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Eyes
Down - Sheridan Smith is Sandy
"I
liked her straight away," says Sheridan Smith about Sandy,
the pregnant character she plays in Eyes Down.
"She
is so sweet and endearing; she's just young and naïve.
"I've
played other roles in the past which are streetwise and naughty,
so it was fantastic to get inside the character of someone completely
different to who I am and what I've done before.
"Sandy's
job is to run over with a microphone in her hand and check that
people's bingo claims are genuine. She has a boyfriend, 'My Terry',
and they're a really sweet couple.
"She
just gets it wrong over and over again and says the most stupid
things.
"I
really wanted to try and capture her. And I love this kind of comedy."
Sheridan
- who is best known for her roles as Janet in Two Pints of Lager
and a Packet of Crisps and as Emma in The Royle Family - not only
had to overcome the temptation to burst into laughter during filming
but also get used to playing a heavily pregnant lady.
"It's
been very weird running around with a bump. A prosthetic tummy has
been made for me, which is so real - it even has my little mole
next to my belly button.
"People
have been coming up and asking me if I've been getting broody, but
it's actually making me go the other way.
"It's
bizarre wandering around with a big bump in front of me, but it's
a new challenge."
Another
challenge for Sheridan has been affecting her accent.
"I
was told that I could keep my Manchester accent, but because there
are so many Scousers in the cast I wanted to be a Scouser too.
"As
it happens, I did a production of The People are Friendly at the
Royal Court with Michelle Butterly, who plays Pamela in Eyes Down.
"The
play was set in Birkenhead, which meant that I had to do a Scouse
accent for that, so I decided to stick with it for this too.
"I'm
quite nervous as to what genuine Scousers might say, but I think
it's worked pretty well."
On
the set of Eyes Down, Sheridan was the baby of the group, which
was a cause of trepidation at first.
"I
had no idea that Michelle Butterly had auditioned for and got the
part of Pamela in Eyes Down.
"Once
Michelle heard the part was hers, she sent me a text message, and
it really cheered me up.
"I
was so reassured having someone I knew at the read-through, because
they're such scary things to do.
"But
even the read-through here was fine because everyone was just so
friendly."
Now,
however, Sheridan is clearly relishing working with the Eyes Down
cast, irrespective of the age differences.
"This
is a truly great bunch of actors; I'm having such a laugh.
"After
the first read-through, we all went to the pub and bonded, and it
really wasn't long before we all clicked.
"Of
course, I was apprehensive at the first recording. When I started
with studio audiences, I always found it a bit weird, because you
want to play to the audience and yet the cameras are right there
on top of you, so it's a mixture of both disciplines - it takes
lot of getting used to.
"I
get really nervous before recording and I start biting my nails.
But once I'm out there, I love it. Seeing the enjoyment on people's
faces is brilliant."
One
thing which her upbringing didn't teach her were the ins and outs
of bingo playing, something which Sheridan is now making up for.
"I
went to bingo with some of the cast," Sheridan says.
"It's
unbelievable how seriously everyone takes it. I'd never been before,
and so you think it's a bit far fetched when you hear all the stories
of superstition and luck, but they're all true.
"On
the night I went there was a lady who made some man move because
he was sat in her lucky seat. We were having such a laugh.
"I
didn't win the bingo, but I won £25 on the bandits. I was
about three numbers behind - it was really hard to keep up.
"I
have a bingo card now and I'm a bingo member, so I can go to anytime,
any place. It's so addictive. I don't have time to go now, but it'd
be fun to go again in the future."
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