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The Questionnaire - Kim Durham
26 June 2006
The man who plays Matt Crawford answers questions from listeners.
Kim Durham (Matt Crawford)
Matt and Kim
Which of Matt's character traits do you most admire, and do you share any similarities with the nastiest man in Ambridge?
Andrew Steen
I certainly admire his knack for making money - perhaps envy would be a better word. Some people have just got it, haven't they? Not me! I share Matt's taste for single malts and I guess I do like stirring it a bit.
You look so nice in your photo, but you're really horrible (but brilliant) as Matt. It must be a great role to play. What are you like really? Do you use a special voice for Matt?
Mary
(Tim Saville asked a similar question)
Well thank you, Mary. And you're right - he is great fun to play. The script writers write so well for him. What am I like? Really lovely - one of the nicest people I know. As for the voice. I have to admit, it's not quite my natural voice. When I first came in to play the part I was just recovering from bronchitis (no, really), but it seemed to work for the character. The next time I came in, some time later, they had to play the tape back to me so that I could hear what he sounded like. Over the years I've tried to make him a bit less gravelly and closer to my own voice.
How has playing Matt influenced your personal life; have you found [the character] and you have drawn closer over the years?
Helen Warmington
I'll always stick up for Matt. And, yes, I've grown pretty fond of him. We have very little really in common - no more than when I started playing him, I think. But I refuse to see him as the pantomime villain that a lot of people - in and out of Ambridge - want to paint him.
I think your portrayal of Matt is brilliant; by far the most fun character in The Archers! Did you model Matt on someone you had met in life, or is Matt to a certain extent based on your own persona?
Connie Montague
Thanks. He is sort of modelled on someone I heard being interviewed on the radio. I went so far as getting a picture of them to see what they looked like. Now, here's the magic of radio. Often when Archers listeners meet me in the flesh, I see this sort of disappointed look slip across their faces - "you don't look like you sound", they say. But when they are asked to describe what Matt looks like to them, he looks just like the guy in that picture. Spooky or what.
How would you deal with a person like Matt Crawford if you met him in real life?
Jane, teacher from Sheffield
You've been sitting patiently in the inside lane in the queue for the motorway slip road when a guy in a 4-by-4 comes racing up and starts to muscle in. That'll be a Matt. I never let them in - and if you're the driver two or three cars in front of me who always does let them in - don't do it again!
Some of us on The Archers message board think you actually come from East London/Essex. Is this right? (PS, as a great fan of your portrayal of Matt and the character himself, I can't wait until you diddle every smug Archer out of their last shilling ... good luck!)
Mike
I actually spent most of my youth in a rather posh part of Surrey, but a lot of my friends came from the nearby London overspill estates that were built in the 50s. As for your long term wish for Matt - yeah, I'm right with you!
Do you ever wish the scriptwriters would "mellow" your character a bit? Matt seems such a ruthless person, but I'm sure he must have a heart really. If so, would you enjoy portraying this side of him?
Mary
Mary, I think you've hit on the big issue about what to do with Matt from a scriptwriter's (and to some extent, actor's) point of view. I think the scriptwriters - and me - are trying to round him out a bit and make him less of a cardboard villain. On the other hand there's always the danger that the benign influence of Ambridge smoothes the edges off the rough diamonds (OK, maybe Matt's just rough) and makes them "nice". If Matt is to stick around - and, of course, as an actor you never quite know what the writers have got planned - I'd like to see him developing all his shades of good and bad, but never, Heaven help us, becoming "nice". I certainly hope Matt will never go in for the single wicket competition or take part in Linda Snell's amateur dramatics.
What is the hardest thing about playing Matt Crawford?
Gill
All the hisses and dirty looks I get from the other actors when I come into the green room. It's not my fault Matt wants to boot Pat and Tony out from their packing shed or develop executive housing estates in the green belt!
Matt the character
Has Matt got any concept of the misery and stress that he has and continues to put Ambridge villagers through, with his bulldozer/money-fixated attitude? Or is he completely oblivious, or worse, doesn't care?
Rosemary
Oh come on, Rosemary, they all need shaking up a bit, don't they? Matt is a necessary part of the ecology of the place. A bit of rationalisation here, a bit of maximising of potential there. Ambridge is supposed to be a working, income-generating community, not just a biscuit tin lid.
Why is someone who seems town-oriented so apparently keen on settling in the country?
