Former EastEnders actress scripts show based on the Small Faces

Carol Harrison, scriptwriter and actress, in All or Nothing which visits Chesterfield's Pomegranate Theatre from June 16 to 18.

Despite her youthful looks, actress and scriptwriter  Carol Harrison was one of them. She said: “As the song says, ‘I look pretty young but I’m just backdated, yeah!’

“I was a teenager then - but I would’ve liked to have been a couple years older so that I could have seen more of the iconic bands that I loved in the coolest clubs like the Marquee and Whiskey A Go Go. I love the Small Faces, the Beatles especially John Lennon, The Stones and Jimi Hendrix.

“Mod fashion is still exciting and so cool. I love to see guys in mohair suits and girls with bobs and lots of make-up and, of course, miniskirts.”

Carol drew on memories to write the script for musical All or Nothing which is touring to Chesterfield this week.

This warts and all show is based on the Small Faces. Carol said: “I wanted to celebrate the Sixties, the music, the style and I wanted it to be edgy and truthful.

“I was lucky enough to meet Steve Marriott when I was eight years old. He was a fantastic character and one of the best singers that this country has ever produced.”

“I researched it by speaking to members of the Marriott family and many people who knew them. I’m very close to Mollie Marriott (Steve’s daughter) who is a vocal coach. And I’ve known Kenney Jones for many years.”

Carol plays Steve Marriott’s mum K in All or Nothing. She said: “They had a very close and intense relationship which was sometimes quite volatile but came from a great love for one another.”

The production has reunited her with Tony McHale, both are best known for working on EastEnders. Tony was a writer for the soap at a time when Carol played Louise Raymond. She said: “I had some of the biggest and most dramatic storylines ever. I was written out of the show because the producers believed they had explored my story fully.

“I invited Tony to direct All Or Nothing because not only is he a great director but also a writer and knows what it takes to make a great production.”

All or Nothing runs at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel from June 16 to June 18.