Charlotte Ritchie interview
Charlotte Ritchie plays George in Feel Good, a character who enters an intoxicating romance with central character Mae.
The comedy has, at its heart, a queer romance in which you play a character who has not had a same-sex relationship before. She feels unable to tell her friends and invents a boyfriend called Jonathan Crenshaw. She also has to come to terms with the realisation that her (secret) girlfriend is an addict in recovery. What a juicy part! What attracted you to the role and did you learn anything in the process of making the show?
That sort of sums up why I was attracted to the role. The characters have real depth and nuance. There's also such a beautiful mix of comedy and tragedy in each episode, the scenes flow seamlessly between the two which felt like a challenge sometimes but made it so exciting for me.
I learned a lot. It made me think about, and properly see, the quite narrow structures I had been brought up in and had just taken for granted. Even more so than before. I learned a lot about Mae, and I'm sure she did about me too. All good things I'm sure.
How do you see the character of George?
I suppose I see her as a rather flawed and closed individual, a product of an upbringing that was emotionally rather uptight or cold, and a world that is quite prescriptive. I see her as a little bit lonely, closed off and seemingly in control, but unconsciously desperate for change and desperate to connect with someone. I ultimately think she's lovely, just totally in need of guidance. They both are. Ah, people are SO small and soft on the inside. It's nice to see George's walls break down through the series to reveal that a bit more.
Co-writers Mae and Joe have said they created a very detailed character outline for George - can you recall the sort of details which shaped her character? Were they useful?
They were so useful. Mae and Joe gave me a few pages of notes both about George, and different theories on love and addiction. It really helped me fast forward into their world and understand it much more deeply. The detail makes the whole world of the show feel more truthful too.
Is it typical to get so much detail ahead of a part?
It can really vary. It's always incredible though when you feel like the writer knows the character intimately and can see their life sprawling away outside of the show.
How did you and Mae achieve that level of intimacy to depict such a real relationship? Can you talk about the audition and rehearsal process?
When I first auditioned for the pilot we had to go again because we laughed too much for it to be useable. The rehearsal process for the show was relatively lengthy compared to a lot of jobs and was really helpful in allowing us to get used to being intimate with each other. Rehearsals allowed us to find that physical shorthand that happens between two people who know each other so well. It helps because once we came to filming we didn't have to second guess each other, that language had become more like second nature within the scenes.
The show has a really naturalistic feel - there is a lovely moment when the camera holds on you laughing when Mae tells George how she describes her inner sanctum... It feels like yours/George's reaction is spontaneous. Was there room for ad-libbing and genuine reaction on set or is the filming actually a more rigorous process in order to hit comedy beats?
It was a bit of a mix of the two. We talked about how people in comedies don't often laugh at each other. I love that the show relishes the moments where the characters laugh and find each other funny. Luckily, I genuinely find Mae very funny, so it's not hard to translate that into the scenes.
How important is LGBTQ+ representation on screen?
Extremely. It's essential. TV shows are ultimately our way of understanding ourselves and exploring or sharing our experiences so everyone should be represented on and off screen; LGBTQ+ centric stories are still underrepresented.
Do you have a favourite line or scene from the show?
I love it when Binky says: "I hate comedy, it's so embarrassing." It's just ideal; I can't explain why. Ophelia Lovibond plays the part so beautifully.
I also love Sophie Thompson's line: "It's nice to have a little sit and a smell". Oh, it's hard to choose.
Also, when Mae says: "It will be nice to be alone with my thoughts." That sums up so beautifully the anxiety that arrives when you have nothing and no one to distract you from yourself.
You, Mae and Joe were already friends - you performed comedy with Joe at university and met Mae at the same time. What are the pros and cons of working with friends?
It's just really good. We just zoomed into comfort, and it made living up in Manchester, where we filmed, even more fun. It can mean that it's hard to be sincere or serious, but we managed it.
When the audience watches Feel Good on Channel 4 in the UK, what do you hope they take away from the show?
I think it would be nice for people to reflect on their own patterns of behaviour and see if any of it chimes with them: I get the impression a lot of us have unhealthy relationships with different people or things. Some are socially palatable or overlooked because they're useful to our system (shopping/spending/social media) but they're still addictions and can make us feel like shit. Ideally, they'll enjoy it, though. And laugh too.