Interview
Until she was 16 , Mary Harding was pretty certain that she wanted to work with animals . The horse-mad teenager , who successfully competed for the South of England in dressage riding events and spent most of her spare time around the stables , had no interest in academic subjects , and thought she might become a vet .
At least , that was until the dramatic turning point that occurred when she got to play the part of Mary Sunshine in a Ryde School summer production of Chicago . “ I ’ d appeared in school plays before ” she says , “ but something about that one was different : I got to sing and dance as well as act , and I loved the experience so much that it was as if I ’ d got the first taste of a drug . From then on , I never really wanted not to be on the stage !” In fact , so determined was she to realise her dream of a life on stage that at the age of just 18 , and when many of her contemporaries were heading off for conventional University courses , a detemined Mary took the radical step of moving to London “ to get closer to the acting world ”. She admits it gave her parents “ a bit of a heart attack ” when she announced her plan . “ I think they were worried I was going to end up jobless and homeless all my life !” she jokes . Once in London , where she lived with friends of her family , Mary survived on income from waitressing work , whilst constantly doing auditions for drama schools and going to the theatre as much as her budget would allow . The experience certainly tested her resolve , and she admits that at times , she found life in the Capital tough and demanding , compared to the more laid-back beach and countrysidebased lifestyle she ’ d grown up with on the Island . In particular , before heading off to London , she had had to make the agonising decision to sell her horse , Boy .
Mad about the Boy
“ He was my absolute love ” she says . “ We grew up together and my life had been dedicated to horse riding – but I knew that I wanted to go to London and that I wouldn ’ t be able to give him the future he deserved , so reluctantly I decided to sell him . “ It was a horrible choice and was a big shock for my family and friends , but I found him a great new owner on the Island so he can still go on the beach and hack out ”. Of course once in London , she also missed her family and friends - but sheer pluck and determination drove Mary to attend a constant round of auditions , and she also joined a community theatre group based in a
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