Allô Allô, uma retrospectiva... (III) - Carmen Silvera

Carmen Silvera encarnou o papel de Madame Edith Melba Artois em todas as temporadas da série.

Madame Edith era a fiel esposa de René (excepto quando Mr. Alfonse lhe fazia a corte). Era pouco inteligente, aventureira e fazia uns magnífico "shows de cabaret" no café René.

Carmen Silvera era sem dúvida inigualável, o que fez com que Madame Edith fosse sempre uma das minhas personagens favoritas.

Curiosidade: Camene Silvera faleceu em 2002, antes de Rose Hill (Madame Fanny) que interpretava o papel de sua mãe.

Seguem-se a biografia da actriz e da personagem.

Da Wikipédia (em inglês):

Carmen Blanche Silvera (2 June 1922 - 3 August 2002) was a Canadian-born British comic actress of Spanish descent who moved to Coventry with her family when she was a child. Silvera was possibly best known for her starring role in the British television programme, 'Allo 'Allo! as Edith Artois.

During World War II, Silvera was evacuated to Montreal and narrowly escaped death when, at the last minute, her name was taken off the passenger list of a troopship that was sunk by the enemy shortly afterwards, drowning 350 children. In Canada, she took classes with the Ballet Russes and appeared in three of its productions. On her return to Britain, she felt called to acting and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, before gaining experience in repertory theatre.^[1]

Carmen Silvera first made her name as a television actress in the 1960s British police drama Z Cars in 1962, going on to appear in the BBC soap opera Compact from 1964 to 1965. She played Mrs Van Schuyler in Lillie in 1978, ITV's drama series about the future Edward VII's mistress, Lillie Langtry.

She appeared twice in Doctor Who, in the episodes The Celestial Toymaker as Clara the Clown, Mrs. Wiggs, and the Queen of Hearts, and as Ruth in Invasion of the Dinosaurs. She also appeared in the Dad's Army episode Mum's Army as Mrs Gray, the love-interest for Captain Mainwaring.

She appeared with Ted Rogers at the New Wimbledon Theatre in 1997 in Jimmy Perry's stage musical That's Showbiz. Her West End stage appearances included roles in Waters of the Moon, starring Ingrid Bergman, Hobson's Choice with Penelope Keith, A Coat of Varnish and School for Wives, which was directed by Peter Hall. She also played a grandmother in the 1997 film La Passione.^[1] and had roles in Keep It Up Downstairs (1976), Mrs Berkley in On The Game, and in the American film Clinic Exclusive.^[1]

In 1990, she was the subject of a This Is Your Life television programme. She did charity work for the Grand Order of Lady Ratlings, the ladies branch of the Grand Order of Water Rats.

Death

Silvera, who was a smoker, died after a battle with lung cancer, aged 80.

Edith Melba Artois (Edith spelled Édith in French), also referred to as Madame Edith, is a fictional character in the BBCsitcom 'Allo 'Allo!, which ran from 1982 to 1992. The character was played by actress; the late Carmen Silvera.

Personality

Edith is the wife (and subsequently, sister-in-law) of her husband René Artois. After Rene's 'execution' and fake death, she became the legal owner of the cafe, which gave her greater influence over her husband's actions than she had had before. She does however dream of the day when René will remarry her (as his own false twin brother).

Madame Edith, despite being tone deaf, fancies herself a cabaret singer, and insists on treating cafe customers to displays of her talents. Her concerts usually clear the cafe; those who remain stuff cheese in their ears to muffle her wails. While one of the waitresses, Mimi Labonq, actually does have talent, Madame Artois will not usually permit her to entertain the customers with music. She has no problem with the waitresses taking favoured customers upstairs, though.

Madame Edith is a jealous wife, but very easy to hoodwink, and whenever she catches her husband in a clinch with one of the waitresses, she swallows whatever transparent lies Rene chooses to tell her. Since she is thought to be a widow, she occasionally has suitors of her own, who flatter her enormously. They include Monsieur Alfonse, the local undertaker; and Bertorelli, an Italian captain.

Edith appeared in the pilot episode and every subsequent episode. She is sometimes the butt of several jokes about her looks and exaggerating her age.

Character Development

First Appearance

Madame Edith attempts to sing in her café, to no avail. Later, she delivers a message to René. Her mother upstairs, Madame Fanny La Fan, interrupts during the radio transmission.

Edith's accent is greatly exaggerated in this episode. It nearly bears no resemblance to the voice she quipped in later episodes. Also, she is less of a pushover.

Subsequent Episodes

Edith is later shown to be adopted, that Madame Fanny is not her birth mother. Edith was delivered to Madame Fanny in a basket. She could also have been a gypsy princess: a Gypsy read her palm, and all clues pointed to her being a long lost princess. However, none of the Gypsies could take her voice, so they forced her away.

Last Appearance

She appears on the last episode of 'Allo 'Allo!. But René elopes with the serving girl Yvette Carte-Blanche, so she is left alone in Nouvion.