British Character Actor: Selina Cadell

Selina Cadell is one of those actresses who pops up over and over again in BBC material from Poirot to Miss Marple to Jonathan Creek to you-name-it. She is probably best known, at least in the United States, for her performance as the neck-brace-wearing Mrs. Tishell in Doc Martin.

She is one of those actors that can do just about anything, although she usually does comedy, and do it well and unpretentiously and consistently. I adore actors and actresses like this. In truth, if I was an actor, I'd want this type of career--consistent, decent work rather than all the hoopla of stardom

Cadell does do comedy most often, and she does quiet sardonic humor better than most people. I encountered her first in Miss Marple's Pocket Full of Rye as Mary Dove. She has a great voice--very crisp--and in this Agatha Christie drama, she manages to effortlessly convey her utter contempt for her employees.

As Mrs. Tishell, she is unbelievably hilarious. Her performance is understated, almost off-the-cuff, making her comments even more hilarious. Like Martin Clunes, she has spot-on comedic timing.

Apparently, she recently appeared in a new Father Brown, which I am quite anxious to get my hands on. I am sure she will be in many, many shows to come! In the meantime, I do recommend her as Caroline Sheppard in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The part calls for comedy and pathos, and she does both excellently.