by LAUREN CODLING
TELEVISING shows with mental health themes can encourage “open and honest conversations” about the illness, an actress has said, as a series based on the memoirs of a woman with an extreme, little-known mental disorder airs this week.
Pure is the story of Marnie, a young adult who suffers with an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), nicknamed ‘pure O’.
The illness makes Marnie associate anything and everything with sex. The 24-year-old deals with sexually intrusive and inappropriate thoughts on a daily basis, with the compulsions manifesting in unseen mental rituals which impact her life.
Adapted from Rose Cartwright’s 2015 biography, the six-part series follows Marnie – played by Charly Clive – through her journey as she learns to figure out her life while battling her
little-known form of OCD.
Cartwright initially decided to go public in 2013 with an article in The Guardian to help raise awareness of the condition.
She revealed her X-rated thoughts and experiences – including incidents when she would mentally undress anyone, from former prime minister Tony Blair to her local lollipop lady – and how she came to terms with it.
Pure co-stars Kiran Sonia Sawar, who plays Marnie’s “deceptively cheery” friend Shareen.
Speaking about mental health, Sawar agreed that today, more than ever, it seems to be less of a taboo than it previously was.
Was now the right time to televise Pure? “Most definitely,” Sawar told Eastern Eye, speaking ahead of the show’s launch.
It was important to encourage open and honest conversations around mental health issues, Sawar said, especially ones that are rarely talked about.
“And TV is a good way to get themes and issues out into mainstream media and conversation,” the Black Mirror actress added.
Admitting that she had never heard of ‘pure O’ (which stands for purely obsessional) before the show, Sawar said she read Cartwright’s book several times to understand the disorder better.
“Because, in Rose’s case it specifically took the form of sexually intrusive thoughts, I think [pure O] must be a lonely condition to live with undiagnosed,” Sawar said. “I thought it would be great to be involved in order to raise awareness of it in our society.”
Talking about her character, Sawar felt she could relate to Shareen.
On the outside, she comes across as happy, friendly and open. But Shareen also struggles to fit in as she weaves her way through the pressures of London life. As someone who moved from Scotland to London to work and make friends, Sawar admitted she found it easy to relate to her character.
“I left Glasgow to go to drama school in Oxford which was a really sweet town,” she recalled. “But the move from Oxford to London was a bit more dramatic. It can be a very unforgiving city when you first arrive.”
Looking to the future, Sawar is writing and developing her own work. She is also keen to collaborate with others.
Revealing that she recently met writer Charlie Covell, who is best known for her adaptation
of the graphic comic series The End of the F***ing World, Sawar is enthusiastic about continuing to work in the arts.
“I mostly want to play in interesting story lines and excellent writing,” she said. “I’m just going to see what happens.”
Pure airs on Wednesday (30) on Channel 4 at 10pm. The full series will be available, free to view or download, on All 4.
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