One of the first celebrity supermodels, Twiggy's doe eyes, Bambi limbs and gamine figure made her an icon of the Sixties. This was the era of liberation which some predicted would lead to the collapse of morality and the onset of anarchy, while others revelled in the promise of a Shavian utopia where temptation and opportunity came in equal measure.
Given the part, Twiggy played in the decade of emancipation, it is a subtle move on behalf of theatre director Peter Hall to cast her in Shaw's play Mrs. Warren's Profession. In this latest production, Twiggy is Mrs Warren, a wise, middle-aged madam, who, having fought for survival, wants only the best for her daughter Vivie. When, however, well-educated and independent Vivie, discovers how her privileges have been financed, the confrontation between mother and daughter exposes seismic contradictions at the heart of Victorian society.
To learn more I visit Twiggy at the comfortable London apartment she shares with her husband, actor and director Leigh Lawson. As the door opens, I notice that time, far from marching, has in fact been dawdling along for Twiggy. The face which launched a thousand magazine covers is sporting a funky new short hairstyle - "By Fred at Michaeljohn," she reveals in an accent still bearing traces of her native north London.
"He's French, one of the great cutters. I told him, 'Oh go on, cut it short'. When he'd finished I nearly died, but it's so easy to deal with. I love it now."
She makes me a cup of coffee and leads me into the office, the walls of which are covered with photographs of her and her husband with everyone from Bing Crosby to David Bowie. Relaxed in T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, she is so unaffected and natural than in minutes we are girly-gossiping. I ask how she has retained her porcelain skin and how she stays in such good shape. 
"Regular moisturising," she replies. "I have always had dry skin, so last year I launched my own range of alcohol-free skin care.
"I go to the gym, do Pilates and take tap-dancing lessons. I first learned to tap dance when I appeared in The Boy Friend in 1971. Then, 12 years later I spent 18 months on Broadway in the musical My One And Only. That's when I really learned what a wonderful exercise tap-dancing is for the body and the mind."
The term "not just a pretty face" could have been coined for Twiggy. Having been launched in a profession where your looks are your fortune - and your downfall - she has worked continuously. Having metamorphosed from model to dancer, singer and actress, she has worked with the great names of stage and screen from London to Broadway. Mrs Warren's Profession has been on nationwide tour since May.

Of Peter Hall she enthuses:
"The man's a genius. He's so clever and perceptive on Shaw, it's like going to a master-class every day. I mean, you can't pay for something like this and they're actually paying me!" she concludes with her distinctive and infectious laugh.
On the question of George Bernard Shaw she is positively animated. Having already played Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, she is particularly aware of the subtle nuances in Shaw's work and their relevance to today's audiences.
"It's extraordinary, although this man wrote the play in 1893 it is a voice for women! But it is not simply about women's liberation it's also an exploration of the difficult relationship between different generations and the class system. It must have been extraordinarily provocative during the Victorian era. In fact, when it was first staged in America in 1905, the entire cast was arrested!"
As the mother of Carly, who is now 24 and an animator, has Twiggy brought her own experiences as a mother to the role.
"The relationship between Mrs Warren and her daughter is a tough one - thankfully, I've never had that experience with Carly. Of course, any parent wants the best for their child but, in order to achieve this, Mrs Warren chose to give hers up. I could never have done such a thing. But then I have never been in a position even to contemplate such a dreadful choice.
However, women today still have to make sacrifices which is why this play is particularly relevant to contemporary audiences."

When she was growing up in Neasden - she was born there in 1949 and christened Lesley Hornby - did she ever imagine that she would become a model or an actress?
"That's what's been weird about my career - none of it was planned," she laughs. "I certainly never thought of becoming a model. I was so shy and insecure. I just hated what I looked like and when the hoo-ha started, I thought they'd all gone mad."
The story of her meteoric rise to fame is well documented, so Twiggy gives me the abridged version.
"I had tea with a friend who worked in the magazine world. They sent me t the hairdresser and I ended up with this new short, chunky style, which was then photographed by Barry Lategan. A journalist on the Daily Express saw the photograph and declared that I was 'The Face Of '66'. It all took off from there."
So how did she, unlike some of her famous contemporaries manage to resist the temptations of the time?
"Well, I was so green," she giggles. "I grew up in Neasden with my mum and dad and two sisters and was incredibly unworldly. During those early years I was well protected, although I ended up feeling like a trapped bird and finally chose to go my own way. I can also thank my dad. He came from Bolton and we've all inherited his down to earth, northern good sense and strong work ethic."
It was the legendary film director Ken Russell who offered her the opportunity to shine as an actress. As she explains:
"I first met Ken when I was 17 when he was looking for a young character to appear in a film based on William Faulkner's The Wishing Tree and although it didn't happen, we became friends.
"Then, three years later, he cast me in The Boy Friend. Even though I had never acted, danced or sung before, he sent me to classes. God bless him. He refused to do the film without me, fought my cause and even picketed Equity to get me a card. Ken Russell completely changed my life - it's thanks to him that I'm here now."
Twiggy won two Golden Globes for her performance in The Boy Friend and 12 years later, she received a Tony nomination for My One And Only. The award ultimately went to a Russian ballerina but Twiggy remains gracious in defeat.

"She was absolutely brilliant, so I didn't mind losing because she deserved the award. Anyway, all I remember about the ceremony was hoping I didn't get called up on stage. I was wearing really high heels and thought I'd never make it up there without tripping over and making a complete fool of myself!"
When asked to choose her proudest professional moment, she recalls the opening of My One And Only.
"Before the curtain went up, I kept saying to myself, 'It's not Broadway and there aren't 2,000 people in the audience; it's just a little church hall somewhere'. Then I stepped into the lights and all I can remember after that was the thunderous applause when it was all over. I ran to Tommy Tune, my co-star, and said, 'Tommy we've done it!' and then I was whirled around and given a great hug by someone. I suddenly realised it was Lauren Bacall and she's been a dear friend ever since."
It is so Twiggy's credit that when she talks of Lauren Bacall, along with other legends, there is no hint of the "luvvie darling" world. To her, they are people who are "great mates" or a "good laugh".

When we turn to discussing life outside work, it is her family which clearly brings her great joy. She met Leigh two years after the tragic death of her first husband, Carly's father Michael Whitney. Their extended family includes Leigh's two songs, Crispin and Jason.
"They all get on really well," she declares proudly. "In face, Jason and Carly are currently sharing a flat. We try to get together as often as we can for a good chat over dinner. I love cooking and even though I say it myself, I'm very good at it. When I was young, I couldn't cook an egg but once I'd settled down and had a family, I became really interested.
"You see, I'm incredibly domesticated," she continues. "My great passion is sewing. When I was little, I started making dolls' clothes. My mum and my two sisters always made their own clothes, probably because they couldn't afford to buy them. Like all teenagers, I loved fashion and we used to buy magazines and try to copy the latest designs, I became really good at it, but recently I've been making curtains and bedspreads for our house in the country. I've always said to Leigh that if I was never offered another acting job, I could always find work as a seamstress."
However, given her success as an actress, I somehow think it most unlikely that Mrs Lawson will ever need to think of taking up a new profession.

© The Lady 2003 

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