Young actors in leads

Press, 19 February 1986, Page 20

Young actors in leads

Two young, but experienced actors fill the lead roles in the Elmwood Players’ first production for 1986, “Butterflies Are Free.”

Playing Don, the young blind man trying to make it on his own, is Chris Boje, who aims to make acting his career. “I plan to be an actor for the rest of my life. I am going to fight like hell to get as much acting experience as I can, so I will probably end up going overseas,” he said.

He was so keen to get the part of Don, that although he was in Nelson touring with the Court’s theatre in education programme, he sent down an audition tape to director, Andrew Davidge, along with photographs. Aged 23 years, Chris Boje has been a member of the Court Theatre company for two years, and had experience before that in many local productions. He does not feel

that it is a backward step to go from the professional theatre on to the amateur stage. “This is a lead role, and at my age I wouldn’t have got that at Court,” he said.

Playing a blind person is a challenge for any actor, and he says it is a

“terrific acting exercise. You have to forget about your eyes and concentrate on your other four senses. I think I am getting close.”

Ondine Claridge plays his new neighbour, Jill, a “butterfly” of a character to whom freedom is paramount. Although it is her first role for Elmwood she already has a wealth of experience from local plays and musicals, and has been part of Dunedin’s Fortune Theatre Youth Company. “Butterflies Are Free,” opens at the Elmwood Playhouse, on Wednesday, February 26, for a twoweek season.