Timothy Dashwood is the lead actor in the upcoming Managing Carmen, playing Brent Lyall and his alter ego Carmen. Managing Carmen opened to great patron feedback in Queensland and we are definitely looking forward to the production coming to Perth! Timothy was nice enough to answer a few questions for us:

You play Brent Lyall, a football team captain in Managing Carmen, have you ever played football, or been/are a fan?

Timothy Dashwood: Yes and yes! I’m a big fan of the Carlton Blues. I get very depressed when they lose and wish I was good enough to play for them!

I played for a few years but QLD isn’t really a big AFL place. When I was growing up, the league I was in only had three teams so I played for a year but was a bit too pudgy to play well. I played in grade 12 for my high school in an inter-school competition which was a heap of fun as I was one of the few players who wasn’t a rugby player playing football! A couple of years later after university I played again for a club and really enjoyed it but got my first ever concussion in the preliminary finals – and at the time I was doing a school’s touring show that meant up to 13 shows a week, and didn’t think it was worth gettin g injured and not being able to perform.

I thought about playing this year and went to a training session but wasn’t able to fit it in around some other shows I was doing for the first half of the year.

How did you prepare for this role? Did it require a lot of research to get into the mindset of the character?

TD: There were a lot of things I had to try and get my head around. I read a lot of books about different subjects, specifically autobiographies of sportsmen like Dennis Rodman and Jason Akermanis, also of David Williamson and Richard and Peter Werritt (there is some talk of cross-dressing).

I also tried to get in touch with a heap of football clubs but none of them were interested at the time. I was able to chat with a Collingwood player (before I knew my character was a Magpie…!) through a family connection which was really interesting. We met up a few times for coffee then I went along and saw the game on the weekend – was a nice insight!

Also I did a lot of reading on social disorders – Claire Lovering (playing Jessica in Managing Carmen) also showed me a few readings on behavioural issues and cross-dressing references. She did a lot of research on the psychology side which I was able to tap into.

Finally I had to do a lot of physical work – heels, lady-like business – and tried to kick a footy a lot and get to the gym. I did a lot of watching of how women move, walk, talk and how that differs from men.

How does this role differ from characters that you’ve played in the past?

TD: Almost every role is going to have some new challenge. This one is a bit unique because I’m playing two characters who are essentially one person. David Williamson gave me a lot of help with the journey of Brent/Carmen in that he is VERY specific at the beginning – almost so specific it is hard to play it convincingly, but throughout the play Brent is quickly caught up in his addiction and playing the role of Carmen that at the end of the play Brent comes out as a more ‘full’ person – the two halves join together.

I think the joining of the polar opposites is the interesting part: Brent who has no emotion and tries to hide everything, to Carmen who wants to be seen, heard and get out there.

It’s great to be given so many diverse roles in my short career. Just this year I have been in a Shakespeare, a musical and now a Williamson, as well as lots of little gigs throughout the years. Each role is completely new and different!

Do you feel Brent is in a common position? That there is a certain stereotype that surrounds football players and other sporting heroes, a persona that they have to meet in order to be accepted by the general public?

TD: Absolutely, although maybe not as extreme as Brent’s case. David has certainly used this story to express what is happening throughout our media and our heroes – showing that a lot of these people are just normal people who get put on a pedestal for their skill but are just as flawed as the rest of us. The media provide a huge framework for how our ‘famous’ people are accepted by the general public. Our sports heroes are expected to be an example for everyone. Whenever they do something ‘wrong’ we condemn them or at least hear about it and are forced to have some sort of opinion about it. We idolise them, children want to be them and some people strive their entire life to be like their sporting hero. When our heroes lose our trust or disappoint us we can’t help but feel betrayed….or can we?

What’s next for you?

TD: Lots of things actually! Straight after our season in Perth I head back to Brisbane to do a short children’s show for the lead up to Christmas playing a mischievous possum who ruins Christmas. Then I fly to Canada and New York to train in Stage Combat, Meyerhold’s Biomechanics and hopefully a bit of singing! I received the Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor’s Fellowship Grant to train with my mentor Nigel Poulton in the US and to attend the Paddy Crean Bi-annual Stage Combat Conference in Canada. It is going to be a great trip!

Then I’m on the road again with an adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm with Shake ‘n’ Stir Theatre Company touring around Australia – playing a few more animals. I think I’ll even be back in WA at the start of next year.

Managing Carmen is on at the State Theatre Centre of Perth from 10 Nov – 2 Dec. Tickets on sale through Ticketek.

The cast of our upcoming production Managing Carmen is busy in Brisbane, as the Opening Night of the Queensland Theatre Company season is tonight! But Claire Lovering, who plays the psychologist Jessica, took some time out to answer a few questions for us:

Black Swan: What was it about Managing Carmen that sparked your interest?

Claire Lovering: The fact that it was the world premiere of a new David Williamson play to be directed by Wesley Enoch really peaked my interest. When I first read the script, I was most excited by the relevance of the writing and the accuracy of the contemporary archetypes each character represents.

BS: What have you been working on since The Damned, which was your most recent Black Swan production?

CL: I’ve been living in Sydney where I did an internship with Version 1.0 – a documentary theatre company, worked on a web series for Movie Network Channel, spent some time in the UK and most recently worked on a show at the Old Fitzroy theatre.

BS: You originally auditioned for the role of the main characters girlfriend, but were instead cast in the larger role of his psychologist. Was that surprising? How did it change your approach to the play?

CL: Yes it was a bit of a surprise! Jessica is a less heightened character than Clara and has more naturalistic dialogue. She ends up being the love interest of Brent Lyall and has a huge arc throughout the play. It changed my approach to the play in that she was a lot less comedic and often is the straight character in scenes, setting up the laughs for other characters. As such, I had to approach the role with a stronger search for truth in order for the romantic thread of the story to be convincing.

BS: How do you prepare for a role? What processes do you go through?

CL: I usually start by looking at the words and punctuation of the text, understanding the meanings and phrases my character and others use. I then write out lists of all the things my character says about themself and other characters and what other characters say about me. Once I have understood what the writer has intended I then set about fleshing out and layering the character. I write out their background, their likes and dislikes, their needs and obstacles, what they want in each scene and what they want in life. Jessica is a psychologist and acting coach so to further my research I spoke to a psychologist about the ethical boundaries of a therapist and her client. The scenes in Managing Carmen are very short and snappy and I’m often going from one scene straight into another so I made a storyboard so I could visually map out the journey of my character. Then it’s all about letting all that work go and seeing the world through her eyes and thinking her thoughts in order to just be in the moment.

BS: What do you feel this play highlights most about society? Do you agree?

CL: The play really highlights the themes of self-expression and individuality and the judgement and critical nature of society. It is set in the world of the AFL celebrity culture and sees the media response to a scandal involving a high-level football player. Because of this there is also a strong media influence and that has been emphasised by the use of technology within the play.

This play is a truly pertinent reflection on contemporary Australian culture. The ultimate message is one of tolerance and acceptance – and is one that I strongly support!

BS: Managing Carmen opens in Queensland before its two week season in Perth. Do you get the opportunity to travel much in your job? What’s the most exotic location or most interesting experience you have had so far in your career?

CL: Working on co-productions with other theatre companies is a great opportunity to live and work in other locations. I have been living in Brisbane for over a month now and between the gorgeous weather and the swimming pool it has been a wonderful experience!

Managing Carmen will be at the State Theatre Centre of WA from 10 November to 2 December. Tickets on sale now through Ticketek!