Charlotte Coleman

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Charlotte Coleman : biography

3 April 1968 – 14 November 2001

"The prime focus falls on Sylvie’s bright-eyed schoolgirl sister Lorna. Vividly brought to life by Charlotte Coleman, she’s both a droll chorus figure and an optimistic, surrogate victim. The play is tightly directed by new Bush supremo Dominic Dromgoole"Thaxter, John, Richmond & Twickenham Times, 12 April 1991."

Charlotte Coleman Scholarship Award

The New London Performing Arts Centre introduced the Charlotte Coleman Scholarship in 2003. A showcase event is held every November from which one performer is chosen to receive the award. All NLPAC members are eligible for the prize of a year’s classes in dance, drama and music. New London Performing Arts Centre

Roles

Film

  • "A Loving Act" (2001) … Det. Jane Thompson
  • Beautiful People (1999) … Portia Thornton
  • Bodywork (1998) … Tiffany Shades
  • If Only… (1998) aka Twice Upon a Yesterday … Alison Hayes
  • The Revengers’ Comedies (1998) aka Sweet Revenge … Norma
  • Different for Girls (1996) … Alison
  • The Young Poisoner’s Handbook (1995) … Winnie
  • Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) … Scarlett
  • Map of the Human Heart (1993) … Julie
  • Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale (1989) … Kate

Television

  • Double Act … Miss Debenham; 2 June 2002, BBC (writer: Jacqueline Wilson; director: Cilla Ware)
  • McCready and Daughter … Shelley Bennett in "No Bed of Roses" (1.5); Ecosse Films for BBC
  • How Do You Want Me? … Lisa Lyons; 24 February 1998 – 22 December 1999, Kensington Films & Television for BBC (writer: Simon Nye; director: John Henderson)
  • Wycliffe … Laura Kessell in "Bad Blood" (4.6); 3 August 1997, ITV (director: Alan Wareing)
  • Oliver’s Travels … Cathy; 1995, BBC Wales (writer: Alan Plater; director: Giles Foster)
  • The Vacillations of Poppy Carew … Mary; 5 March 1995, (director: James Cellan Jones)
  • Olly’s Prison … Sheila; May 1993, BBC (writer: Edward Bond; director: Roy Battersby)Battersby, Roy; The Guardian, 28 November
  • The Comic Strip Presents… … Patsy in "Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase"; 13 May 1993 (director: Peter Richardson)
  • The Bill … Sharon Palmer in "Happy Families" (8.93); 19 November 1992, ITV (director: Andrew Higgs)
  • Inspector Morse … Jessica White in "Happy Families" (6.2); 11 March 1992, Zenith Entertainment for ITV (director: Adrian Shergold)
  • Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit … Jess; 10–24 January 1990 (writer: Jeanette Winterson; director: Beeban Kidron) BFI ScreenOnline
  • Freddie and Max … Freddie Latham; 12 November – 18 December 1990 (director: John Stroud)
  • The Insurance Man … Seamstress; 22 February 1986, BBC (Writer: Alan Bennett; director: Richard Eyre) BFI ScreenOnline
  • Danger: Marmalade at Work … Marmalade Atkins; 20 February – 30 April 1984, Thames Television for ITV (writer: Andrew Davies; director: John Stroud)
  • Educating Marmalade … Marmalade Atkins; 25 October 1982 – 3 January 1983, Thames Television for ITV (writer: Andrew Davies; directors: John Stroud, Colin Bucksey)
  • Marmalade Atkins in Space … Marmalade Atkins; 2 November 1981, Thames Television for ITV (writer: Andrew Davies)
  • Worzel Gummidge … Sue Peters; 25 February 1979 – 31 October 1981, Southern Television for ITV (writers: Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall; directors: James Hill and David Pick) BFI ScreenOnline

Personal life

In 1987 Coleman’s then boyfriend Jonathan Laycock died as the result of a cycling accident; he was 23 years old. After his death Coleman went through periods of depression, and developed the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia; she also attended AA meetings because "she couldn’t bear being with all those fat people at Overeaters Anonymous".

It has been alleged by Louise Gannon that she had latterly begun to experiment with crack cocaine.Gannon 2002 (Daily Mail), p. 25, col. 2, para. 3 "her friends also say that she had started to experiment with crack cocaine towards the end of her life"Gannon 2002 (Elle), p. 179, col. 3, para. 6 "her friends also say that she had started to experiment with crack cocaine towards the end of her life" However her closest personal friend over the last two and a half years of her life has categorically refuted this claim.Benedict Brooke.

Death

On 13 November 2001 she visited her family where they watched a video together. Her father later stated that she had been in great spirits, because of her new flat in Holloway, North London, which she had decorated, and there was a possibility of a career upturn. Later that evening, she complained of feeling unwell, but went home to her flat against her parents’ advice. The next morning, Wednesday, 14 November 2001, her parents telephoned her to see if she was feeling better; but there was no reply. Concerned, her mother went to Charlotte’s flat, to find her lying unconscious on the floor; her asthma inhaler was in a different room. She was taken by ambulance to Whittington Hospital in North London, where she was pronounced dead on arrival, from a massive attack of bronchial asthma.

A memorial was held at the Mill Hill Buddhist Centre in North London later that month, attended by family and close friends.