By BRUCE DENNILL
Written by Aimèe Mica Komorowsky, Sarajevo is set during the Bosnian war in the 1990s. It is a powerful stage production about friendship, love and the human cost of war, particularly the price women pay in war-torn countries. Cast members Komorowsky and Damon Berry and director Thorsten Wedekind discuss their work in and around the production.
What is the central aspect of acting as a craft or job that attracted you to it, or which keeps you passionate about it?
Aimèe Mica Komorowsky: The first time I was introduced to acting at school, I realised that studying a character involves far more than simply learning lines. As I continued my training and entered the professional industry, the opportunity to immerse myself in another person’s world became increasingly exciting. Through character study, I not only explore and experience someone else’s life; I also learn a great deal about myself. There are many aspects of acting that continue to inspire me, but I am always most drawn to characters that challenge me, push me beyond my comfort zone, and require me to discover something new.
How were you introduced to theatre (or television or film) as an art form or space in which you could see value and interest, as well as a place or platform for entertainment?
Thorsten Wedekind: In 1969, at the age of five, family friends in Durban took me to a cinema for the first time, to see Disney’s The Jungle Book. We arrived slightly late, with the film already having started, but I still vividly remember a man pulling aside this thick velvet curtain to let us into the darkened space, and I stepped into another universe, a place of magic. That was it! I was hooked! I wanted to harness that magic! At that moment, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, and I never subsequently wavered from that path, becoming an obsessed movie buff and a dedicated student of cinema history, leading into studying speech and drama after discovering I did also have an affinity for it, in terms of practical application. I can’t quite remember what exactly the first theatre was that I was exposed to – it would probably have been one of the NAPAC pantomimes or the annual Marjorie Chase ice show – but I do remember that I experienced the same sense of excitement and anticipation of what would be revealed behind the curtain, as I did with the cinema: it emitted the same magic. In terms of directing, I think a pivotal moment was seeing two productions of Peter Shaffer’s Equus; one in the 1980s and one in the early 1990s. Not only did it become my all-time favourite play, but it also made me realise that, aside from the magic that theatre creates, it also has the power to really move people on an emotional level and educate, even to change lives. That’s what I wanted to be able to create. Fittingly, my first venture into directing for theatre was a production of Equus. It cemented the type of material I am drawn to as a theatre director – hence my attraction to Sarajevo!
How does acting as a calling sit with people outside of your professional or creative community?
Thorsten Wedekind: For many non-industry-affiliated people I know, including some members of family, it’s still somewhat of a mystery profession. Nonetheless, it remains one of those professions that makes people sit up and take notice – it’s certainly not regarded as a “normal” job. By the same token, however, it’s also perceived by many as being more of a hobby than a full-time career, and, furthermore, I’ve found many don’t quite understand what it is that I do as a director, or what it entails – that often only tends to change after they actually get to see something I’ve worked on. Finally, what is also prevalent is the fact that they cannot identify with us willingly choosing a life that offers no financial security or any form of stability. They do not understand that. Just like acting, you don’t choose it, it chooses you!
Where does acting sit for you as a tool for teaching – from the practical (a script to instruct workers as a corporate, say) to the profound and emotional (modelling how to grieve, or showcasing the complexities of relationships)?
Damon Berry: Acting is the most effective way to connect an audience to a story, because it always is about being human. So acting can always teach us about our fundamental role in connecting to others, regardless of whether it’s a dramatic cause or a frivolous delight. In Sarajevo, it teaches us about how friends survive under the pressure of war.
Interpretation of text or direction – how do you position yourself or your perspectives in a character you’re playing?
Damon Berry: At the end of the day, our work is a collaborative effort. So it’s important to understand and trust the vision set out by the writer and director. Within that framework, that’s where the actor gets to play. Our job is to bring nuance and understanding. For me personally as a performer, deciding what to do with a character is always about honouring my dramatic instinct, tempered by research and rehearsal.
Backstage, in the dressing room or on set while a show or shoot is in progress: what do you do to keep yourself busy and/or focused? Have you had any tense or amusing situation in that space?
Aimèe Mica Komorowsky: One of my favourite rituals is creating a signature scent for every character I play. Each role has its own perfume, and I never wear that fragrance outside of that character’s world. The moment I spray it on, something shifts. Scent is incredibly powerful, and almost instantly it transports me into that person’s emotional landscape. Over time, that fragrance becomes inseparable from the memories, emotions and experiences of the role. Backstage, I’m usually doing one very simple thing: breathing. People often imagine actors pacing dramatically or reciting lines over and over, but sometimes the biggest challenge is simply calming your nervous system. No matter how many performances I’ve done, the nerves never completely disappear. There are definitely moments when I think, “I could be at home in bed watching Netflix like a normal person!” But then the lights go up, adrenaline takes over, and I’m reminded exactly why I chose this career. That mixture of terror and exhilaration is part of what makes live performance so addictive.
Are there particular roles you’d love to play?
Damon Berry: There are many roles I would still love to play. I find Shakespeare particularly fascinating, as working with his language strengthens my ability to analyse text and bring greater nuance and colour to modern material. Macbeth, Hamlet, and Henry V are all roles I hope to explore one day. However, the role I would most like to play before I am too old for it is Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. He is a complex, demanding character, and the opportunity to explore both his power and vulnerability would be an exciting challenge.