INTERVIEW: Imogen Stubbs on acting, aging and doing handstands

Imogen Stubbs, aka Lady Nunn, talks to Gill Sutherland about being a mum, an actress and sometime acrobat ahead of new play, Things I Know to Be True, opening at the Warwick Arts Centre this week.

Not all women are happy to share their age, but Imogen Stubbs is — she happily tells me she is 55.

Some of you may remember her as a bright young thing of the stage — treading the boards at the Royal Shakespeare Company, finding acclaim as Desdemona in Othello in 1990. Some of you may know more about her because of her marriage to Sir Trevor Nunn who directed her at the RSC, and with whom she has two grown-up children Ellie and Jesse.

The actress split from her husband five years ago, but her stage career continues to broaden. Including picking up plaudits playing the matriarch Fran in Things I Know to Be True on tour currently, and running from 11th to 21st October at Warwick Arts Centre.

A new work by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell, the play tells the story of a family and marriage through the eyes of four grown siblings struggling to define themselves beyond their parents’ love and expectations.

What was the appeal of the play for Imogen?

“I’m at an age where I want to try different parts and not repeat myself too much. This is very different for me, playing a matriarch.

“I love the way Andrew writes. It’s deceptively simple; you think it’s kind of like a soap opera about a family because it’s quite naturalistic. But there’s a rhythm and lyricism to it and the cumulative effect of that is something very poignant and well observed. It’s about family and the seasons — the illusion that spring is on its way but actually things can decimate that.” Realising that sounds a touch bleak, Imogen adds, “It has a quiet humour to it. It’s not belly laughs though, it’s more reflective.”

Given that Imogen has two children and three stepchildren is she drawing on her experiences as a mother?

“Well, they’re all grown up, but I never think of myself as anybody of that sort of responsibility or age,” says Imogen.

Given that the play takes an intense look at family relations, it must have made you think of your own parenting?

“Some of it. A lot of what Andrew is writing about is the bewilderment of one generation to understand the other. Like with my own children laughing on something on social media that I don’t get. In the play the parents want for their children what they had — French cricket on the beach — but they are talking about a different era. Every child in the play is doing something that is not in the understanding of the parents… Although Fran has always hankered after something she’s not been able to put a name to. It’s a universal story.”

You mentioned your children — Ellie and Jess, who are in their 20s — how do you think they would describe you as a mother?

“Scatty and hopeless!” laughs Imogen, who comes over very open and intelligent, with a joke at her own expense always to the fore. Giving the question more thought, she continues: “I think you mother like your own mother, so I’ve never been a mumsy kind of mum — the sort to go ‘Guess how much I love you?’. Of course I love them but I guess I come from a different era.

“Now it’s all very huggy and kissy. Which is all very lovely — but I always think you’ve got to teach your children to be independent.

“When they were babies I would give them to everyone to look after as I always thought it was a bit dangerous if they got too attached to one or two people, because we are all going to die! I wanted them to love everyone so they could survive.”

Imogen thinks some more about how her children perceive her: “They’d probably say I was lovely, funny but not good at organising things.” P

rior to interviewing Imogen, I was looking at photos of her from 1986 when she was in The Two Noble Kinsmen for the first season of The Swan Theatre. The photos were around as the play is being performed again as part of the theatre’s 30th anniversary.

“Me up a pole!” she hoots when I tell her about the photos. Imogen explains that for the role of the Jailer’s Daughter, who goes mad, director Barry Kyle had her showing off her acrobatic skills. “I did backflips and climb poles and had fun. I was this quirky little northern girl who walked on her hands.”

Does that feel like yesterday or a long time ago?

“It feels a long time ago,” says Imogen thoughtfully. “It was a difficult time for me because my mother died while I was there. I actually began to resent being stuck in Stratford as before that it became very awkward for me when my mum was ill.

“However, it is a great fun place if you’re just out of drama school — my daughter [also an actress] would love it there.”

Look back at yourself, do you feel more comfortable with yourself? “I feel older and wiser, and physically much older! Back then I thought nothing of walking on my hands, with a dress over my head singing a sea shanty. When I go upside down now I can literally feel my ovaries coming out of my nostrils!”

Confessing that various bits of her feel much more aged, Imogen continues: “Nowadays everyone falls over themselves to not look old — it’s mad. It’s quite nice being old, just to accept you are going to age and try and find the good things. You find moments and you think ‘oh this is who I am’; which is a tricky one for actors. Why should I pretend to be someone else on stage every night when I quite like who I am? It’s probably quite a good moment to stop!”

And although Imogen is tremendously likeable, let’s hope she keeps going for a bit yet.

Where and when: Things I know to Be True, 11th to 21st October at Warwick Arts Centre. For tickets go to www.warwickartscentre.co.uk