The Gradgrind parts in ‘Hard Tinies’

Press, 22 August 1978, Page 15

The Gradgrind parts in ‘Hard Tinies’

Patrick Allen (above) plays the wealthy local businessman and Member of Parliament, Thomas Gradgrind, in Charles Dickens’ “Hard Times” screening tonight on SPTV. With him is Jacqueline Tong as Louisa Gradgrind. An established leading actor, Patrick Allen is well-known for his television, film, radio and theatre roles.

He spent two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company, under the direction of Peter Hall. One of the parts he played with the RSC was King Arthur in “Island of the Mighty.” His films include “Night of the Generals,” “Puppet on a Chain,” and “Diamonds on Wheels.” Patrick Allen’s TV roles include the well-remem-bered name parts in “Crane.” and the series “Brett.”

In fact, Patrick himself has a successful business career sandwiched between his acting roles. He is very interested in communications and has several such business projects in the Middle East. In London, Patrick owns a dubbing studio for making television commercial soundtracks. Patrick Allen is no stranger to international viewers. He was in a televised Pinter play “The Lover” in New York early in 1977. He has kept up his connections with America ever since he was evacuated there as a

schoolboy during the Sec-* ond World War. Patrick Allen is married to the actress, Sarah Lawson. They live in London, with their two sons Stephen and Stewart, aged 13 and 16 years. They have a house in Portugal; and the Allens t j and get away together for a month each summer. Jacqueline Tong had no problem getting the feel of her latest part as Louisa Gradgrind.

She has recently bought a genuine Dickensian house in Camden Town, London.

“It’s just round the corner from where Dickens used to live,” she says. “And when I’m there I feel I just soak up the atmosphere of that period.” With the help of her father, a retired architect, she plans to modernise her five-storey house while still keeping its Victorian character. And, as if to underline her Victorian leaning, she adds: “In the garden I shall be growing lots of herbs — it’s my special hobby.”

Pretty, dark-haired Jacky who became well-known to millions for her role as under-house-maid in “Upstairs, Downstairs” could not believe her luck when she was ofered the part of Louisa in “Hard Times.”

“By coincidence I had read the book about a year ago and had said to myself: ‘l’d give my eye teeth for that part’.” Louisa plays the daugh-

ter of a rich Member of Parliament in a Northern milltown shortly after the Industrial Revolution.

She goes through a great change of character during the four one-hour episodes of "Hard Times,” adapted for television by the award-winning author, Arthur Hopcraft. Before going to drama school, convent-educated Jacky hitch-hiked her way round South America. “Ive always had a wanderlust, and I was able to get some of it out of my system. I went through every country in South America using every imaginable mode of transport from cattle trains to goat trucks. It was marvellous.” Jacky then came home to the family in Bristol and studied at the Rose Bruford Acting School. “My grandfather had a holiday camp in Devon and I made my stage debut at the age of four in one of his variety shows. I’ve been keen on acting ever since.”