Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 31

TUESDAYi 84 MARCH 1907 S1 Actress cookery writer and jaow SfSi play7n81t Lizzie Spender hapPy knack of wandering into interesting situations AS A CHILD Lizzie Spender was encouraged to write Literary self- expression was in the family: her father is the poet Stephen Spender 7 From the age of eight towards we were all given extremely grand leather-hound diaries of my entries read (School As Usual) or Topsy to the Topsy was my There her literary career rested apart from a brief stint of Journalism in her 20s (during which she wrote the teen-magazine Mirabelle from cover to cover under the name of Candy Rose) until she Rolling the for wrote Hedgehog Wedding a television play which was not ft only accepted by the BBC foi (rare enough for a first attempt) but has been made by producer Innes Lloyd for the prestigious Screen Two Series by LUCY HUGHES-HALLETT 9 A kind of innocence Liixie Spender Now in her 30s Lizzie Spender doesn't regret her relatively late start as an author lot of writers have their great success early buy their house with swimming pool in France get married and then sit by the pool and wonder Now what? improvisation had taught her how to construct characters and use dialogue Rosenthal was encouraging Hedgehog Wedding was ihe happy outcome again and did a rigorous course at The Drama Centre At this point her luck ran out 7 In 10 years I have only had one good part Magdelena Hosdemel in The Mozart Inquest Being blonde and beautiful help The interesting roles play and all-night poker games with Peter O'Toole and John Steinbeck We were always in fancy dress Aqjelica and I in 18th century ballgowns mid John in hunting She has a knack of wandering into such situations and a kind of innocence which makes her good at eqjoying them without being over-awed or becoming blasee Dramatic decade of difficulties undaunted It also helped her-cope with a series of unfruitful if glamorous love-affairs Peter Jay formerly British Ambassador to Washington and Pariviz Radii formerly Iranian nmhaMHrinr to London were two of the men in her life men who she now says had a crucial flaw in common They make me ing real people always go to Mag- the mouse-brunette For Her life on the contrary has been such as to give her a plentiful stock of dramatic materiaL Not only is her father a poet and her mother a half-Russian concert pianist she also has a second family in that of film director John Huston His daughter the triguing glimpses of her social lhe One recipe is named La Traviata after an opera-singing friend who enacted death in her kitchen during its preparation Another was first concocted by a dinner in honour of Vittorio Storraro the cameraman on Reds A third A Moveable Feast was inspired by cooking a huge lunch for John Huston and his family There will be more plays more cookbooks and izzie hopes more acting But if that last wish granted she pine You have to play the hand been dealt in PASTABILITY published by Faber on April 13 1987 HEDGEHOG WEDDING will be screened on BBC-2 on Sunday April 19 It is a rarity aplay about the upper classes which is neither hazily glamorous nor a collection of caricaturesThe play is set at a wedding reception The bride and best-man are by now both hopefully reformed drug-addicts the guests all have their heartaches but the play is extremely funny Lizzie Spender is already at work on her next one on a linked subject After a a divorce Funny dalena I wore a red Nor did being 5ft lOin I went to see the National Theatre They even let me audition They took oik lOok and said Forget it Have you any idea of the height of the men around I remember when I was given a role in The Professionals I had to do all my scenes sitting in a Her calm acceptance of ups and downs seems to have got her through this actress Apielica was childhood closest cl Her first ambition had been to act but she had been deterred by the puritanical zeal of the teachers at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre When I went to audition there they told me acting is the only thing you think about from morning till night then go So I went Five years later she tried spent all the school holidays at the house A turning point came two years ago when a friend suggested she attend one of the Arvon writing courses She chose the television play-writing course simply berause Jack Rosenthal whose work she knew and admired was teaching it Her drama-school training in Ireland She lives alone but hot a solitary Next month Faber Faber are to publish Pastability her pasta cookbook It provides some in was wild like an epic movie in full costume There were lots of horses and dogs 17 OFFICE MCMKKS-twttL PART-TIME AUDIO SECRETARY Paddington and North Kensogtoa Health Authority Department of Community Medicine iKnsnrusFmsacMUun (BUT HUM STREET UMM WIN IS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Interesting Office Work reqd by a Mayfair-baaed firm of iperty consultants Accurate no typing (60 pleasant telephone manner A organisational skills essential Hours 9 to 1 Mon to Pri Salary circa £5250 pa 4 wka holiday in MRi-iuu hkwi annul omen One new post has been created to assist the team of Health Advisers at the Praed Street Clinic St Hospital W2 