A Much Awaited Challenge
I’m always baffled when people express surprise that creatives are multi-hyphenates. I seem to have come across this opinion that ‘actors are actors’, ‘directors are directors’ and ‘writers are writers’- you can only do one and that’s it! While the responsibilities of these jobs are different, they do all fall under the same creative umbrella and I believe the ultimate job is the same: Tell a compelling story.
I myself have always been interested in exploring these other responsibilities. I’m an actor first and foremost, yes, but when you delve into that world and start to understand the power of a well-written, intentional script, I think it makes total sense that you find yourself compelled to give it a go. Likewise, if you spend enough time in a rehearsal room, you develop a huge respect for what the director does and how much the producer brings to the equation. So much of it gets equated with power and status but I don’t agree- I think the whole storytelling process is a collaboration and all that changes is the focus your role is responsible for: writer- words, director- story, actor- character…
I go into this because finally, after years of working on scripts and learning what I can about these roles, I have taken the plunge into giving it all a go. I’m currently starting rehearsals for my own adaptation of Chekhov’s ‘Three Sisters’ with the 18+ group at Central Youth Theatre and I am about to begin the production phase of my own feature film- something I have been dreaming of doing for years! While the challenge may be large and slightly daunting, I am very excited to continue my journey and see what else I have to contribute as a creative.
‘Three Sisters’ has always been a favourite of mine. Ever since I played Andrey Prozorov at drama school, I’ve been dying to get stuck into the play again- so adapting it for a modern audience seems as fitting a way to do that as possible. I know that Chekhov has been a little bit of a marmite genre but I’ve always believed that they are classics for a very good reason. In my opinion, these plays have always beautifully expressed the deep, passionate pleas of our existence side by side with the most monotonous, tedious routines of our everyday lives. In doing so, I think they show how complex and multifaceted we really are. A person can live every day just existing- cleaning the house, eating, watching the news, going to the pub- and yet have the most beautiful, heart-wrenching inner life. It’s usually unseen but these plays put that proposition front and centre and I can’t wait to explore that with ‘Three Sisters’- a play all about dreams versus the realities of life.
As for my film, that has been my creative baby for a long time! I won’t say too much about it now as I can’t wait to have something to show further down the road but it’s a film about the places we go to when we get a little lost. It’s a complex issue but I truly hope we can explore it with respect, empathy and care, creating something that connects with people who’ve been there and even those who haven’t. We have a great cast, an amazing creative team and I can’t wait to bring that story to life!
I’m starting to understand properly what being a director feels like- a lot of pressure but so much excitement and love for what the vision of that story is! I suppose all there is to say is wish me luck and I sincerely cannot wait to share these stories with you…