Michael Bertenshaw Interview

Michael Bertenshaw played the mysterious plumber Vine in series three of C.A.B, appearing from episode two.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the third series of C.A.B I contacted Michael Bertenshaw to see if he would like to answer a few questions about his time as Vine on the third series. Michael replied saying 'Making C.A.B. was huge fun! Honoured!'. I thought up some questions and duly sent them over to him.

Many thanks goes to Michael for his time in answering these questions and sharing his memories of his time working on the series. Hope you all enjoy the interview, it's a fascinating read.

You can find out more about Michael on his website www.michaelbertenshaw.com and find him on Twitter

The interview is below, in his own words.

1) How did you get the role of Vine? How was the series portrayed to you before filming?
So far as I can remember, my agent (Acting Agent)(Not Secret Agent) would have seen a published breakdown of casting requirements for "C.A.B. a children's TV serial", he'd have spotted a character called Vine whose description must have made him think, "I suppose Michael might be good for that." So he'd have suggested me for the part (in those days before email, he would have sent a covering letter, a cv and a publicity photo all by snail mail). The casting director would probably have received hundreds of similar suggestions because there are hundreds of agents and thousands of actors and not much work around! She'd have sifted through the suggestions and selected a handful to show to the director who'd have chosen half a dozen of the actors to come in and meet him. No idea why I was included – photo? previous work? But I went along to Thames Teddington studios and met Neville Green the director and we chatted and sparked off each other so that by the end of the week the part was offered. It may be because I was perfect for the part or because all the other actors were awful or because he'd offered it to someone else who by the end of the meeting had decided he didn't want to do it! Or had been offered a better job elsewhere. Who knows?! As an actor, one never quite knows! And it's better not to dwell on it! So there you are, that's more of an insight into the casting process as a whole rather than an answer to the question of how I got the role of Vine! As for "How was the series portrayed . . ?" again recollections are hazy but Neville would have described his vision of it – which was a vision of how the series was! A kids' spy story with riddles and clues and with lots of magical and mysterious elements demanding resourceful low-budget special effects – Neville had lots of energy and infectious enthusiasm and was like a kid with a train set, thinking of how things would look and how he could solve production problems on a small budget. I think he was a designer as much as a director.

2) What did you think of your character Vine and the storyline for the series as a whole? Were you pleased that Vine turned out to be a 'good' character by the end of the series?
Vine was a bit of an enigma and had to be portrayed ambiguously so that there was an element of suspense – was he a goodie or a baddie?? That was quite fun. I was never absolutely sure myself what the story was all about or who exactly he was. He disappeared (literally) at the end, walking across the bridge into Hampton Court Palace. So he was clearly supernatural in some way, but, again so far as I can remember, not particularly bright nor particularly instrumental in the forwarding of the plot. That was partly because it was a Kids programme, and the kids had to be the bright ones whilst the adults were all a bit slow on the uptake! Kids rule!! It was quite nice that he turned out to be 'good' but in acting terms it's also great fun to be 'bad'!

3) What was it like and do you have any particular memories of working with the younger cast members: Felipe Izquierdo (Colin Freshwater), Ben Felton (Jace Freshwater) and Tracey McDonald (Tracey Barnes)?
They were great. Lively, fun and focussed. By the time I got involved (Series 3) they were old-timers, veterans of two previous series, used to working with cameras and familiar with the crew and comfortable with their characters' friendship group dynamic. All of them had done more telly than me! So they knew what they were up to and how much to do, when to have a laugh and when to concentrate. I was particularly impressed by the conviction they were able to bring to their explanations of some of the riddles. They would deliver lines that left me totally befuddled as if they made perfect sense!! Respect!! Neville used to tell us to keep it pacey so that people didn't have time to think too much about what had just been said! (Oh! Correction! I've just fact-checked on your site and see that whereas Felipe was a veteran of two previous series, Ben and Tracey were new to it all. Well .... I'm gobsmacked!)(They were great!)(They had more filming days than me so more opportunity to refine their art!)

4) What was it like working with the other adult cast members: Frank Gatliff (Mr Hellman), John Vine (Robert) & Judith Paris (Eleanor)?
They were great too. I didn't share that many scenes with John and Judith – the more obvious Kids Show Baddies, John in his biker gear and Judith as Queen Elizabeth I (kind of) – but they were good and I'd worked previously with Judith at the RSC. How bizarre is that. Nice to see her again. I also have memories of laughing with David Janes, who played the fake policeman, detectable by the fact that he wore trainers (bit of a give-away!)(the rest of his costume being full Bobby outfit with tall helmet). But that's confusing because according to your records he wasn't in series 3. Hmm. That's as mysterious as the series itself! Why did we overlap?

But my favourite was Frank Gatliff. I'd seen his work before. He'd cornered the market in sneering, supercilious butler types, tetchy and totally lacking in humour. In life he was the complete opposite, very friendly, very patient, very funny, given to fits of giggles and very good with the younger cast. He was great.