Hours 18 per week Mon-Thnrs 1 pm-430 pm Fri 1 pm-5 pm Previous clerical and typing experience essen- CENTRAL LONDON Tal 01-4M 3424 Ref CL (No agencies) Are you looking for a rewarding and interesting Job working in a caring environment? We require someone to work in our Cardiac Department where children with major heart defects ere treated You will be reapotiaible for administrative arrangements for vital medical meetings to discuss patient care and treatment Foatholder will be responsible and capable of working on own initiative: Typing skills are eaerntial Salary I6618S7157 per annum inclusive I ns an 01-400 8800 C0MMISSI0NAIR The Ministry of Defence has a number of vacancies for Administrative Assistants in its Central London offices The posts offer varied responsible work helping to support and equip the Armed Forces and there are excellent opportunties for promotion Applicants must possess 2 GCE level at grades A or or equivalent qualifications (including overseas) one of which must be Salary pa Inc AppBcaibon form available from the District W1 7th 1887 April OfWca St Hospital Pi mdoeta WS Tei 01-082 MSS Street 208221 quoting reference number PPO 810 Closing date 10th April 1807 Large international company baaed in W1 requires Conuniaaionair from 1NU0 pm Esc services preferred English Language Applicants without formal qualifications may sit a snort answer te test Your starting salary will be between £4256 pa depending upon age on entry rising to a maximum of ndon We £6964 pa (all rates-include Inner London Weighting) LINCOLNS INN WC2 Assistant Studonts' Administrator Applications from Registered Disabled Persons will be most TRAIN IN RECRUITMENT welcome 01-638 4951 Now Venture RECCONS required for department Inn of Court administrative duties in the with graduate law students at this to work uneupervieed and akiUa caaentlaL WATFORD AND CROYDON Vim i syphrilsss prelarably gbring to £10000 pa Still looking for the ideal Job? If you are 19-34 years and interested in working in a fast moving dynamic and professional environment where your lack of experience is a positive advantage where rewards match your efforts and promo Receptionist Telephonist Applicants and both their parents must have been British CitizensSubjects or Commonwealth Citizens since birth and if not actually born in the UK must have been resident here for at least the last 5 years In certain circumstances Nationality Waivers may be granted For further Informs Uoti and application forms either ring 01-430 700071011 or write to LCMU 1 Room 518 Sentinel House Southampton Row London WC1B 4AX Completed application forms should be returned to the above address by Friday 24th April 1987 The MOD Is an Equal Opportunities Employer tion prospects are unrivalled we may have Just nt Consultant that Job as a Trainee Recruitment Required for young modern office on the river in Hammersmith Skilled experienced and vivacious applicant sought Salary £143 pw If you like the sound of this come and meet us un Thursday 26th March Anytime between 10 am and 7 pm at: Montrose Technical Recruitments Canted Hay 381 Mil THE HOSPITALS FOR SCK CMLDREM Special HeaM Anttority HIGHER CLERICAL OFFICER (DEBTORS) I Qppwnein la Ik FIXED PENALTY OFFICE PARMIHE TYPIST BOOKKEEPER WI4 OR 10 Station Road Watford TeL 0923 26682 64 George St Croydon Tel: 01-680 7475 Reqoked tar TMasunFa Department to ha principally iwpomibk PERSON FRIDAY far ccntrolhm end rairtiu private patient accuuntt and aaaianiu oar Semcr Accountancy AsuataoL AppUcaUcna should have office NWf espoMnca otth pod general education A bright young thing needed to mike coffee type letten Your Martin akry wlfl WHJM mtaic by Mtnwl Iw-iwwiHi to wuaiuia (7JM mcludin London Ip ran) pending lor too dqr hour nk with 22ftays i Wr administer Unco notional grant makuic tracts tram a unall but bury office mar Oiympta We am taoklni tar aomronr to Mp with typing and Mitral office duties inctudin took toping This is part-time post brtwvrn and IB homo pereHt Salary mse imrorta At kart with deft stick keep books and make life in more generally help to i our design group ant ana leasfi tor equkakatl km 1 7 torts at Ondt or VOU mrMUnf km Ux Production Library Assistant 1-3M 0028 Tho Moo FA Boon MM MV EXPANDING LEISURE COMPANY requires bright experienced people for the following 34 North Radi WM33N 1 1 rguul efpartuatty iwptayvrt Salary £9324 Item Duning Soviets Ltd A Fredurtioa Ltarary Aartrtanl rrqutod ky tht I Arrtm ucitaiBi Mcrrtartai and gwwrml dutka la Mb enviee which pwwdae tartest Irani the coMerttan la Oka ad ktoktaa RECORD WHOLESALER OFFICE MANAGERPERSONNEL OFFICERPAYROLL CLERK Has casual positions available aa customer contact repo to work in our modem office based in Feltham Ap tew in Feltham Appltcaa £prkacc la Sha or talevlrtoa TYPIST Salary £7500 according to experience lo I Charity I md thsrrtul bookkeeping knowledge Must be familiar with payroll calculatiooe-Salary 0500-0000 ACCURATE TYPIST to buoy Jukd bos department should have a brunt pi tonality with the confidence GENERAL BOOKKEEPER handle ItO our customer enquiries on 81-844 Tht part lor a year la th flirt I Mr aw aa equal apportuaMaa AH round skills Salary 1-348 3131 ml 237 Foe IrrtlMr Information Miiutmt 4 Nf 1 1 IIJJ TV1 'a'' V- 1 I-'-.