Having a stab at Shakespeare Karen Fishwick tells how playing Juliet proved a hair-raising experience
MCMULLEN MARION
What’s it been like making your Royal Shakespeare Company debut in Romeo and Juliet?
IT'S a haven of theatre and creativity. I've never experienced anything like it. I can't get over how many actors are around as well as all the crew and backstage people.
Our production is quite gritty and real and not romanticised and young people are really respecting that. We get a lot of feedback from social media and young people who have never seen any Shakespeare are absolutely loving it.
If you have school groups in there's normally a lot of giggling and stuff going on, but with this you can hear a pin drop. They are really into it.
Have there been any stage mishaps?
I'VE got a lot of hair on my head and in one particular scene Michael Hodgson, who plays my dad, has to throw me about a little bit and it's very dramatic. But this one time a lot of my hair got caught in one of his buttons just as he was about to throw me on the floor and I thought my hair was about to get ripped out. Luckily he noticed and said to the audience ‘We'll be with you in one minute.'
Everyone was laughing and he got me free, but they were standing in the wings with scissors and the next performance all the buttons on his costume were gone.
How did you start acting?
I'VE just been doing it from a young age.
I never really wanted to stop playing. I played with my brother and sister when we were all little and we would take it so seriously. I would immerse myself in the character and believe in whatever we were doing. I never let go of that.
I'm the middle child maybe that has a lot to do with it. I think my parents succumbed to my acting and just went ‘Oh, she's off.' They've always been very supporting but they are not super fans.
My Dad is from Wallasey and is a musician. He left to work with BBC Scotland, based in Glasgow, and met my mum there and he's familiar with the performance life to not be precious about it.
Were you ever tempted by a musical career?
I HAVE a feel for the trumpet but I haven't played for a wee while. I thought about doing music when I was really young. I was brought up playing instruments and when I was about eight years old I was with the wind band and a guy came up and asked if I was interested in taking part in a summer school for a children's orchestra. (Laughs) I just said ‘but I've got drama rehearsals' so I think I made my choice early.
I sometimes think what might had happened if I had taken a different path. I might have been blowing away at the trumpet now.
Have your family been to see Romeo and Juliet?
MUM has seen it twice and my fiancé came on press night. I loved that they were in the audience. I had an aunt who flew from Canada and had to come straight to the theatre to make it in time. I don't know how she stayed awake. She must have been exhausted.
Are you looking forward to the live cinema broadcast?
I'M really, really looking forward to it. I watched the DVD of Merchant of Venice they did a years ago and thought ‘holy moly, I'm going to be doing a show like that'.
Some of the Macbeth cast have said just to treat it like any other performance and forget the camera and just do what you do every night.
We get to share the production with so many people around the world – including my family in Scotland and Canada – and it's really exciting. Bang out there.
My family in Canada are actually going to see it in Washington because it is easier to get there from Calgary then it is to go to Toronto.
Theatre is just epic. I'm just reading Judi Dench's autobiography about the golden years at the RSC and thought ‘I'm getting to do that now.' Mind you my anecdotes would never live up to hers.
How do you relax after a show? A BIT of deep breathing and a stretch and it's nice when pals are in. They relax you. When I get home, I might light a few candles, get into jammies and watch something.
I do a lot of cooking and I'm trying baking. I got Peru in the World Cup sweepstake recently and everyone was laughing at me.
Do you make a beautiful corpse? I REALLY enjoy it in Romeo and Juliet when I'm on stage for about 40 minutes.
I don't fall asleep or daydream – I'm too scared to do that – I listen to what is going on around me and it is like listening to a radio play every night. (Laughs) And sometimes I think about the drink I'll have afterwards.
■ The live cinema broadcast of Romeo and Juliet can be seen on Wednesday, July 18.
The Royal Shakespeare Company production tours next year from January 29. Go to rsc.org.uk for details.
Our production is quite gritty and real.. not romanticised Karen Fishwick