With opening night fast approaching, time is ticking for Kelly Paterniti and her fellow thespians. As one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, the anticipation forAs You Like Itis running high, made all the more poignant since John Bell’s announcement he will be stepping down at the end of the year from the company he founded, Bell Shakespeare. For an actor like Paterniti – one who craves the tutelage each new production brings to her craft – the opportunity to work alongside such established talents is a dream.
“There’s a special air here, I suppose,” she reflects. “A bit of a responsibility to make the production as good as it can be. But then, Bell Shakespeare standards are always very high. But to be a part of it, especially before John steps down from the role, is unbelievable. I’ve already learnt a lot just by being in this show and being with these people. You always have to be open to learning, and just never be satisfied with your level of craft. You have to be able to take, to learn and to grow. If you reached a point where you were satisfied and didn’t keep trying to progress, well, I think that would just be very dull. Even the smallest or most unpleasant thing is something that you now know not to do again. There’s always a lesson to take. That’s the charm of the job, I suppose. You never know what the next role will be, and what you’re going to find out.”
Both Paterniti and I have recently seen the Oscar-nominated behind-the-curtain juggernaut, Birdman, and my impressions of life in the theatre are now coloured with madness, blood and hilarity. It suggests the kind of manic energy befitting a Shakespeare comedy, with its heightened dialogue and madcap plot developments. Though spontaneity is certainly part of the production’s appeal, Paterniti is happy that in this instance, life does not imitate art.
“Thankfully this show has seen nothing as dark as the breakdown in Birdman. Ours is actually an encouraging environment. From my perspective, I just really enjoy a good story with great characters, and I guess that’s the thing with Shakespeare. You’re always guaranteed to get that, regardless of whether the language is your thing, or if you’ve heard it before. You’ll always have a well-structured play where the story just flows. It’s kind of an honour to perform, really. You’ve seen past productions, and then there are all of these modern stories that have directly taken their essence or inspiration from Shakespeare. There’s a familiarity there, but you don’t know exactly how that’s going to be told. How it will come to life with new eyes, new perspectives. I think in the end that’s why people still like it. It’s why I still like it.”
Though Paterniti did her research early on – revisiting past adaptations, seeking out odd interpretations – she has also been strict in not carrying those influences with her to the stage. That approach seems very much a part of her craft, and she speaks strongly of the lessons she has already learned.
“It’s nice to have an idea of how it’s been done, but you don’t want to bring any preconceived notions of how it should be, or subconsciously start copying something. Also, watching some of the older, female-based comedies, like you find in Fellini, just to get a feel for that kind of world. I think it’s important, as long as you don’t start trying to emulate what you’ve seen. It also helps by getting you excited about it. It gets you excited to play.”
SeeAs You Like Itat thePlayhouse, Sydney Opera House fromSaturday February 21 to Saturday March 28, tickets online.
