By BRUCE DENNILL
Expelled is a family drama that focuses on the largely ungoverned world of social media. Alex, a Matric pupil at an elite school, gets caught up in a viral scandal and is suspended. Once a post is shared, lives alter in seconds: what’s seen cannot be unseen, and the ramifications for his family are profound. Written by Rosalind Butler, Expelled was created out of How Now Brown Cow’s script development programme The Writers’ Collective during lockdown in 2021. Directed by Craig Freimond, the cast features Charmaine Weir-Smith, Antony Coleman, Nicolas Hattingh, Graham Hopkins and Amelia Smith. Weir-Smith shares her experiences.
Live performance: the thrill versus the nerves – where are you on that curve as a new show starts?
Definitely the thrill as we get closer to afirst audience. A healthy amount of nerves kick in on the day of our first preview – especially with a brand new work, like Expelled, which has never been seen by an audience. Part of the nerves and excitement is sharing something fresh and original. One of my favourite feelings in the world is standing backstage in the theatre and hearing the audience coming in. It’s the start of a journey we will share together.
How do you find a balance during rehearsals or other preparation?
Rehearsals can be all-consuming. By the second week of rehearsals I start to feel consumed – in a good way – by the character. I can feel her in me. It’s a strange but happy co-habitation between Lou (my character) and Charmaine. My family and friends ground me and time with them provides great joy and balance. I also start every day with prayer, which is a wonderful focus and puts everything into perspective. Oh. and I also bake every Sunday – good therapy.
In a best-case scenario, what are you looking for in a role? What is the main basis for that decision – the script, the people involved, the challenge to your skills, the impact (positive or negative) it might have on your life in general, or perhaps something else?
A role/character must be well-written. Everything good about a process starts with the writing. Interesting women for me are nuanced, flawed and complex. Rosalind Butler has written an extraordinary woman in Lou. At first she appears like every other mother, but as the crisis unfolds, her flaws and fears are revealed. Her behaviour is thrilling to see as it is unexpected yet understandable. I am loving playing her. I also look for a challenge. I wouldn’t have wanted to play Lou if it meant me playing myself as a mom. She is very different to me – her choices, her emotional landscape. I also have to trust my director’s vision. I adore working with Craig Freimond. He is a brilliant director and truth-teller. This process has been about finding the truth of these people – all their humour, all their pain.
Acting is often a vocation, a thing you can’t not do. How true is that for you now? Has it changed over the years – for practical, perhaps banal reasons? And how do you, or would you like to, keep your calling front and centre in your life?
I totally agree with this statement – acting is a vocation. If I haven’t performed for a while, I literally start to ache inside and feel restless. Both directing and acting are part of storytelling but acting for me feels like a cathartic release. There is a rich reward for live performance. Every night you have to tell that story to a new audience, be fresh, alive to that unique experience because every audience is different and every night is different. I hope I perform for many years. It is a source of great joy for me.
What are the toughest expectations to deliver on – all the way from the first audition to the end of the run?
Definitely creating a character that is authentic and believable. I don’t want to be an actress that has missed out any steps in creating this person. I have to be true to her entire creation. The audience may not see all the work that goes into forming a character’s backstory, but they will know if something is missing. With Craig, I have created a full narrative for Lou, a detailed history and back-story, her present and her hopes and dreams for the future.
Tell us more about Expelled, and what makes your character interesting to play?
Expelled is a riveting production that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. It’s a story about a family. The husband and wife, Richard and Lou, are in an unfulfilled, unhappy marriage and then a crisis hits with their teenage son. This crisis reveals so much about them and their marriage. It is very funny, until it is not. There is so much for audiences of all age groups to identify with. What I love about Craig’s production is that is dangerous and fearless. I’m so proud to be associated with it. My character Lou is glorious to play because she is complex – a frightened mother, a discontented wife and a social media addict. I don’t want to reveal too much as this show has many unexpected twists.
