Glynis Barber appeared in the 4th Series of Blake’s 7 as Soolin. Over the years Glynis has appeared in a number of TV series including Jane, Family Affairs, Prime Suspect and is perhaps best know for her co-starring role in Dempsey and Makepeace.
SA: Do you remember much about your guest appearance in the first series of Blake’s 7?
GB: I had just left drama school and it was actually my first television job. I worked with Stephen Greif and I played a creature called a Mutoid. I wore an all black leather outfit and a ridiculous rubber helmet. I remember there was a lot of clambering through caves but not a great deal more I’m afraid. But it was an enjoyable experience as far as it went. I think it helped me when I went back later as I knew the lie of the land.
SA: Did that lead to you getting the role of Soolin in Series 4?
GB: No. I think they had probably forgotten I’d played that part. It was a very minor role and totally different to the character I played later.
SA: How did you approach the part of Soolin?
GB: I wasn’t given a great deal of direction. I was given background notes on the character which explained that her family had been murdered and that she had then killed those responsible. This explained why she was so tough and unapproachable. Unfortunately this was never actually explained to the audience! I was actually quite stunned at how little I was given to go on. The emphasis was on action rather than character which, I suppose, was the nature of the series and the part I played.
SA: Do you think this was because Soolin was a late addition to the show?
GB: I think that was a big part of it, yes. Things certainly improved in the latter part of the series. I felt let down that my first episode was so weak in terms of introducing my character. They decided to focus on the guest star which left me on the sidelines. And of course you had all the special effects and four other regular characters all competing for something to do. I just got on with it.
SA: What do you remember about Geoffrey Burridge who played Dorian?
GB: He was a lovely man and he played the part so well. He was very dashing and had such a spark about him. I think the viewers preferred him; perhaps they should have asked him to stay on! I think Geoffrey would have been willing stay on actually. We were very fortunate in terms of the guest actors who came in for different episodes. We had Roy Kinnear, John Savident, Stratford Johns – people of that calibre. And they were all dying to do Blake’s 7!
SA: How did you get on with the other cast members?
GB: We all got on fantastically well. They were so warm and welcoming. I absolutely loved Josette Simon – we clicked straight away. There was a lot of laughter making Blake’s 7. There had to be or we’d have all gone mad!
SA: How do you feel the character progressed throughout the series?
GB: I don’t think there was any character development per se. I do think she mellowed and I tried to show her becoming a member of the crew rather than the outsider. As I said, I wasn’t given a lot to go on. I played her very tough in that first episode because I was keen to make some kind of impression in the few scenes I was given. I only had about 2 lines in the second episode; I came in at the very end. I found out recently that those first few scripts were written for Jan Chappell which explains the lack of development.
SA: What did you think of the costumes?
GB: It wasn’t a glamorous part by any means. The costumes had to be practical because we were constantly running though sandpits or quarries so we were all dressed in sort of jump-suits. The make up lady took pity on me and tried to do something different with my hair. I had a number of different hair-pieces. That was as close as I got to glamour!
SA: Do you have a favourite episode?
GB: Not really. It’s so long ago that it has all kind of merged into one. I do remember the one with Roy Kinnear (Gold) being great fun to make. Roy had us all in hysterics both on camera and off. I seem to recall that was also a good episode for my character. Naturally the last episode stands out too but for different reasons.
SA: Were you shocked when you read the final script?
GB: Not at all. The series I was in wasn’t even supposed to be made. It only came back because the public demanded it. So I think the BBC were determined to make sure it was the last one by killing us all off. There was a public outcry but they clearly succeeded in their mission.
SA: Would you have returned for another series?
GB: Probably not. I’ve always been wary of staying in anything for too long and the character I played had been explored about as much as possible within the constraints of the format. There was talk of bringing it back for a number of years but I was never approached directly.
SA: Are you surprised that people are still interested in Blake’s 7?
GB: It’s amazing. I haven’t been as close to it as Paul, Michael and some of the others but I’ve been bowled over by the reaction from the fans here today. I think the DVDs are introducing it to a whole new generation.
This article originally appeared in Scorpio Attack fanzine by Jonathan Helm
