Pooky Quesnel
| Pooky Quesnel | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Joanna Quesnel[1] 1964/1965 (age 50–51)[1] Eccles, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Actress, screenwriter, singer |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
Joanna Quesnel, known professionally as Pooky Quesnel, is an English actress, screenwriter and singer.
Background
Quesnel was raised in Eccles, Lancashire, along with her six siblings.[2] She read English at Oxford University before spending a year at drama school.[3] In the 1980s she performed in Humphrey Carpenter's Vile Bodies band at the Ritz Hotel, and performed in a tribute concert to him following his death in 2005.[3][4]
In 2003 she began screenwriting, producing scripts for Doctors and Family Affairs,[2][5] appearing in the latter as Diane Short. She practices kick boxing, tai chi and flamenco.[1]
Career
She played Dr Monica Broome in the first series of Cardiac Arrest and DC Grace Harris in the first two series of Thief Takers.[1] She had a recurring role in the third series of Cold Feet as Emma Keaton and returned to medical dramas in 2006, playing Dr Christine Whelan in The Golden Hour. In 2007 she starred as Nita in the BBC One series True Dare Kiss,[2][5][6] and later that year began a recurring role in EastEnders as Rachel Branning, taking over the character from Sukie Smith. In February 2008 she played the spoken title role in a City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra production of Stravinsky's Perséphone, broadcast on BBC Radio 3.[7] In July 2008, she appeared in an episode of the ITV murder mystery series, Midsomer Murders as journalist Julie Benson,[8] and in an episode of George Gently entitled "The Burning Man", playing the character Wanda Lane. In March 2010 she appeared as Maureen in BBC One's second series of Five Days. She also played the spaceship captain in the Doctor Who' 2010 Christmas special, "A Christmas Carol".[9] In November 2010 she appeared as Christopher Eccleston's character's wife in Jimmy McGovern's Accused.[10] She has also played a pregnant woman in an episode of Not Going Out.[11] She currently plays the character of Olga Fitzgerald, Geography teacher and Headteacher Vaughn Fitzgerald's estranged wife in BBC's Waterloo Road.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Hawk | WPC Clarke | Film debut |
| A Woman's Guide to Adultery | Francie | ||
| 1994 | Cardiac Arrest | Dr Monica Broome | 1 series, 1994 |
| Finney | Carol | ||
| 1996 | Thief Takers | DC Grace Harris | 2 series, 1996–1997 |
| 1998 | The Ambassador | Liz | 1 episode ("Nine Tenths of the Law") |
| 1999 | A Christmas Carol | Maude | |
| 2000 | Innocents | Michaela Willis | |
| The Mrs Bradley Mysteries | Delilah Hicks | 1 episode ("The Worsted Viper") | |
| Sunburn | Josie Daley | 1 episode (Series 2, Episode 7) | |
| City Central | Zora | 1 episode ("Respect") | |
| Cold Feet | Emma Keaton | 4 episodes (Series 3, Episodes 4, 6, 7, 8) | |
| 2001 | Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years | Eleanor Flood | 2 episodes (Episodes 5 and 6)[12] |
| The Inspector Lynley Mysteries | Stepha Odell | 1 episode ("A Great Deliverance") | |
| The Armando Iannucci Shows | 1 episode ("Imagination") | ||
| Family Affairs | Diane Short | 2001–2002 Nominated, British Soap Award for Best Actress, 2002 | |
| Doctors | Angela Crowther | 1 episode ("Bring Me Sunshine") | |
| 2003 | Holby City | Melanie Knox | 1 episode ("House of Cards") |
| The Bill | Jo Fox | 1 episode (Series 19, Episode 99) | |
| 2004 | Monarch of the Glen | Kelly McGee | 1 episode (Series 6, Episode 6) |
| 2005 | Doctors | Rebecca Dobson | 1 episode ("When Two Become One") |
| Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee | Bea | ||
| The Golden Hour | Dr Christine Whelan | ||
| Walk Away and I Stumble | Suzi | ||
| 2006 | Holby City | Jill Pearce | 1 episode ("Invasion") |
| 2007 | Skins | Claire | 1 episode ("Jal") |
| Recovery | Homeowner | ||
| Oh Happy Day | Fern | Feature film | |
| True Dare Kiss | Nita McKinnon | ||
| Suburban Shootout | Penny Hawthorne | 2 episodes ("Fight Club" and "In it For the Wild Life") | |
| EastEnders | Rachel Branning | Recurring role, 2007—2010 | |
| 2008 | Midsomer Murders | Julia Benson | 1 episode ("Midsomer Life") |
| Inspector George Gently | Wanda Lane | 1 episode (The Burning Man)[13] | |
| Casualty | Pennie Ashton | 1 episode ("Guilt Complex") | |
| 2009 | Ashes to Ashes | Ruth Irvine | 1 episode (Series 2, Episode 1) |
| The Bill | Maria Walmsley | 1 episode ("Down South") | |
| Criminal Justice | Amelia Rose | 4 episodes (Series 2, Episodes 2, 3, 4, 5) | |
| Enid | Theresa Blyton | ||
| 2010 | Five Days | Maureen Hardy[14][15] | |
| Accused | Carmel Houlihan | 1 episode ("Willy's Story") | |
| New Tricks | Lady Catherine Bryant | 1 episode ("Good Morning Lemmings") | |
| Moving On | Lynne | 1 episode ("Sauce for the Goose")[16] | |
| Doctor Who | The Captain | 1 episode ("A Christmas Carol") | |
