Interview with Tony Maudsley
“For people with literacy problems, the biggest initial fear they have is facing the world and talking about it. Society needs to make that a whole lot easier for them.”
Tony Maudsley plays painter and decorator JJ in Love Letters. JJ's wife is hiding a terrible secret – but little known to her JJ has a secret of his own.
Liverpool born Tony has starred in films such as Harry Potter and Sleepy Hollow and most recently has been in hit tv series Benidorm playing hotpants-wearing hair stylist Kenneth.
Here he talks about his role as JJ and the importance of using drama to highlight issues such as adult literacy.
Tony says of his character: “JJ would be very content with his lot apart from one big secret that continually over shadows his happiness. JJ cannot read or write. He has never shared this secret with anybody and has miraculously managed to keep it hidden for all these years. He is embarrassed and ashamed of his illiteracy and goes to extraordinary lengths to hide it. The burden and stress that this places on his life is immeasurable.”
His role as JJ is a far cry from his character in Benidorm, which is one of the reasons it appealed to him. “For the past 2 years I've played a very outspoken, unapologetic, camp, loud, over the top and overly confident hairdresser called Kenneth Du Beke”, says Tony.
“JJ Roscoe is as far removed from Kenneth Du Beke as you can possibly imagine. As an actor, I always jump at the chance to play as many contrasting roles as possible. It just makes life more interesting for me.
“I was also drawn to the role because of the theme of 'adult literacy' that runs through the series. I liked the idea that by portraying the part of JJ, I might help someone whose life is marred by the same issues that he is dealing with, who might just happen to see the programme.
“Education through means of drama is a wonderfully accessible way of reaching out to people who are struggling with problems that may be resolved if they can see those aspects of their own lives being dealt with by characters that are in much the same position as themselves, whether that be on a stage or on a TV screen.
“Almost everyone has access to a television these days and - in this instance of trying to reach out to people who for whatever reason cannot, or do not read and write - hopefully if they catch this series of dramas, that relate directly to them, we might be able to steer them towards a path of resolving these issues that have been blighting their everyday lives for so long.”
JJ and Tony might be very different people but in playing the part Tony was able to empathise with JJ and the impact not being able to read and write has on his life.
He says: “Literacy has never been an issue for me. Had it been, my life would have been very different for sure and maybe the confidence that I have always had in myself might never have flourished. My early ambitions of becoming an actor would most certainly have been halted at the first hurdle. It's kind of sad to think what ambitions JJ might have had as a young man went unexplored because of his illiteracy.”
Playing the role of JJ has heightened Tony's awareness of adult literacy issues and the problem people face on a daily basis: “Since making the programme I have become a lot more aware of the problem and was pretty shocked to learn about the amount of young people that get through school and slip through the net without acquiring what I would have thought were essential tools of day to day life. It amazes me how these people cope on a day to day basis. There's a part of me that admires them for the way they have learned to cope.
“When I first looked at the part of JJ Roscoe, my initial thought was to get onto the internet and research facts and figures and statistics about adult literacy. But then I stopped myself from doing that. I thought that the best way to play JJ would be to arm myself with only the information that he had himself on the problem, which was very little. His inability to read pamphlets and books on the problem meant that he was pretty much in the dark about what options were available to him, and he certainly would never have asked anybody for help.”
And Tony hopes that his part in the series will help spur people like JJ to resolve their literacy problems.
“It's a problem that is so rectifiable with the right help and guidance. I also hope that people who don't have literacy issues watch the series too, so that they can start to understand that a lot of people like JJ hide their heads in the sand more and more because of the unfair stigma that society in general places on them. For people with literacy problems, the biggest initial fear they have is facing the world and talking about it. Society needs to make that a whole lot easier for them.
“One thing I learned from making this series is that there is help out there. Masses of it. There are a lot of understanding people who are ready, willing and waiting to help adults with literacy problems to deal with the issue. The people with the problem just need to find the courage to let the people who are ready to help them, know that they are there. Easier said than done, for them, I know. Here's hoping that Secrets and Words gives at least some of them the courage to take those first steps.
