My favourite Doon Mackichan role is the one she plays in Toast of London, the staunchly upright but fizzingly ludicrous theatrical agent Joan Plough.
It’s not her own favourite – this comic, stand up, playwright and co-creator of Smack the Pony – hates to be confined behind a desk.
In this unconventional autobiography Mackichan considers the roles she has played, both on stage, tv, in film and in life. And it’s safe to say she has spent a lifetime kicking against the pricks.
Each chapter is prefaced by a casting call, summing up the ensuing story with a description of actress needed for a role. And in short, brilliantly written episodes, Mackichan tells us her own tale of unconventional womanhood.
She was a wild child, who became a ferociously political militant, thriving in Manchester in the 1980s. She became a stand up, in the early days of alternative comedy, which were not, she informs us, as enlightened as you might think.
Mackichan is not afraid to name names – so we find out who the good guys were – and which showbiz egos find it hard to step aside and give a woman space. Harry Enfield, Chris Morris and Arnando Iannucci get plaudits – David Baddiel and Ricky Gervais do not.
As well as the creative highs and lows, there are the practical problems of money, childcare and relationships. Mackichan takes us through the heart-breaking story of her son Louis, whose childhood leukaemia led to the disintegration of her family. Her emotional honesty is extraordinary – but what is even more rare, is her willingness to look at the social, economic and political realities of her own experience.
She’s brave, she’s fierce and she’s always fighting for a way for women to tell their stories in an honest way. For a working actress it’s a constant struggle and Mackichan is forensic in her examination of stereotypes – whether sexy secretary, bitch boss or nagging wife. In comedy women are too often ‘the feed’, while men get to deliver the jokes.
Women’s bodies are too often treated as props – and Mackichan has had enough. She has walked away from paid work rather than appear naked, dead or as a rape victim – and she is unflinching in describing the way crime drama in particular, unthinkingly exploits women.
It’s a serious book, not gossipy, but purposeful – and Mackichan’s opinionated honesty makes for a powerful page-turning read. It is gripping, outspoken and original – with a voice that burns with passion and fury.
The Me Too movement looms large over this book. You can feel it coming. And there is a sense that things have changed as a result. But Mackichan reminds us there is a long way to go. Women are still regarded as secondary, as stereotypes and as mere bodies – and popular culture needs to wake up and take notice.
