This week in Xclusive!
In a corner of the quaint 'Curtains Up' public
house in West London, amid the buzzing atmosphere, I caught up with Greek
theatre and film director Nick Pelas
just before a performance of his adaptation of Hamlet at the Baron’s Court
Theatre, nestled in the vault below. With anecdotes that included blagging his
way into Laurence Olivier award winning British actor Chiwetelu Ejiofor’s dressing room and Dynasty legend Joan Collins
sitting in on one of his rehearsals, I was intrigued to find out more about
Nick’s work and his take on what makes great theatre.
Nick when did you decide that you wanted to be a director? I love films and I love theatre and
I always wanted to be involved in that. When I was young I used to do lots of
things like that but mum and dad said no you are going to be a this or a that,
and I ended up studying something completely different. When I turned 40, I felt I needed something
and that is when I decided to direct a play; I wrote “A Certain Library In
Bath” and I adapted it from other ideas and then I put an advert on the
internet for actors. My first point of call was Mr. Eugenio of Theatro Technis
– he supports the community. And basically I staged the play there for one
night in 2008, which sold out.
What was the inspiration behind your first play? I’m an Alfred Hitchcock fan and I
wanted to do “Rope” but I couldn’t do it because the copyright was too
expensive. So I took “Rope” and elements from other Hitchcock films and I did
my own play, but set at a 70’s Disco and I also did a cameo!
You often look to Shakespeare, Chekov and pre- 50s texts for the
inspiration of your adaptations. What
attracts you to these classic plays? They’re free and I can do whatever I like to them! I did Chekov and I
did it as a “Carry On”, you can do what you want when it is in the public
domain but if I buy the rights to say, a Pinter play you can’t do anything to
it. So what I do is adapt a classic and put my own twist on it.
Already this year you have staged a production of Hamlet; as one of
Shakespeare’s most popular and frequently performed plays – was that at all
daunting for you?
It is a very different Hamlet.
In what way? It’s
set in Wood Green jobcentre so it is modern times but with the original
language.
What was your vision for Hamlet? To give it my spin and make it accessible to
everybody. This isn’t Laurence Olivier Shakespeare this is the people’s
Shakespeare.
You uploaded a status on Facebook
citing Hamlet as your “greatest adaptation and cast since All about Poe” - what
do you think made this production so special for you? This cast
are ‘treli’ they all have their own traits and when they’re all on stage I
think that works, its awesome. It’s such a great cast.
You’re next production is “Metamorphosis” which will be showing at the
Leicester Square Theatre from the 18th - 23rd February
2014. You have a reputation for adding
unexpected twists to your productions and have set your adaptation in Africa. Why
did you decide to transport the action there? A very close friend of mine died of
cancer last year, and when she died it was like metamorphosis. Every family
member reacted differently to her dying; her sister, her mother, her friend… I
was making a film of her life at the time, a commission called “The Diagnosis”.
The family were from Nigeria and I got into their mindset. I had agreed to do “Metamorphosis”
and I thought that experience - I’m going to translate it to “Metamorphosis” and
I merged the two together and set it in Africa. The main character Abeni wakes up in her village and she
is a Cockroach; her mother responds, her friend responds, her sister responds,
her boss responds just like in Kafka.
Do you have a tag line for the production? “Anyone who keeps the ability to
see beauty never grows old”, Kafka’s words.
Your ancestry covers Cyprus, Greece and Egypt – does your heritage
surface through your work? There is always a touch of something Greek in my plays… I did Twelfth
Night by Shakespeare and it was to the soundtrack of Demis
Roussos. I always
have a little element of something Greek in there.
Both the Barons Court and Leicester
Square stages provide really intimate settings for a theatre experience – how
does it lend itself to your productions? I like the intimacy and how the audience are
able to become part of the performance and journey of the characters.
What are you most proud of so far
in your career? That I’m
still here! My greatest achievement I think is “Metamorphosis” – it’s been
awesome from beginning to end and a great challenge.
In theatre at the moment we’re
starting to see more colour and gender blind casting – last year there was the
all female Julius Caesar production, is this something you champion? Absolutely!
What would be your dream play to direct and who would be your dream
team cast? “A
Season in the Congo” and direct Chiwetelu. One thing I don’t do is politics in
my plays… but this is such a fascinating story – how this one man (Patrice
Lumumba) tried so much to make a difference and sacrificed more than most other
people and he’s just a footnote in history. And how they turned this into a
story that makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you want to dance…
But no doubt adding your own twist! Of course!
Is exploring the human experience really important to you as a
director? Yes,
absolutely.
What do you hope the audience takes away with them after seeing one of
your productions? To
feel good, take away a message, and to feel that they’ve had a good night out
away from the TV and they’ve done something different.
Why do you feel it’s so important for audiences,
particularly aspiring performers to go the theatre? This
is X factor. This is where you get talent. This is where you learn your trade and
become an artist… It’s all instant now, that’s the sad thing about it, the
journey is what shapes you.
Aside from your theatre and film projects in London – you are often
involved in missionary work in Africa… After “Metamorphosis” I’m going to Uganda for a few months
and working with a church group there, with orphans. I’ll be working on some
activities, drama workshops. This will be the third time. It’s important to
give something back. I still managed to find a Greek restaurant while I was out
there!
When you return to London you will also be running a three day
intensive director’s workshop – what will that encapsulate? How to write, direct, adapt, and
put on a play off west end fringe; all my secrets.
Now an established
director, looking back what was the best advice you were given?
The director Nathan Osborne told me
“See as many plays as you can! When you go to a play look at the lights, listen
to the sound, look at the props, look at the audience that is how you are going
to learn.”
“Metamorphosis – Oluwa O!” will be showing at the Leicester Square
Theatre from 18th – 23rd February. Tickets £13 (£11
Concessions) Booking number: 08448733433
For more information on director Nick Pelas and his productions visit:
That’s all for now ~ until next
time x Mwah
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Published in The Parikiaki Newspaper - 13th February 2014
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