Carry on behind the scenes

And you can hear them all at the Oldham Coliseum this month when the play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick is staged.

The action takes place in Sid James' caravan during the making of those films.

The relationships that developed among the actors over the years are explored. There's also much of the fun that went on behind the scenes.

I spoke to the three actors who will be playing the Carry On stars during a break in rehearsals.

None of them looks particularly like the person they plan to emulate but they have a few tricks up their sleeves before the play opens.

John Joyce, who plays Sid James, has considerable theatre experience and played In Brimstone and Treacle at Bolton's Octagon Theatre.

He stresses that playing Sid is much more than impersonating the actor.

But he acknowledged he "can do his dirty laugh".

He recalled that Sid James once said: "I am not a star. I require to be surrounded by comedy people".

John said: "Sid played off other people. He called himself an actor, not a star.

"I have looked at Carry On films which have been helpful.

"Sid was besotted with Barbara Windsor. She had a husband and he had a wife, but he wasn't one to let go.

"He kept the pressure on and said they should be living together. He was very charismatic and she did love him."

John said this was one of the most challenging roles he has played. In three acts, Sid is never off the stage.

And with a Sid-like lift of his eyebrows, John revealed he is getting a crinkly wig for the role.

The voice is the thing for Michael Kirk, who plays Kenneth Williams.

Michael demonstrated how it helps to hold his head high to achieve those flaring nostrils and Williams' whining delivery.

He met of friend of Williams, which helped.

He said: "I start the voice from the stomach and put the diction on top of it.

"Playing this role is the strangest thing I have done. Williams never stops talking without getting to the point."

Kirk explained that Williams hated the Carry On films because he thought they were beneath him. And he has tapes in which Williams is very unpleasant.

He said: "I don't want to live for too long with Kenneth Williams. You can see a very vicious side coming through."

And he added that Williams never stopped talking about his "bum". A point of contact between him and Sid James was that they both had haemorrhoids!

Petite actress Amanda Horlock is playing Barbara Windsor. But dark-haired Amanda will be wearing a wig.

The East London accent is no problem for Amanda, who spent her youth there.

She thinks it's important to "get" Windsor's voice and walk.

Amanda said: "She said her Rs in a particular way."

Although, as she pointed out, the play is not about the Carry On films, there is one gag based on the Carry on Camping film in which Barbara Windsor lost her bra.

But Amanda would not reveal whether that would happen in the play.

There was 30 years' difference in age when Sid James made his play for Barbara Windsor but Amanda finds it easy to understand why the actress succumbed.

She said: "I think he was an incredibly charming man and I don't think she could resist him.

"My task is to get the essence of of Barbara Windsor. She is a very sympathetic character."

Kenneth Williams made Barbara Windsor laugh and he liked the way she swore a lot and was shocking.

Getting Windsor's walk was important.

Amanda said: "She leans far forward on very high heels, and she shrugs her shoulders a lot.

"I can see why people were attracted to her. She is like a little doll-- cuddly and adorable."

Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick -- which comes with a warning for children -- runs until November 4.