| 2011 | Shameless | Sandra Brown | 1 episode (Series 8, Episode 7) |
| Ideal | Donna | 1 episode Series 7 episode 5 | |
| Casualty | Emma Davies | 1 episode ("Starting Out") | |
| Top Boy | Dr. Jenny Northam | ||
| The Body Farm | Sarah Haines | 1 episode ("You've Got Visitors") | |
| Scott and bailey | siân cook | 1 episode | |
| 2012 | Silent Witness | Helen Karamides | 1 episode ("Paradise Lost" parts 1 & 2) |
| 2013 | Truckers | ||
| 2014 - 2015 | Waterloo Road | Olga Fitzgerald | |
| 2016 | Father Brown | Ruth Moore | Episode 4.8 "The Resurrectionists" |
Stage work
| Year | Production | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Sweet Sessions | The Dark Lady | Old Fire Station, Oxford[17] |
| 1993 | Don't Fool with Love | Peasant Girl | National tour |
| A Month in the Country | Verochka | Salisbury Playhouse | |
| Billy Liar | Rita | Salisbury Playhouse[18] | |
| 1995 | Racine's Andromache, adapted by Craig Raine | Annette LeSkye | Almeida Theatre[19][20] |
| 1997 | Jane Eyre | Bertha | Shared Experience theatre company at the Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, Young Vic Theatre, London, and touring[21] |
| 1998 | Anna Karenina | Kitty and Seriozha | Brooklyn Academy of Music's Majestic Theater,[22] Lyric Hammersmith |
| 2003 | Present Laughter | Monica | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford,[23] King's Theatre, Glasgow[24] |
| 2004 | Loot | Fay | Bristol Old Vic[25] |
| 2005 | Romeo and Juliet | Lady Capulet | Royal Exchange Theatre[26] |
| 2005 | Sitting Pretty | New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich[27] | |
| 2008 | Perséphone | Persephone | City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra |
References
- 1 2 3 4 Malins, Sue (21 November 1996). "I got a real gun too easily; Pooky Quesnel.". The Mirror. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- 1 2 3 "Pooky Quesnel plays Nita". True Dare Kiss Press Pack. BBC. 18 June 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- 1 2 Dempster, Nigel (4 April 1993). "All's fair in love for Pooky". Mail on Sunday. p. 47.
- ↑ "Music for a Wizard Whizz". BBC Radio 3. 1 October 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2008.
- 1 2 Wylie, Ian (12 July 2007). "Pooky's real sister act". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Deacon, Michael (29 June 2007). "Last night on television". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Brown, Geoff (28 February 2008). "CBSO/Oramo at Symphony Hall, Birmingham". The Times. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- ↑ "Midsomer Murders - Midsomer Life". ABC1 (ABC Australia). 21 September 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (19 August 2010). "'Who' Christmas special cast announced". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Wylie, Ian (9 November 2010). "Christopher Eccleston: I owe my career to Jimmy McGovern". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ "Not Going Out 2013 Episode 2: Skiing".
- ↑ "Pick of the day; Adrian Mole: The Cappucino Years BBC1, 10.40pm". Evening Standard. 9 March 2001. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Watson, Keith (6 July 2008). "George Gently: The Burning Man - BBC1". Metro. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ "Batley's the star in new BBC drama". Batley & Birstall News. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ "Five Days - Maureen Hardy". BBC One. BBC. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ "Moving On – Sauce For The Goose". BBC Press Office. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ London theatre record, Volume 11, Issues 14-26
- ↑ Plays and players: Volumes 489-492; Volumes 494-500, 1993
- ↑ Plays international, Volume 11, Chancery Publications Ltd., 1995
- ↑ Plays and players, Issues 501-510. Hansom Books, 1996
- ↑ Teale, Polly; Brontė, Charlotte (1998). Jane Eyre (adaptation). Nick Hern Books. p. 5.
- ↑ Marks, Peter (13 November 1998). "Theater review; A Classic Russian Tale of Infidelity, Sparely Told". New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Koenig, Rhoda (18 March 2003). "Present Laughter, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford - The hyper philanderer". The Independent. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Cooper, Neil (27 February 2003). "Theatre - Present Laughter, King's Theatre, Glasgow". The Herald (Glasgow). Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Cavendish, Dominic (11 March 2004). "Orton still on the money". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ Walker, Lynne (14 September 2005). "Romeo And Juliet, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester". The Independent. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ↑ "Preview: Sitting Pretty". BBC Suffolk. February 2005. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
External links
- Official website
- Pooky Quesnel at the British Film Institute
- Pooky Quesnel at the Internet Movie Database
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