Nigel Wayne White and Shehan Wijemanne
The character ‘Mark’ has been split between
Nigel Wayne White and Shehan Wijemanne, both quite experienced actors. They have their own unique style in portraying the character, although the basic interpretation might be the same. Both agreed that Mark is a much laid back, easy going middle aged man who is obsessed with his work, neglects his wife, and even cheats on her, although he’s an utter failure at planning these sexual escapades.
Nigel, who is the youngest cast member, said “It’s an extremely interesting play as there is a lot of ‘smart comedy’, and not so much slapstick. When I first saw the script, it felt very different to how I thought a comedy should be.” Having previously acted with theatre groups such as The Workshop Players, Nigel said that being a part of a cast of only four is a completely new experience to him. “I’m way out of my comfort zone” he added. “Acting beside people who previously directed me is quite overwhelming. It feels like I’m stepping into their world!”
Shehan Wijemanne, a veteran actor, emphasised that as a small cast, each person is held responsible for one fourth of the entire play. Although this adds a substantial amount of pressure on everyone, he’s certain they can pull a stellar performance. “It’s our responsibility to ensure that our audience is engaged and interested throughout, and the strenuous part is that we don’t get a break in between. It’s challenging, having to show the perfect character arc and the relationship between the characters, while also bringing out that comic element, but I know we can pull it off!”