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EICC, Edinburgh
We went along to Margolyes and Dickens – More Best Bits at the EICC not really knowing what to expect. I tend not to read reviews beforehand as I prefer to make up my own mind, so I went in fairly open.
Miriam Margolyes is, of course, a force of nature. At 84 she still has boundless energy and presence, and there’s no denying her love for Dickens and her ability to bring his characters to life. That said, I have to admit I’ve never been much of a Dickens fan. It always drags me back to high school English lessons, which weren’t exactly my fondest memories, so parts of the show didn’t land quite as well for me as they clearly did for others in the audience.
Where she really had me was when she stepped away from Dickens and talked about her voiceover and film work. I was surprised to learn that she was the voice of the Cadbury’s Caramel Bunny back in the 80s and 90s, and I’m fairly sure those adverts made their way to South Africa where I grew up. She’s been in so many films and commercials, and the stories she shared from her career were fascinating, full of the wit and blunt honesty she’s known for. Interestingly, there was no mention of Professor Sprout from Harry Potter. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was a conscious decision, perhaps given all the controversy around JK Rowling.
All in all, it was nice to see Miriam in person and to tick the experience off my list. Would I rush to see it again? Probably not. For me it was a solid three-star afternoon, enjoyable enough but not one that will stick with me for years to come.