So on Wednesday 14th I went to Ventnor to help my friend Nye with the tech on his one man show 'Just A Few Words' (The same show I went to help with in Edinburgh). I thought while I was with him I would have a small Interview with him...Here is that interview:
Who are your favourite actor and actress and what do you think their best role was?
Bill Nighy! He is just a hilarious, well-balanced performer, combining eccentricity and honesty in the same performance. He tore me apart with one line in the film ‘Pride!’ and I adore him for that. I cried so much.
My favourite actress would definitely have to be Catherine Tate, for similar reasons. I was surprised to see her perform such a varied and relatable role as Donna in Doctor Who - I was used to her comedian antics, and hadn't seen her in a serious part, so her tragic story at the end of Doctor Who series 4 was heartbreaking, and really put her up there for me. Here’s the link between the two - both made me cry!
What is the hardest role you have ever played?
My answer to this one will be a bit unexpected… Me! Genuinely, this is true. I love character acting, always have, it means I can hide behind a character and have fun with it, with an emotional disconnect. At the University of Chichester, I was in many shows where I had to literally be myself on stage, and it was the most difficult feeling I have ever felt in front of an audience.
What is the most fun role you have ever played?
Vladimir in Waiting for Godot! Vladimir is an old man, trapped in the void between worlds, and to pass the time, him and his friend Estragon - also old - talk in riddles, and exercise, and wait, and wait some more, and casually discuss hanging themselves! …It gets a bit dark. I love that combination of opposites in tragicomedies.What would be your dream role and why?
*Big nerdy sigh* …The Doctor, because he is so fluid and wise, yet stupid, and I think I would love to get into all the different flavours you can attribute to him - is he brooding? Happy? Silly? Deadpan? There’s a lot to play with, and I’d like to see a Doctor who can’t really express himself properly, so he has to write it down and show people, or something. Honest and eccentric.What is your favourite part of doing 'Just A Few Words'?
The honesty, I think. I made the show to demonstrate how much there is to a stammer, beyond the “buh-buh-buh”. There’s a lot of anxiety, and regret, and self-deprecation, but also a lot of relief and so many stupid brilliant hilarious connections that people with speech impediments, and anxiety, make and it was a dream to get people to understand that.
How do you prepare for a show, Do you have any pre-show rituals?
I do a lot of talking, often to people, sometimes to myself! I get nervous, so I get very excitable too, lots of running, skipping, quoting nerdy things, plus suddenly I find everything funny. I’m quite immature.
How would you like to see Speech impediments and Mental disorders play a larger part in mainstream performance such as TV and film?
I think there’s a lot being done already, the stigma surrounding mental health issues is gradually being dispersed by contemporary theatre makers like Bryony Kimmings, and The King’s Speech was the first film where I felt there was a public understanding of speech impediments growing in today’s culture. I would like to see more representation on TV and in film, where it’s just incidental that a character has anxiety, or depression, or a lisp or stammer, or is mute, and is not used as a plot point or someone to draw attention to, to show that people aren’t defined by their speech impediments or mental health disorders. I think that’s the next step, it should be like how it is in real life - people have these things, and that’s it.
If you were not an actor, what profession would you most likely be doing, and what would you want to be doing?
Probably writing scripts for theatre. I do that now anyway, does that count?
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
If you want to act, then go for it! There is no set path, just get as much experience as you can. And make your own shows, it gives you something awesome to work on between each audition. Listen to advice but don’t over think every word - do what feels right for you.I'd like to thank Nye for letting me ask him these questions, please go follow him on twitter @Nyebear or his Company page @Stammerartist
Thanks for reading,
Until Next time,
Goodbye,
Mitch xx
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