UK TV

Today’s Joanna Page is David Copperfield, in which she played Dickensian femme fatale Dora Spenlow – her first big role if you ignore the important part of “Servant” (not to be confused with “Servant” or indeed “Servant”) in Mike Figgis’ somewhat dry and empty yet sexed-up Strindberg adaptation Miss Julie. David Copperfield and Miss Julie mark the beginning of her costume drama period, which includes The Cazalets, To The Ends of the World, The Lost World and, of course, Aladdin at the Old Vic with Sir Ian McKellen, where she played ‘Panky’.

Dickens and I never used to get on together. Sure, everyone loves A Christmas Carol: that’s a truism. But after struggling manfully with Bleak House at school and my mother’s copy of Pickwick Papers at home, I decided I didn’t like him – too florid, the characters too grotesque and the Kingsley-esque character naming a major irritant.

But David Copperfield changed all that and we’ve never looked back. I’m going to rabbit on more about it after the break, to save you from spoilers, although the book’s 160 years old now – is that the longest ‘spoiler warning’ I’ve given so far?