It’s the effects that war has had on the many females, males, family friends, colleagues involved. Although Owen chose Bristol, it could be set anywhere because, at the centre of it, it isn’t the location but the story at the heart of it. People were asking me, ‘Are you going to change the accent? Are you going to base it in London? Newcastle? etc.” But you just don’t need to. I remember when the idea of touring other venues first came about almost a year and a half ago. Playing one of the female roles on the other side of it, it’s great for me to see this impact on women in the audience as well. For many people the fear of war is constant and I think this show paints a really clear picture of how it affects the people who are directly involved. It’s a story that’s still so current now – a story that will never get old. Knowing that at every venue we go to there will be people who haven’t yet heard the story and seeing how it resonates with them. How are you feeling about spreading this Bristol story across the UK? You’re hitting 11 other venues following your stint here. I feel like we’ve all come back in with a fresh energy and ideas but there’s something so solid about the story as it stands that you can’t veer too far away from what we had originally, especially since it did work so well the first time around. It’s been about a year since we performed the show last and you, as an actor and as a person, change so much within a year. So it’s all about reconnecting with the original reason as to why Owen wrote these characters, rather than just trying to be different. Not because it wasn’t the same as before, but because it wasn’t right for the character. Maybe I’ll try out this scene a different way’, and it didn’t feel right. We did a run through last week and I thought ‘Oh, wait. Peter: I think the biggest challenge has been getting out of the mindset of, ‘Ooh! What kind of ways can I change this up?” or “What new nuances could I do?” Sometimes they can be completely wrong. What’s been the biggest challenge in taking on these roles again? I’ve never had a challenge like him with any part I’ve played before. The joy you have in saying the words is a real simple pleasure, but especially with Taff. That, and just the simplicity of the fact that it’s such a great script. With Taff, I feel like there’s always more I can do, more places to go, more depths to take him to. It really makes you want to keep on doing it because you realise you’re not just playing outlandish cartoon characters, you’re playing real people. I remember during the last run, people came out to me to say, “Oh, your story really connected with me” or “It was really similar to my own experiences”. Peter: I find it’s the strength of both the men and the women in the story that resonates with so many audience members. It’s nice to delve into it again because Owen Sheers’ writing contains so much substance for her character. There’s a lot of depth to her her anger and bitterness towards the country, the government, the army and that whole world. It’s such a common story that’s still so resonant and current right now. Rebecca: Lisa’s story is one that is probably so common for someone who’s married to or has a partner in the army who has gone through PTSD. You’re both returning from the show’s run last year. It’s really reminding us of and highlighting different aspects of the story that we maybe didn’t hone in on the last time we did it. Peter: After two previous runs here in Bristol and a London transfer, it feels like we’ve performed this show a million times and yet Dan’s come in and will say words in rehearsals that make me go, ‘woah, I never realised that before…’ It’s a breath of fresh air. It feels like we have a new energy that’s keeping the show fresh and, in a way, creating a new retelling of the same thing. I think it has really changed up what everyone is doing. Rebecca: I’m excited to have a new Arthur, this time played by the lovely Dan Krikler. Peter: It’s a story that still touches the hearts of so many families in the UK so what I’m most excited about is bringing it across the country and telling it to regional theatre audiences who haven’t yet had a chance to hear it. What excites you most about the return of Pink Mist? With the company now back in the Theatre, we caught up with returning cast members Peter Edwards (Taff) and Rebecca Killick (Lisa) to discuss bringing this special show back to life in 2017. This January sees the return of firm Bristol favourite and one of the highlights of our 250th Anniversary year, Pink Mist.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |