Acting a form of escapism for theatre

Geoff Wade had never really stepped foot into a theatre before his performance at Boyd Rd last month. The new-to-waihi local found himself playing the lead in Waihi Drama Society oneact play Snip in the Fight or Flight summer season. It was his first time under stage lights.

“I’ve never even seen a show. The closest I have even been was watching my kids’ school productions,” he says.

He nabbed the role of Frank in Snip — possibly due to a lack of males in the society — but he nailed the role, says committee member Jaun Fisher.

Geoff’s partner Nina Mcduff (who played onstage wife Jenny) egged him into auditioning for the play.

“I like to have a giggle,” Geoff says. ”I guess I’m always walking around doing one accent or another and taking the mickey out of everything. Nina said I’d be good in theatre.”

Geoff loved the experience. He says surprisingly, he was only slightly nervous on opening night.

“I just ignored the crowd — you have these blinding lights in your eyes but it’s as if the audience wasn’t there. Once you get going - you’re executing what you have rehearsed and there’s no time for nerves.”

Main character Frank was being hassled by tired wife Jenny to get a vasectomy (”the snip”). But Frank is petrified and his overactive imagination conjures up an imaginary friend, the Godfather, before he finally undergoes the operation.

If Geoff could sum up his experience in one word, it would be escapism.

“It’s a form of escapism without substances.

“You become somebody else — it’s not about you — you are acting, being someone else. You are trying to create an image for someone else’s imagination.”

Geoff plans on returning to the stage in future Waihi Drama Society productions and he’d encourage other men to get involved as well.

Waihi Drama Society struggles to find males to star in shows. Rebecca Mauger talked to esteemed actor Mark Wright and society member Jaun Fisher about the benefits of joining the local drama society and the upcoming acting workshop taken by Mark.

Why aren’t young men flocking to join drama societies?

Mark Wright says... Unfortunately, for the longest time the average Kiwi bloke’s idea of “drama” was people wearing tights and make-up, prancing about on a stage quoting Shakespearean sonnets. And 100 years ago, that’s what it pretty much was.

But if you look at a rugby game 100 years ago and compare it to the fast-paced, highly athletic, well-rehearsed, sometimes brutal performance spectacle it is today, you would have to admit a lot has changed but the game remains, at its heart, the same. They still play a game. And that’s what a group of actors do, that’s why they are called players.

No one would dare tell a young girl in this country that she can’t play rugby because it’s not ‘ladylike’! So why do the guys think that acting is not a manly pursuit? I’d like to see someone say that to the likes of Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Craig, The Rock, Jason Momoa, Cillian Murphy and see their reaction to being told their chosen profession is not for real men!

Finally I’d like to quote Marlon Brando’s Godfather and say ‘I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse’ because every drama class, acting group, dramatic society I ever attended the blokes were always outnumbered 10 to one by women. So you didn’t have to look far to fill your dance card, as my nana would say.

So come and play. You’ll have fun, meet people, challenge yourself and grow confidence in areas that will help you in all walks of life. And who knows, you might just be the next Richie Mccaw of the stage.

Why join a theatre group?

Jaun Fisher says ... Everyone gains something different. I know I gained confidence in ordinary life from it. If you can throw yourself into a character for an audience, you can meet the challenges of talking in front of a group of people much more easily. You get to imagine, learn, and inhabit a character for a while who may be completely different from you and it can be fun, interesting and exhilarating ... especially after the last show. You can really surprise yourself with what you can do.

Has the variety - choice of plays been limited due to a lack of males?

Yes. These days the choice of plays we can confidently put on usually has to have mainly female roles so it leaves out a lot of good options. There’s always been a scramble to find a male to fill a role, which is sad because the male roles available can be so much fun and interesting.

Do potential actors need to have experience?

Not

at

all.

This workshop — open to all — is a stepping stone for people to dip their toes. So no experience needed. Just an attitude that allows them to ‘step out of their comfort zone’ and see what happens.

Will new men be expected to take on the lead roles immediately?

I wish! No, there’s an audition process so if you went to the workshop and didn’t want a further challenge, you could just choose not to audition. Or you could take on a smaller role. But there’s nothing like ‘jumping in the deep end’ too. It’s community theatre, no one is going to fire you!

What ages are you looking for? Any other qualities required?

Any age is good but there are great roles for males 20-50 we struggle to fill. And for women of all ages. Confidence is great but that is also something that evolves with opportunities like this workshop. Willing to learn and not be too hard on yourself will help.

What sort of roles coming up for men? are

We’d like to get a comedy with three young couples going, and there’s a good play with quite a few male roles in circulation. There’s also Plays Unplugged which is rehearsed readings of a play and the cast get to keep their scripts in hand and show the play to a family and friends audience. That’s a good stepping stone as well.

Is the Acting Weekend Workshop the perfect opportunity to those who are curious about acting?

Yes, it will definitely be fun and informative. We are so lucky to have Mark as a local member now and I can’t imagine a better chance to give acting a go so close to home, with such a nice and experienced tutor. We’ve been able to make the cost of the workshop so accessible because of the support from the Hauraki District Council creative communities fund. So it really is a perfect opportunity.