Coming up on the Picture Show tonight Mandie Fletcher talks to Phillip about new release Absolutely Fabulous.
Rumour has it that the movie was the product of a bet between Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French. Mandie says “I think it must be true because it takes a whole heap of something to make Jennifer write a script! I can only think it was because of that bet that she actually got around to doing it.”
The story continues that Dawn French, who originally conceded to having lost the bet, but looked at the script closely and noticed there was nothing beyond page 35.
Fletcher says; “To be honest, having directed it, it was quite probably like that for a few months.”
Speaking about the original Absolutely Fabulous television series, Fletcher commented that; “Most comedies, most dramas, are about relationships and yet this is about a friendship. It’s rather unique that these trainwrecks of women have stuck together for twenty five years! That’s what I loved about the television series.”
The plot of the movie is centred around Patsy (Joanna Lumley) and Edina (Jennifer Saunders) who endure a media storm when Edina accidentally seems to murder Kate Moss. Mandie hailed Moss’ professionalism: “She just brought bags of charisma, honestly I’m desperately fond of her.”
Absolutely Fabulous features a plethora of cameos from famous faces such as Joan Collins, Jon Hamm and Alesha Dixon, Fletcher speaks about the process. “The problem is, they’re all busy people and that played havoc with the schedule. When someone else stands in, they make it their own. Thankfully we have Jennifer - who can rewrite things quickly for someone different so we always sit back at the end and say ‘Wow that went well didn’t it?”
Mandie Fletcher’s experience in television and film is second to none with immense projects like Only Fools and Horses and Blackadder on her list of completed works. She also teased an upcoming Disney film she’s working on that will centre around a pug!
The Picture Show airs on Newstalk every Saturday from 6pm to 7pm.