Amanda Cowan
I bet the prettier parts of Borsetshire are full of people who make their money in London or Birmingham. And half of the countryside is owned by the City these days anyway.
Are your annual audited accounts up to date for Borchester Land and your other enterprises? Is there any chance that you may be maliciously reported to Crimestoppers by somebody who doesn't like you?
Dagmar Roberts
What are you insinuating! Matt has already passed that question on to his lawyers.
Matt and Lilian
You are a rich successful babe magnet in the prime of your life. Lillian is a gullible, needy, manipulative, bone-idle pensioner with a drink problem. Also she smells like an old ashtray and has a face like a cat in a wind tunnel. Surely you can do better for yourself?
Spleen Angel
You're certainly right that I'm a rich successful babe magnet in the prime of life. But you're talking about the woman I love - how dare you! Lillian knows how to enjoy life, looks half her age (there are some very good plastic surgeons in Jersey), still has a good body and knows how to use it. But what really turns him on is that, when push comes to shove, she can outsmart him. Look at the sneaky way she saw off Jade.
Matt is one of my favourite characters - he's loves being a big fish in the village pond. Do you think he will ever consolidate his position and marry into the Archer family? Why has he resisted so far?
Joanna Magiera
Naomi Batty, Beverly Fletcher, Michael Hender, Tisviv and Rosanne W asked similar questions
"Marry into the Archer family?" Come on, doesn't that thought just give you a shiver? Things are fine as they are. And it keeps the Pussycat on her toes and her hands off Matt's money.
Kim the actor
I imagine it is wonderful to play the part of such a Machiavellian character, never a dull moment when Matt is around, but... has there been anything in any of the storylines for Matt's character that has given you a "squirmy" moment?
Gennie Stone
AS from Norfolk asked a similar question
Naah! Not even the blood doping. But Sunny (Lillian) and I reckon there are some listeners out there who squirm at the thought of anyone over 50 having sex. This has been known to give us the giggles when we're getting passionate.
Do you get any say in how you are portrayed and do you think you'll be able to get your image modernised ?
Paul Johnson
Not sure I quite understand the question. Well, the first part I can answer. As the actor you can suggest storylines, and certainly how you play the part over time influences the way the writers write for your character. But in the end, it's down to the writers, directors and producer. As far getting Matt's image "modernised" - if you mean that the image of the businessman as rapacious villain might come across as a bit old hat, well, I guess, from the traditional "Ambridge" perspective he does seem very much a threat to a way of life.
Did you consciously choose to go into radio drama or were you prodded by colleagues and friends or simply were you discovered whilst working at a fringe venue!
Taras Nadvirny
To quote an old joke - I've got a great face for radio! Seriously, actors grab the work they can get. Years ago, when I was starting out, the BBC held regular radio auditions that any actor could apply for and I was lucky enough to pick up some work from one of those. So I always have done a lot of radio - as well as theatre and the occasional TV.
Do you do voiceovers for TV ads or children's programmes (eg Mr Men)? I'm sure I can hear your voice in other things!
Wildballoonlady
I wish. Do you know a good voice agent?
Were you the voice for Roland Rat?
Sheila Sparks
Any similarity between Matt and a rodent is purely coincidental.
Rogues and briefcases
Can you shed any light at all on the ****!!!! briefcase mystery? It doesn't matter if you can't, it created many happy "Listen Again" moments - probably one of the highlights of this year! [This refers to an incident when Matt tripped over a briefcase in the hall. Although he said "ruddy briefcase", many listeners thought they'd heard a much ruder word.]
Mircalla
Curious. I definitely said "ruddy briefcase", though the adjective I was thinking may have been different. The production team have to be very strict about the words that cannot be uttered on The Archers. I might sometimes say what Matt would really say at the read-through but never in the studio. Honest.
No questions, just heaps of praise for the way that you and the writers have developed the role and made Matt such a fascinating character - a real mix of comedy and dastardliness. Mephistopheles! Love the voice and the accent. And now we have to feel sorry for his loveless upbringing. Great stuff! The rogues of Ambridge are always the most entertaining. Bet you really enjoy the recordings.
Moth-eaten Moggie
Thanks very much. A great note to end on. Much appreciated. I do think I'm very lucky to be playing Matt and I always excitedly tear open the script package when it arrives to find out what I'm up to next. Glad you're enjoying it as much as I am.
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