Our friends at Sherman Cymru are putting on a fresh new version of Shakespeare’s classic romantic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet this season. This contemporary and violently modern take on one of his best known plays features several recent graduates including classmates Chris Gordon and Sophie Melville in the title roles.
We caught up with them during rehearsals at the Sherman, where Chris had a student job as an usher:
Chris, what an iconic part for your professional debut. How has your training at RWCMD helped you to deal with this major role at the start of your career, in both the auditioning process, and preparing for the role itself.
Getting a lead in my first theatre job is a dream. Especially Romeo, a part that I’ve wanted to play for years. The acting course at College prepares you for leading roles not bit parts. It equips you as fully as possible and it’s your job to keep your acting muscles fit once you’ve left – which means working with whoever you can get your hands on, and by yourself. I’ve done a few jobs in TV but theatre is a different animal. Training your voice and your body is a must, so we did a lot of that at college. RWCMD training really helped me to be bold in rehearsals and in auditions, and to make informed and interesting choices and to go for them fearlessly.
Sophie, can you tell us what you’ve been up to since graduating last year, and how the training at RWCMD has helped with that?
I felt so prepared after leaving college: the hours and the intensity of those three years really stood me in good stead for my first job. I left in the April of third year to do Theatre by the Lake’s summer season, performing in three out of the six plays until November, it was like an extended third year and the most incredible start to my career.
I then did some work for BBC Radio 4, which Marilyn Le Conte (Senior lecturer in Acting) had thoroughly prepared us for, and then went on a seven month tour of Clwyd Theatre Cymru’s Under Milk Wood. I’m using skills I had gained in college and also learning new ones along the way. I’m continuously learning on the job.
This is a modern, bold interpretation – and the debut of Sherman’s artistic director Rachel O’Riordan. It’s such a classic play -what are you hoping to bring to it to appeal to a new, young audience for Shakespeare?
Sophie: Speaking from experience, Shakespeare can feel daunting and totally confusing when it isn’t clear. So our job is to make it fresh and exciting, but also as clear and precise as Shakespeare intended. It’s going to be a bold, high energy production, which as we’ve discovered during rehearsals is the best way to gain precision with the text. It’s so well written, all you need to do is play close attention and follow Shakespeare’s advice – and the play comes alive.
Chris: The play itself brings up lots of topics that just are as relevant now as they were when it was written. I believe that playing Romeo comes with a responsibility – to make men, old and young, empathise with him, and to make women feel like they have met someone similar to him.
The world of the play is not our world: it’s shocking, brutal and bloody brilliant. It’s a world where the characters perform out of necessity. The play itself is about Verona, a violent world, that doesn’t forgive: death is never far away – and that’s appealing to a young audience.
And our aim is to be clear, to tell a brilliant story, about a brilliant world. Having Rachel as our director makes this a lot easier. For my journey and for the rest of the cast, her input has been invaluable. She’s really put her stamp on it – and on us. I think young or old, male or female, new to the theatre or not, this play stands up.
Sophie, how does it feel to be acting with other actors from RWCMD – and from your graduate year, like Chris and Luke are?
It feels so supportive, you learn a lot about trusting your fellow actors during the three years at RWCMD. It’s great to be working with them again, especially because I only did one show with Luke and it’s my first time working with Chris on a show.
What advice do you have for our new cohort of acting students starting this month?
Sophie: Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself, push yourself to your limits, do your research and have an incredible time.
Chris: You’re never going to do things perfectly, that’s a fact. So it is also important to give yourself a break at times and trust that if you’ve done the work, it will show. Everything at college helps. Everything. So give it your all and you’ll reap the rewards!
Also appearing in Romeo & Juliet are fellow graduates Luke Eliott Bridgeman, Sara Lloyd Gregory, and visiting drama tutor Anita Reynolds.
Sherman Cymru’s Romeo & Juliet will be at Sherman Theatre from 2 – 18 October, 7.30pm. Tickets are half price for Under 25s.
For further information and tickets please contact 029 2064 6900 / www.shermancymru.co.uk
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