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The London Australian Film Festival A Shark Islands Production Film
Sara Krulwich/The New York Times
Director and Producer – Ian Darling
ns March 8, 2008
A review by Mary Couzens for EXTRA! EXTRA!
This informative, entertaining documentary focuses on the travails and triumphs of an Australian company of actors and their director as they progress through rehearsals to the opening night(s) of The Sydney Theatre Company’s 2004 production of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler at the Wharf, right through to their two week run at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2006, where the cycle begins again, hopefully, from where it left off. Director Robyn Nevin and the production’s cast, along with various individuals involved in everything from costume and set building to stage management offer invaluable input as to the roles their own particular aspects play in the overall process of staging such an epic, yet seemingly, effortless production, offering rare insights into what is involved in creating theatre along the way. The consummate cast of the production includes acclaimed actress Cate Blanchett, who admits that she ‘avoided playing Hedda’ for quite a long time because ‘everyone plays Hedda’ and ‘she doesn’t like star vehicles’, before she succumbed to the challenging allure the dualistic role presents. A new, contemporary adaptation by Andrew Upton,(as an alternative to the generally favoured 1950 Penguin Edition of the translation), finally enticed her to play Hedda, and, judging by rapturous audience responses on both shores, it was fortunate for all concerned that she did. One of Blanchett and Upton’s favourite lines from his new adaptation is one that is not contained in Ibsen’s original text, but is, nevertheless, apt to a play centring on a woman who settles for security over love in marriage - ‘There’s nothing more isolating than being trapped in someone else’s life.’ Upton’s use of overlapping dialogue also plays a pivotal role in his adaptation, in that it acknowledges contemporary speech patterns in theatre. As fellow cast member Aden Young put it, ‘It’s all about bringing the language forward…making it more accessible.’ Director Nevin sees Upton’s adaptation as ‘19th century, heard through the prism of a contemporary voice.’ Whereas, Actor Anthony Weigh claims ‘Ibsen was dealing with archetypes…narcissism, depression, alcoholism…Upton himself feels that ‘most great plays are about identity and the individual in society – What do I compromise in order to live?’ In speaking of their roles in the production, Director, Robyn Nevin said she views her job as, ‘giving permission for people to explore without stamping on them in their space.’ Blanchett reiterated, adding, ‘She (Nevin) allows the actors to find their way…let’s the dust settle and then, picks out details.’ Blanchett’s demanding role as Hedda, required her to play the piano, though during moments when she was actually ‘playing’ no sound would be heard, apart from those which had been pre-recorded. Adaptor Upton explained his part in the production’s creative process by saying that, theatre is ‘the only time the writer gets the chance to be with the people who are doing the thing,’ adding that his wife being an actress was a bonus. Composer Alan John interestingly claimed that in order to write music for Hedda Gabler, he had to ‘find a hook to pin the music on.’ The notion of Hedda’s father as an ‘unseen character’ provided his inspiration. John concluded by offering a quote from Plato: ‘Only the dead can see the end of war.’ In terms of reprising their roles in Hedda Gabler following a two year hiatus, the actors claimed that they were looking forward to ‘rediscovering’ their characters, agreeing that ‘thought gets in the way of truth’ when acting. As playwright David Mamet once claimed, ‘truth is in doing things…There’s no such things as characters.’ Cast member Anthony Weigh advised actors that when ‘developing a character,’ they should, ‘simply play each moment as well as you can.’ Blanchett interjected that ‘Actors often feel they have to keep something hidden from themselves.’ Set Designer Fiona Crombie said that among other things, she and adaptor Upton discussed ‘the social place of women at the time the play is set’ and decided that the set, which is a luxurious, but isolated home Hedda’s husband has procured for them, should be ‘like a beautiful cage.’ Initially, the set’s large, long windows would be uncovered, allowing light, but, ‘by act three, you never see beyond those walls again.’ Scenes from the company’s trip to prestigious BAM – Brooklyn Academy of Music, one of the major presenters of International Theatre, offered insightful comments from James Mc Kay, Head of Construction, regarding the angled space and the adjustments needed to fit the set into it, with appropriate time lapse photography to demonstrate that process. Not only does the camera allow viewers to observe the actors’ and technicians’ creative processes at work, but it also captures candid moments of frustration and elation. Lighter scenes include those showing the actors getting excited over falling snow as they are taking a coffee break on a landing outside of the back of the theatre, and a passer-by doing a rather over the top double take on the sidewalk in front of the theatre as Blanchett, in slouched hat, passes her on her way to the stage door. A very animated Q & A followed the dress rehearsal at BAM with an audience entirely composed of High School students quizzing the cast and writer on their intentions and creative process. Director Nevin claims that in production, she watches the actor who’s doing the listening, rather than the one who’s speaking, because: ‘If they’re involved in the emotional and intellectual process of understanding what is said, they’re riveting to watch.’ By allowing private glimpses into an actor’s creativity the film also inspires admiration for their determination to achieve the level of focus necessary for them to successfully convince their audiences that the story they are enacting on stage is a true one. In the Company of Actors is an insightful assessment of the hard work and dedication that all those involved in the making of theatre must exercise, in order to be successful. As such, it acts as a sort of template for those interested in becoming theatre practioners, situations and scenarios to empathise with, or smile at for those already practising those oft maddening arts, and a film to savour and enjoy for theatre, and documentary enthusiasts alike.
Sat. March 8 – 3 pm
wwwww.barbican.org.uk/australianfilm
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