5) What was it like working with the crew, the producer and director (Neville Green) and Executive producer (Charles Warren). Did you also meet the writer of the series (John Kershaw) during filming?
The crew in general were great. Friendly enough but mainly just got on with it. Always a good atmosphere on set. I think it was quite a good gig for them because there are rules protecting younger actors from working long hours, so days were of a very civilised length compared to the punishing hours you work in adult drama!

I don't recall meeting the writer or executive producer.

Neville, the director, I've referred to above as being like a kid with a train set. He took great delight in his directing, always enthusiastic and good humoured and particularly happy when he had to do some green-screen work or have explosions or make things appear or disappear usually involving smoke and camera lock-offs. I remember one scene had to have Vine climbing up a tall ladder then falling the length of it to land on his back on the floor. "How are we going to do that, then?" I said. "Ah," he said – then described how he'd got the workshop lads to build a vertical bit of floor (so it was like a wall) that a ladder was attached to, then there were wheels on the other end of the ladder so that if I stood astride the ladder and waved my arms around as if falling, the crew could push the floor/wall and ladder along between my legs till the floor/wall contacted my back, then if he filmed that with the camera on its side it would look like I was falling. "Right," I said, dubiously. Sadly I never saw the result but I expect it worked a treat!

6) How long did it take to rehearse and film an individual episode and the series as a whole? I understand that the series was filmed during the summer of 1987, can you remember anything more about when and where the series filmed? What was it like filming outside at Hampton Court Palace?
I don't remember how long it all took. I would have been involved some days and not others, and as far as I remember there were no rehearsals other than run-throughs on set. And I don't remember where we filmed it. Probably mainly in a studio set in Teddington. And outside the entrance to Hampton Court. That was nice as a day out! Pleasant weather, so much like filming anywhere else apart from having to adjust shots to cut out rubber-necking tourists. I think along with the real Queen's Beasts there was an art department mock-up of an eleventh beast that was extraordinarily convincing when placed next to the originals.

7) Did you watch any of the episodes when they aired on TV or since?
I don't think I caught more than a couple at the time. It was nice to follow the links to the clips you've put up on YouTube. I particularly enjoyed the special-effect-heavy scene (a lot of noise and smoke!) where Eleanor tries to grab the Queen's Beast and starts turning into stone, and Vine throws himself to the ground yelling "Nooo!" (?!) and Robert keeps getting thrown into the air near a stained-glass window. Neville had a ball with that one!! It rivals what I remember of the Doctor Who series of the time!

8) How do you feel the programme turned out – were you pleased with the final result? Do you feel the audience would have enjoyed and understood the storyline with it's many mysteries, clues and riddles?
What I saw was certainly compelling. The characters are strong and very endearing. It's great seeing the kids being brighter than the adults – always good and empowering in family fare.

I'm sure the audience would have enjoyed the storyline, but I suspect they'd have had trouble following it! I think they'd have thought, as I did, "Well those kids are obviously very clever! I haven't a clue what they were talking about just then but they've obviously solved that bit and saved the day so onwards and upwards and hooray for them!!" But a lot of adult programmes are like that too! (Or is it just me?)

9) Did you keep any mementoes or keepsakes of the show (any props, photographs, scripts etc)?
Naaah. Fond memories now you've stirred them up, but nothing tangible.

10) Do you think the series would appeal to children today and why? Would you like to see a commercial release of C.A.B. on DVD so it can be enjoyed by children (and grown ups) again?
I think children today would love it, yes. It's a bit dated, obviously, but fun and with a strong set of feisty, intelligent kids who win out against bad adults.

I wouldn't personally hope for a re-release cos I'm not quite comfortable with looking at the younger hopeful me of thirty years ago. Also there's one scene where Vine's night-camouflage make-up is so extreme he looks like a minstrel act! That was not conscious obviously but it'd be a tad awkward in the modern age!

11) What TV/Film/Theatre or other projects are you currently working on?
Bits n bobs. I've a website at www.michaelbertenshaw.com but I'm not very good at updating it.

12) Have you any other comments you'd like to add or messages to those who remember the series?
It's difficult because you clearly remember it as a great series, where I remember it as a great job! I didn't really follow the series as transmitted but I very much enjoyed my involvement in the process of making it. Nice that you've built this fan site! Glad it has its followers. Weird to think that the child-stars will now be the age I was when I played Vine, and that the actor who played Vine (i.e. me) is now an old codger well into his seventies! Still at it. It looks like Colin (Felipe) carried on in the biz till the new millennium then decided to do something more sensible! Tracey (Tracey) dropped out soon after. And Ben did an episode of The Bill the following year then hopefully got a real life! I have one daughter who's a lecturer in animal behaviour, another who's a vet, another who played a couple of TV parts while still at school but decided it wasn't a thing she wanted to pursue, and another who is just about to emerge as a rock diva. Funny old world. I hope the young stars of C.A.B. are well and thriving, whatever they're up to. And that the fans of the series are well and thriving, whatever they're up to! And you!

Michael Bertenshaw