Cast Interview of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

An Interview With the Cast of The Complete Works of Shakespeare

ExpatWoman is so excited about The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged that we jumped at the opportunity to interview the three cast members Adam Long, Daniel Singer & Jess Winfield who will be performing in both Dubai & Abu Dhabi. We discussed the UAE theatre scene, had a bit of Shakespeare banter and got to know the views of the cast on their performance. 

The cast members are
JP: John Payton
MA: Matt Addis
PB: Peter Brooke

Q: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged has been performed in many countries and in different languages for decades; will you be putting a UAE-esque flair into this performance??

MA: There's definitely a UAE flavour to our show - the play's written to mould to both the actors performing it and our audience, so we've made plenty of local references and additions that will tickle those watching. We know that in this part of the world people expect the best, and shows don't come much better than the complete works of the greatest writer of all time.

Q: This production relies on the breaking of the fourth wall. How receptive do you think UAE Audiences will be, seeing as you have all performed here before.

JP: Without giving too much away, the audience are a very important part in the show. without them, Hamlet can't be performed! There is a lot of interaction between the cast and the audience members, it's a real 'group effort' to get the Complete Works done in the time allotted. On every occasion we've brought the show to the UAE- the audiences have loved this element of the action.

Q: What is the strangest thing that has happened to you during a performance in the Middle East?

MA: I’ve been a Hollywood starlet, sung along with a robotic fish and conquered Austria. I don't think that's run-of-the-mill for most people's day jobs.

Q: How would you react if someone from the audience threw a tomato at you?

PB: Let me address the issue you mention of potential projectile tomatoes lobbed by audience. For one, I prefer cherry tomatoes, as they are easier to catch in your teeth. In addition, I would also request that said tomatoes be ethically sourced and organically farmed. I don't really care what you chuck at Matt and John… Obviously, this produce will be flying through that fourth wall that is normally present in a show. We're not too precious about it, really! We leap through that wall with regularity... The idea is to keep you guys and gals in the chairs on your toes! None of this dry, erudite stuffy stuff!! We serve our Bard up fresh and creamy (there is a low-fat version available).

Q: How easy/difficult is it to improvise and in this particular version of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged?

PB: The improvisation of this show in parts is what makes it so unpredictable and fun. YES, it is virtually impossible to make up perfect iambic pentameter on the fly, but we do our best! Sometimes we cheat a little.... So sue us!

MA: The show is written to seem like it is a crazily thrown-together amalgam of the best bits of 37 plays that have dominated the stages of the world for the past 400 years. There's plenty of Shakespeare's original text, and a whole load of fresh fun we add on the night. There's always things that happen in the show, that are unique to that performances.

JP: We're known to throw in the odd gag or moment that's not been rehearsed, just to keep the other actors on their toes. You also have to be ready to react to anything the audience responds with, which always keeps every performance unique and practically makes it impossible to avoid not improvising at times.

Q: It seems that John Payton is a theatre man through and through, is being a theatre actor a little like being a rock star with all the touring, or did I get that comparison completely wrong?

JP: Why thank you! Pete thinks he's a rock star, but he's sadly mistaken. It's always interesting to tour to different countries and places, but home is where the heart is! If Matt is in the wrong mood however, he has been known to throw the odd TV out the hotel window.

Q: John, you have done a fair bit of work in the UAE, what are your thoughts on our theatre scene and its potential for growth? Do you see it as a possibility in this region?

JP: It's growing as we speak. When we first toured to the UAE seven years ago, most shows only managed three or four performances if we were lucky. Now we run our big productions for nearly three weeks of performances. There is a thirst for entertainment and theatre here, and it's only a matter of time before it grows further. What we really need are more investors and financial supporters, both private and public to help the industry grow.

Q: I was watching Sherlock the other day and I thought that the man in the taxi in the very first episode looked familiar Peter Brooke, you have developed quite a body of work through various mediums, the most interesting being video games, what’s it like playing a video game character, and is this the evolution of acting?

PB: I HAVE voiced a bunch of video games and it is a huge challenge and a joy (with a good script!). Favorite job being one with zombies that we wore motion-capture suits for. It was basically a bunch of boys playing monsters for a couple weeks in this huge studio. My absolute favorite actor medium is theater, though. Can't beat a bunch of live humans.....! A thrill.

Q: Matt, you must be the man with the golden voice having done a lot of radio acting and reading audio books, is it harder to emote when you are using only your voice, as opposed to being in a theatre with an array of methods to help you get the message across?

MA: It's true that audio work doesn't come with costumes, makeup or spectacular stage effects, but that does mean a complete freedom in the characters you create and the action and environments they find themselves in - in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy for example, I played over 90 characters in hundreds of locations - car chases, operating theatres, tropical beaches and gun battles; there's a real thrill to creating all those situations on your own for the listener. For me though, the thrill of a live performance on stage in an explosive show like this one is very hard to beat.

Q: My absolute favourite piece of Shakespeare is the porter’s speech in Macbeth, what is your favourite scene from a Shakespeare play and is it featured in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged?

MA: I think mine would have be the night before Agincourt in Henry V when the king wanders in disguise amongst his troops who are restless and fearful of the day ahead and a battle that they are hopelessly outnumbered for. It's a dazzling portrait of a leader who really listens to his people, and can craft a battlefield speech to say exactly what they need to hear to summon more courage than they knew they had. If you think of our show as a dazzling trailer for the Histories, there's little time for these slower, reflective scenes, but Hal does at least get a mention. I also love Hamlet's 'What a piece of work is man' speech which, I'm happy to say, does feature in our show.

Q: Do you think there is an audience for a classical Shakespeare or will it make more sense to adapt the plays?

MA: I think from when they were written Shakespeare's play's have always been adapted to fit the time they are played in - we sometimes have an idea of Shakespeare as dry, stuffy and wordy, but when it's done well, in whatever manner it's heart-wrenching, thrilling, raunchy and hilarious. These plays come from a tradition of explosive performances in inn-yards, and only a boring, strait-laced and timid interpretation makes them any of those things.

JP: Classically presented Shakespeare thrives all around the world from what I can see, there's always going to be room for the Bard, as long as it is well produced and performed.

Q: When you are here do you manage to do some touristy things or is it all rehearsals and seriousness all the time?

MA: We work very hard, but there is usually some time for a little R&R once the show's opened, on the days when we don't have a matinée. If Pete has been a good boy, he's allowed out to the beach.

Q: The ExpatWoman team are really excited about this production, what is your favourite part of the performance?

MA: I think my favourite bits are in Act II when we really get working hard. Performing the greatest tragedy ever written, backwards, at speed is really something rather special.

JP: I love the Othello Rap, which is the tragedy of Othello, done in the style of street rap - set to a beat box rhythm. All three of us have virtually no street cred, so it's more like your Dad rapping badly, than Jay-Z. You'll love it.