09
OMNIA
Issue 02 Spring/Summer 2017
I was blessed with some great teachers at Caterham The single greatest influence on me was that of the late Robert Jarrams, my house master in Viney. I never took a class with him, but for me, and, I am sure, for my boarding school mates, he had a significant impact on us; he was the embodiment of courtesy, tidiness, inquisitiveness, and kindness. He quietly guided us by example. Every time I do a show in London, I think, “Mr Jarrams would have been here”. That was the kind of support and dedication he had for his pupils. I miss him. Drama found me After leaving School I first gained a BA in economics at Yale University, and then an MFA in theatre at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. I believe that I was much happier having a varied education, and experiencing several disciplines, and keeping my options open, until it became clear that I had to act. I don’t think I could have come to that decision, and sacrificed so much for it, without fully exploring other options growing up. In the end, when the door opened definitively, there simply was no other option but to go through it. Charles Bukowski’s poem So You Want to be a Writer is a wonderful book for aspiring actors Bukowski’s poem pretty much has all the advice you need to become a writer, actor – anything! I would just add, “go easy on yourself, as compassion for oneself goes long way”. I prepare for roles by learning the lines backwards and forwards I repeat that until I don’t even have to think about the lines. I also read the script/play over and over until I know the world and the people. By doing those two things I create a vocabulary and a world for myself, then I just leave it to my imagination to keep surprising me and coming up with things; I grab hold of my favourite choices, hone them a little, and put them in my back
The most important characteristic for a rehearsal room is flexibility, and also plenty of courage!