Rachel Cairns - Actor
Monday, September 02, 2013
My Mother's Red Shawl - El Rebozo Colorado
Rachel Cairns - Actor
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| Rachel Cairns |
I’ve been asked many
times about what it’s like playing two completely different characters, one in
a tragedy and the other in a comedy and whether I ever get them confused. From
an outside perspective, I can see how it might seem challenging to play two
different parts during the same season – but I’ve never been confused between
the roles. It’s been an amazing experience to play both of these women.
Continually alternating between them has kept me busy and never allowed for a
minute of tedium.
However, I will say
that I sometimes had moments of confusion in the early rehearsals. I would be
struggling over something with Viola and just as I felt I was making headway,
we would switch to rehearsing Hamlet, but that’s all a part of the process.
So here is the
experience of each role from my perspective. Ophelia, though an iconic
character and one of the two female lead roles in Hamlet, is a relatively small
part. There’s three parts to her trajectory – her relationship with her family
at the beginning where they are warning her about Hamlet and she confides in
her father about Hamlet’s strange behaviour. Then comes the break-up with
Hamlet in the famous nunnery scene, then madness and death. Her emotional
journey is entirely in turmoil, there’s no relief from pending tragedy. Her sad
fate is relentless.
In contrast Viola is a
light and buoyant character. Pretending to be a young man throughout the play
she encounters unpredictable situations and has to quickly outwit them. As the
protagonist of the play, her journey has a longer arc and she gets to
experience a broader emotional spectrum from grief and loss, adventure and then
the joy and surprise of love. Also there’s a lot of humour in her journey,
Viola is the kind of person that tries to make the best of a situation and her
interactions with the other colourful characters in the world of Illyria.
Playing these roles
with a stellar cast and crew and in such a beautiful location supported by the
glorious summer weather has made this a completely wonderful experience for me.
I count myself very lucky to have had the honour of playing these two
Shakespearian heroines.
Jennifer Landels Espadachina
Judith Currelly Pilot- Artist
Jim Erickson Set Decorator
Alexandra Hill Soprano
Georgina Elizabeth Isles Figure Model
Emma Middleton Actor
Mark Pryor Author/Lawyer/Assistant DA Travis County TX
Brother Edwin Charles Reggio, CSC Mentor & Teacher
Veronica Vex Burlesque Dancer
George McWhirter Poet
Raúl Guerrero Montemayor Padre-Compadre
Alexandra Waterhouse-Hayward Maestra
Shirley Gnome Singer/Provocateur
Yeva & Thoenn Glover Dancers/Choreographers
JJ Lee Writer
Jacqueline Model
Cathy Marsden Psychiatrist
André De Mondo Wanderer
Colin MacDonald Saxophonist/Composer
Nina Gouveia Yoga Instructor
Stacey Hutton Excercise Physiologist
Colleen Wheeler Actor
Sarah Rodgers Actor, Director,Mother
Timothy Turner - Real Estate Agent
Kiera Hill Dancer
Johnna Wright & Sascha Director/Mother - Son/Dreamer
Decker & Nick Hunt Cat & 19th century amateur
George Bowering Poet
Celia Duthie Gallerist
Linda Lorenzo Mother
Katheryn Petersen Accordionist
Stefanie Denz Artist
Ivette Hernández Actress
Byron Chief-Moon Actor/Dancer
Colin Horricks Doctor
Ian Mulgrew Vancouver Sun Columnist
Jocelyn Morlock Composer
Corinne McConchie Librarian
Rachel Ditor Dramaturg
Patrick Reid Statesman, Flag Designer
Michael Varga CBC Cameraman
Bronwen Marsden Playwright/Actress/Director
David Baines Vancouver Sun Columnist
Alex Waterhouse-Hayward Photographer
Lauren Elizabeth Stewart Student
Sandrine Cassini Dancer/Choreographer
Meredith Kalaman Dancer/Choreographer
Juliya Kate Dominatrix
