whom he has known all of six weeks. As round a peg as you could find in this square holed society, Ruby ridicules the petty snobbery of Colonial life by identifying Colonial-speak as sounding like a load of old 'Wah-Wah'. Although Ralph is initially wary of Ruby, he bonds with her as his father’s drinking escalates dangerously out of control.
Meanwhile, the community frenziedly prepares an amateur production of 'Camelot' to impress Princess Margaret who is visiting to preside over Independence. Ralph gets cast, falls in love and discovers a way to escape his hellish home life.
Images
Links
Official UK Website www.wahwahthemovie.co.uk
Extracts from The Wah Wah Diaries by Richard E. Grant
5th January 2004
I have offered Celia Imrie the choice of playing either June or Lady Riva Hardwick. The former is the more sympathetic role, whereas Riva is a leviathan. My belief in her talent is such that she could play either role equally well but I’m hoping she opts for Riva, as it is a part that would require considerable steeliness, as opposed to the natural warmth and empathy that exudes from her.
5th July 2004
It is Celia Imrie’s first day on the film, playing Lady Riva, who interrupts the scene by declaring that she ‘doesn’t do funerals’. Celia had told me a story about her late mother, who had a habit of asking someone for direction and then dismissing them halfway through with imperious sang-froid. We incorporate this anecdote by having her say to Regina/Sindi, ‘I say, could you tell me the way to - oh she’ll never know.’
Although this is Celia’s first day, it is Lady Riva’s last scene. Celia plays it at full imperious pomp, having mined me for anything and everything she can about the woman it is based upon. She commits to it with the energy and conviction of playing the lead. Celia is one of life’s great enhancers, who thrills a the adventure of it all and could not be a more welcome arrival if she tried. She can barely contain her excitement at being in Africa for the first time, and having worked with both Julie, Emily and me before, is in familiar company.
8th July 2004
John Carlisle and Celia Imrie give it the full imperial welly as Sir Gifford and Lady Riva, his wife, with all the hauteur and self-possession of Catherine the Great. John has a combination of old-style charm and a roué’s roving eye, whilst Celia has determined that Lady Riva has also put herself about, and invests the simple act of attaching the OBE medal to Gabriel’s chest with territorial sexual innuendo.
9th July 2004
The Swazi warrior and maiden euphorics are watched by Lady Riva and June, both scripted to register disapproval that the end of Empire is nigh. However, Celia’s decision to play Lady Riva as a predatory goer results in her initial disapproval giving way to a hormonal gear change, as she nostril-flares and eagerly follows the half-naked regiment. Nick and Sid follow in her wake, imitating her mercilessly.
12th July 2004
In the afternoon we shoot the Camelot cast list being pinned to the board in the theatre bar, prompting Lady Riva/Celia to explode upon discovering that she is not playing Guinevere, scuppering her plans to impress the incoming royal, and that a Swazi gardener, Dozen/Mthokoza Sibiyu, is playing Lancelot. These fits of pique are innately funny and were typical of the am-dram experience, where someone’s age, colour or class were irrelevant as long as they could hit the top notes.
18th July 2004
The only real wobble is the bum direction I gave Celia, encouraging her to be too arch and theatrical in Lady Riva’s verbal dismissal of Ruby. Emily comes up and quietly suggests we ground everything in reality, which is the perfect thing to say and I am grateful for her tact and diplomacy. Celia feels much better and plays the scene more effectively. It is a real measure of the generosity and care of both Emily and Celia that they took the trouble to "re-direct" me so diplomatically, without making me feel like a total toss-box!
Interview with Celia
What attracted you to the character of Lady Riva Hardwick?
I couldn't believe Lady Riva Hardwick could be so ghastly and thought that, (a) it would be fun to play someone so utterly uncompromising and, (b) there must be more to her than meets the eye, and it would be a challenge to find it. I was also so taken up with the story of the film and our Director's enthusiasm and belief, I just wanted to jump on board and fly with him.
How did you find filming in Swaziland?
It quickly became apparent that Swaziland was an enormous character part in the film. We were so lucky as actors that we didn't have to imagine our situation geographically... we were right there. It was spectacular, and would have been impossible to guess. Swaziland also has an untouched quality that allowed me to go back in time with my character.
How did you develop your character?
I sought out, wherever we went on location, friends of Richard's who had known the rather remarkable, as I daily discovered, Lady Riva that my character was based on. I tried to incorporate as many of her qualities and idiosyncrasies as I could. I also absorbed all the details of precious film footage of the day, that Richard [E. Grant] found for us. The subjects’ behaviour, and fashion, during social and historic events was a fascinating help.
