Every year, the Rep Theatre in Dundee takes on two graduates, giving them the chance to work with the ensemble for a year and gain valuable experience. Jennifer Cosgrove meets this year’s actors, who are starring in the Christmas show.
”I think there is a misconception that Christmas shows are easy to do but they have so many parts and so many technical elements. This show is also pretty much a musical as it has got about 17 songs,” says Kirsty Mackay (22), who is playing the lead role in the Rep’s production of Cinderella.
”There has to be a truth, a struggle and a pay-off for it to work. There are stylised layers with the comedy characters that come in, but there has got to be a real story underneath.”
Kirsty, from Edinburgh, attended the capital’s Broughton High School and studied at the former RSAMD in Glasgow (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). The Rep’s other new graduate is Dundee-born Natalie Wallace (23) who went to Grove Academy before studying at Dundee College’s The Space and Drama Centre London.
Both girls appeared in recent Rep production Baby, Baby, a play about teenage pregnancy that toured local schools and community centres. Natalie also starred in Futureproof, which was produced in partnership with the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and ran the Edinburgh Festival before coming to the Rep, winning a Fringe First Award.
”My whole year applied for the Rep’s graduate scheme,” Natalie explains. ”When an opportunity like this comes along you just have to go for it, because you don’t know when the next one will be.
”I couldn’t believe my luck. I have got so many friends who are talented, but are twiddling their thumbs until they get an audition for something.
”I finished my final drama school performance on Saturday July 2, moved from London to Scotland on the Sunday, then started rehearsals at the Rep for Futureproof on the Monday!”
Despite only being in their early 20s, both Kirsty and Natalie have already gained considerable experience while students. Natalie was a member of Dundee Schools Music Theatre, appeared in short film The List, which one a Welsh BAFTA in 2010 and performed in the reopening ceremony of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with the RSC. Kirsty also starred in a short film before beginning her drama studies and has appeared in National Theatre of Scotland production of Peter Pan.
Baby, Baby was Kirsty’s first experience with the Rep and she relished the chance to act in different venues: ”The schools were very challenging because of the nature of the audience, and I enjoyed the community centres. The play really worked being that close to an audience. We chatted to people a lot afterwards and they seemed to enjoy it. I think it is important for the Rep to continue doing this.”
Meanwhile, Natalie says it is lovely to be back home: ”I had been away in London for three years and in the summers I had been lucky enough to be working there, so I hadn’t been home that often, and it was time to come back for a while.
”I think drama and theatre is important, even if you don’t want to be an actor. When I was younger, going to drama groups helped me and if a play can affect someone in even a tiny way, then that’s amazing.”
In this year’s Christmas show, Kirsty is playing Cinderella, while Natalie is one of the ugly sisters, Tixylix Yarg. The zany comedy version is written by Phil Porter and directed by the Rep’s James Brining.Look out for a full review of the show in The Courier this weekSet in the present day on a floating retirement home for elderly magicians, Cinderella works all day to keep the family business afloat. When the Queen announces a ball will be held to find the handsome young prince a wife, Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters are determined to ruin her dream of attending. So it’s up to the retirement home’s magicians to help make sure she gets there.
Kirsty explains: ”Cinderella is an incredibly patient, loving person who puts her family before her own needs. Her mother has died and she feels a duty to stay and carry on her dream and also look after her father, who has taken the death badly.”
The production has been described by director James Brining as an ”up-to-date twist on the familiar tale” complete with songs and also an unconventional character in a seagull called Gavin, which the girls say may come as something of a surprise to Rep regulars.
But, beneath the comedy and mayhem, there is a human tale that Natalie believes will shine through: ”With this Christmas show more than any other I have seen you don’t really have evil, wicked characters. It’s actually quite a recognisable family set-up and I think younger members of the audience might be able to see that the ugly sisters are just nasty kids in the playground.
”For my character, although she isn’t very graceful, is a bit nasty, larger than life and is constantly stuffing her face, I think she also has her own little journey and there is a reason she is the way she is.”Cinderella runs at Dundee Rep Theatre until December 31. Tickets are available by calling the box office on 01382 223530 or from dundeerep.co.uk