December 2003 interview from "Scottish Field" magazine in which Barbara discusses her career and her role in "Fame - The Musical" at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
FAME! REMEMBER MY NAME!
Barbara Dickson may have been a stranger to Scotland in recent years, yet few will have forgotten this popular Dunfermline-born singer and actress who is about to don leg-warmers for a Happy Christmas and Hogmanay in our capital city. Interview by Bridget McGrouther.
Fame has attracted Barbara Dickson to the bright lights of Edinburgh once again, just as it did when at the tender age of 17, she left her Dunfermline home to sing in the folk clubs of the capital city. Yet now, nearly 40 years on, the popular singer and actress is returning to her beloved Scotland to star in 'Fame - The Musical' with Hear'Say's Noel Sullivan.
Barbara Dickson (56) is delighted to have the opportunity to return to her home city and can't wait to spend Christmas and New Year in Scotland with her family - husband, BBC director Oliver Cookson, who is 11 years her junior, and their three sons Gabriel (17), Colm (15) and Archie (13). It's the first time Barbara, who now lives in Lincolnshire, has enjoyed a Scottish Hogmanay since 1972!
'I really miss Scotland,' admits Barbara. 'I miss the space, the wildness, the culture in Edinburgh. I pine a lot for Scotland and come back for fixes - either on my own or with my family for holidays.
'I would love to get a flat in Edinburgh, but my husband is loath to come to Scotland as he works in Yorkshire and London and they're too far away.
'Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in Northumberland St now?' she adds wistfully. 'My rent used to be about £2 a week!'
Her day job in those early beginnings was as a clerical officer at the Registrar General's, recording causes of death. When her big break came to sing in Denmark, the Civil Service refused to give her leave. Thus, in 1968, she took the plunge and turned professional.
Her late father, who worked at the Rosyth dockyard when she was a girl, said at the time; 'That's the most stupid thing anyone has ever done - think about the pension!' but it didn't dissuade Barbara from following what turned out to be a highly successful career in singing and the theatre. Her string of hits include Caravan Sang, Another Suitcase in Another Hall and January, February, as well as the greatest-selling duet ever: I Know Him So Well. sung with Elaine Paige, who is still one of her best friends.
It was in her mother's home town of Liverpool that Barbara's stage career took off when she was invited to sing Beatles' numbers in Willv Russell's John, Paul, George, Ringo... and Bert in 1974. She has since won two Olivier Awards, firstly for her portrayal of Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell's powerful Blood Brothers and most recently for her role as pools winner Viv Nicholson in Spend, Spend, Spend.
To top it all in 2001, she received the OBE for 'Services to Music and Drama'- Barbara was allowed to take her three sons to Buckingham Palace.
'I was able to say: 'I'll see you in two weeks, Your Majesty' as I was singing at a private party at Windsor Castle,' Barbara laughs. 'I thought it would be quiet, but it wasn't - the audience was warm and generous. The Queen was sitting very near and smiled a lot. I sang the Skve Boat Song tor her.'
It's clear by the bubbly way she talks about her sons that family life is extremely important to Barbara. She has continued to work throughout bringing up her children, but even though the boys are at boarding school, she doesn't ever like to be awav from home for too long. Her sons are all musical, though ironically, Barbara doesn't seem particularly keen that any ot them should be lumbered with the trappings of fame.
'At home I am totally outnumbered as even the hamster and cats are boys, so I need to go out with friends like Elaine Paige and Geraldine James when I crave female company'' Barbara laughs.
"To relax, I do tapestry and occasionally watch TV but when other people are sitting with their feet up, I'm usually busy talking on the phone or catching up with emails.'
Barbara admits she hasn't had a holiday this year, but does crave the sun and - despite her fear of flying - likes to go to the West Indies in winter.
