In six months Abigail Lawrie has gone from school plays to BBC drama. Fiona Adams meets the young Strawberry Hill actress tipped for the top
Last summer a friend told me that her daughter Abigail had won a part in a new TV drama, but that it was still top secret. Thinking ahead, I put in an early interview request. Pop round for coffee when the time comes, I reckoned, have a little chat and off we go.
As things turned out, however, it wasn’t quite that simple. In the intervening six months, Abigail had acquired an agent, an entry on the International Movie Database and words of praise from the likes of Radio Times, where Kasia Delgado wrote that she could “watch her all day”. Nor was Abigail’s ‘part’ a mere walk-on, walk-off affair: it was that of Krystal Weedon, the pivotal role in a BBC adaptation of JK Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy.
The book, a first foray into ‘adult’ fiction by its celebrated author, explores the lives of a community in fictional Pagford. The pretty village is adjacent to the rather less picturesque The Fields, a housing estate where Krystal lives with her drug addict mother and young brother. The layers of the story unfold as a battle ensues over a vacant parish council seat.
So, the quick coffee at home scheme was out. As befits the representative of an emerging TV star, Abigail’s agent was insistent that we meet ‘officially’ on local turf, in a Teddington café.
Abigail herself is very different from Krystal (left). Slight, quite shy, make-up free and very smiley, she is about to turn 18 and in her final year at Harrodian in Barnes. She was eight when she discovered a love for drama, joining Stagecoach in Aberdeen. Moving to Strawberry Hill six years later, she continued to act, impressing in school plays.
“My drama teachers asked me if I wanted to try to do something outside of school and perhaps get an agent,” she explains. “So I joined Gordon and French and they put me up for the role of Krystal. It seemed crazy when I got it. No one in my family is in this kind of industry. I couldn’t wait to start, but it was nerve-racking. I had such a good time though. Everyone was so helpful.”
The impressive cast includes Michael Gambon, Julia McKenzie, Keeley Hawes, Rufus Jones and Rory Kinnear. Director Jonny Campbell, best-known for the award-winning Eric and Ernie, was especially helpful in developing the character of Krystal, whom scriptwriter Sarah Phelps describes as “the beating heart of the story… battling her social, political and economic environment… a contemporary Tess of the d’Urbervilles.”
“Krystal is more complex than she first appears, and it’s easy for people to judge her,” explains Abigail. “She’s been through a lot. She is still a child, only 16, yet has to cope with her mum and younger brother. The story is quite heartbreaking. Jonny had a clear idea of who Krystal was and I was always trying to develop her.”
Abigail had never played such a troubled character before, so her convincing portrayal is even more impressive.
“Some of the emotional stuff was quite hard, but I had a lot of fun,” she reflects.
With such an illustrious cast and author, the three-part series is bound to attract scrutiny. Does Abigail feel ready to be famous?
“I haven’t really thought about that side of it. It’d be weird if people started to recognize me. When I was filming, I never thought about it going on TV. Obviously I knew it would, but it didn’t seem real at that stage!”
She has already seen the first episode twice, but will view it again with her family at home.
“The first time, I was anticipating what was coming. I was so nervous, I couldn’t really concentrate. But the second time I felt more relaxed and took it all in. It was weird watching myself, but I guess that’s something I’ll have to get used to.”
Aside from a great experience, did Abigail take anything else from Krystal?
“Her shorts!” she laughs. “They’re great. I might wear them on the last day of term!”
And with that, a glorious screen career beckoning, Abigail Lawrie departs. To revise for her A levels.
The Casual Vacancy shows on BBC One, Sundays 9pm