Youth brings fresh view, director reckons
BEING young is not a disadvantage — particularly when it comes to theatre directing.
Jasmine Rixon reckons it means you have a fresh perspective on things that can seem wellworn and tired to more experienced directors.
The 18yearold is directing the Taieri Dramatic Society’s upcoming production of Peter Gordon’s Murdered to Death — an Agatha Christiestyle whodunnit.
The spoof is set in the drawing room of a 1930s country manor house, and follows the inept and bungling Inspector Pratt, who battles against the odds and his own incompetence to solve the murder of the house’s owner.
However, Miss Rixon said her version of the show would be slightly different.
‘‘I’m looking at it with a fresh pair of eyes.
‘‘There’s a character which we’ve changed the gender of in the play — a police officer who was male in the original show.
‘‘We’ve changed it to being a female role and it’s been pretty fun to try to adapt on stage, just working with pronouns and how other characters treat that character.
‘‘There are some really funny bits and it’s just had me creased up with stomach cramps from laughing so much.’’
She said she had been acting for the past six years, but more recently she had started to help on the production side of theatre.
This was her first time directing a show and she was both nervous and excited about the opportunity.
‘‘It’s a bit different to acting. ‘‘When you’re acting, you’re worried about your own contribution, but when you’re directing, you’re worried about everyone’s contribution.’’
While plenty of characters got ‘‘knocked off’’ in the show, it was possible audience members might also, she said.
The show will be on at the Fire Station Theatre in Mosgiel from September 14 to 18.