‘Colette’ presents Chch actress with challenges

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 20

‘Colette’ presents Chch actress with challenges

By

KAY FORRESTER

(ik- i Hf i I ' ’ ji' H- [ i I iH! 5 The Christchurch actress, Cynthia Ward, discovered thai the French writer, Colette, was quite a different proposition to her last subject for a one-woman production. i i

! Ward’s last show was about Dame Sybil Thorndike, one the leading [ ladies of English stage. The character was one she knew and. could ! identify with. ! I The French author was an unknown quantity, chosen as a subject because "people kept saying I should do Colette.” ! : Portraying j : Colette meant . reading biographies to . glean an understanding 1 of what made the French woman "tick.” J! 1 'i “I didn’t know her. I never rriet her. I’m not French. That provided many challenges, not least the French accent/’ said Ward. i....'1! k As she read she came to admire her subject more. “She was a person who had a very! dramatic life. She went through changes of. lifestyle! and emotions. She was a gifted writer, almost a genius,” she said. From her research she built up a) composite of

. Coleite/ which she 1 will present on stage at the Repertory Theatre later this month, i '? rli ! [I “It is 1 more ! subtle than Sybil Thorndike, although Colette was such a colourful character,” she said. To help create 1 character and mood the production is interspersed with French !, songs and music by Colette’s favourite composers! | j 1 ‘ Ward described | the writer! as the leading French woman author of her time. Her! writing was sensitive and about [nature and country life. [ [ ['! 'Best known are the “Claudine” novels. Colette also wrote short stories; essays, plays! and a lij bretto for a Ravel opera. Penny Giddens [is the director for “Colette.” She also directed the .Sybil Thorndike performances. Giddens said that the director’s role for a oneperson show [ was! much the same as it was [for a full-cast' production. H 1 • ) , “But it is | even !more

■ ; ' ’ i '• important [ that solo pershould have ja mirror) ltd reflect their performance. [They don’t have the other members of the i cast) as touchstones,!’[she said. Wanji I has two fellqw performers in Julia Holcroft, pianist, ; and Ursula Ryan, mezzo soprano. Holc'roft, who studied atthe Royal College of Music in London, will play music from Colette’s time. Ryan, who has had rolles in opera productions in Christdhurch, will sing the French songs.} Ward trained in Britain, where she appeared with severe repertory companies. She | played (in early Court Theatre productions and.! has produced plays for the Rangiora Dramatic Society and acted with the Repertory 1 Theatre, j [ j [ The “Colette” seasbn. will run from March 28 .to 31 at the) Repertory [Theatre in Kilmore Street. ■Performances) will begin at noon. [ !