RICKY GERVAIS. Maxine Peake

RICKY GERVAIS

I was born at the beginning of the 1960s in Battle Hospital, Reading. I lived in a council house until I left home for university. I was the fourth child of an immigrant labourer. Men worked hard. Women worked miracles.

My mum was a homemaker and she could do anything except give me money. Luckily all the best things were free. Friends, family, nature, learning and healthcare. All of these allowed me to make the most of my life. That’s why I gladly pay my taxes now that I’ve got a bob or two.

And that’s why I love the NHS.

Maxine Peake

Feeling Awful in Oxford

It was 2003 and I was on tour with a production of Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance. We were nearing the final weeks of the run when we arrived at the Oxford Playhouse. We were a very close company and on the second day of our week’s residency in Oxford, we decided to spend the day partaking in the activity of Laser Quest. (I know, I’m showing my age.) Basically, it’s like paintballing’s poor relation, although preferably less painful. At the end of the session I started to feel a little unwell. I put it down to exerting myself (a rare occurrence even now).

When I arrived at the theatre for that evening’s performance, I started to feel progressively worse. The play is set in the Victorian period, so my costume involved a corset. I asked the stage manager if I could ditch it that evening as at this point I had already been sick.

He kindly agreed. Then, out of nowhere, I started to projectile vomit. In a break from my retching, I was questioned on my previous evening’s alcohol intake, which had surprisingly been nil (I had a little crush on a fellow cast member who was teetotal, so I was trying desperately to impress him).

Anyway, I was finding it difficult to stand and the pain in my stomach was now excruciating. The company finally decided to call me an ambulance. I headed off to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. When I arrived, I was whisked into a cubicle where a very brusque doctor asked if the pain could be an STD? I looked at him a little taken aback and responded, ‘I hope not.’ At which he rolled his eyes and left.

I continued to be physically sick until the curtains flew back and a tall young man with a beaming smile entered.

‘Hello, Miss Peake. How are you?’

‘Not great, unfortunately,’ I replied.

‘Well now, if you would lie down on the bed, I’m going to examine you.’

Gratefully I lay down.

‘Could you just turn on your side and lift your gown? I’m going to have to put my finger up your bottom.’

‘OK,’ I said. (Like you do.)

While the doctor was carrying out the examination he added, ‘Oh, before I forget, I have Jane with me, she’s a student doctor shadowing me this week, you wouldn’t mind if she examined you too?’

‘Er, not at all …’ I was brought up to always be accommodating where possible.

So Jane stuck her finger up my bottom too. The doctor and Jane both thanked me and left.

Just as the curtain was settling, the tall young doctor popped his head back through, smiled widely again and said, ‘By the way, I meant to say, I loved you in Dinnerladies!’

I was relieved to eventually discover I was suffering from appendicitis.

⇐ Предыдущая 42 43 44 45 464748 49 50 51 Следующая ⇒