‘The Trial’ Cast Interviews
We recently met with cast members from this year’s Sixth Form Production, The Trial; based on Franz Kafka’s novel and adapted by Steven Berkoff, our students will share the story of Joseph K, who has been arrested and is awaiting trial – but doesn’t know why. Sinking deeper and deeper, he attempts to discover what is behind his situation.
Joining students mid-rehearsal with Mr Williams, it was great to speak to Year 13’s Fergus and Georgia, as well as Year 12’s Sam L, about their characters and the likely challenges ahead as they prepare for two performances which take place on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 November.
Year 13’s Fergus, playing Joseph K
“I’m playing Joseph K. who is like an everyman. As the central protagonist, one of the challenges is portraying the many different thoughts and voices in K’s consciousness; he’s battling in his own mind with the fact that he hasn’t’ really done anything wrong, or at least he doesn’t think he has. This isn’t helped by the fact that he’s a man that never really seems to make things happen, he tries but never succeeds. He’s a really interesting character to play because he’s very different to the characters I’ve played in the past, because he’s very he’s very reserved, holds back and he’s not a man of action. In contrast I usually play energetic and outgoing characters, so that’s definitely going to be one of the biggest challenges for me. There are lots of lines that I need to ensure are delivered in a controlled way, subtly, softly, whereas ordinarily I’m used to exaggerating and giving energy to the characters I play.”
Year 13’s Georgia
“I play the part of the Laundress in the play, she’s the court bailiff’s wife and she’s a very seductive and flirtatious woman! She’s seductive and intentional, so that in itself is a challenge, I’ve not played this kind of character before. I’ve nothing really to compare her too in terms of characters I’ve played before, which means although she’s a challenge, it’s enjoyable as it means I get to create her on stage in some ways. However, it can feel a little awkward and uncomfortable, so I’ve got to learn to overcome that as her character develops – the way she walks, talks and moves, they’re all very dreamlike and exaggerated, she’s quite a complex character to play.”
Year 12’s Sam, playing Acolyte and the Bailiff
“Playing the Bailiff is great, he’s this incredibly rushed, hot-tempered character and I really enjoy playing him. The most recent scene I’ve rehearsed sees his wife being carried off by someone else and he’s anxiously searching for he, rushing all over the place – he also speaks very quickly! As one of a few cameo characters, he’s also a working man, and someone I and the audience can relate to easily as well, so there are lots of dimensions to him that make him a joy to play. The biggest challenge for me so far is the accents, my characters have different accents so I have to not only practice and perfect each of them – but make sure I don’t mix them up on stage! There are certain lines in any accent that are easy to recite, but maintaining that accent through every word spoken – that’s the real challenge, but I’m enjoying it.”
Be sure to book your tickets available from ticketsource.co.uk/woodbridge-school-drama.
