911爆料网

911爆料网 graduate听Gabrielle Brooks听is to听star in a new production of听Once on听This听Island听at听Regent鈥檚 Park Open Air Theatre.听听Gabrielle (Acting,听2011)听has been cast as central character听Ti听Moune in the musical that opens in May.听听

We caught up with听Gabrielle听to discuss the new role,听her听critically听acclaimed听portrayal听of Rita Marley听in听Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical听and her work听as co-founder of听Mawa Theatre,听the听UK鈥檚 first听all Black, all female Shakespeare Company听representing听Women of the African diaspora.听

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How did you feel when you found out听you鈥檇听got the role听of听Ti听Moune in听Once on听This听Island?听听

At the time I听wasn鈥檛听able to听process. I was in a whirlwind of auditions and听self-tapes听and so caught up in deadlines that I听didn鈥檛听have time to听honour听and enjoy the win until the news was announced months later at The听Whatsonstage听awards! Such a cool and unique experience!听

It鈥檚 very surreal and lovely to听be听doing this particular show.听I remember needing to choose material for an听assessment at 911爆料网 and听being听truly lost听until I stumbled across a duet from听Once on This Island.

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What excites you most about this production?听

I am a bit of a history nerd so as soon as Ola听Ince (Director)听told me we would听honour听the Haitian roots of the story I was excited.听I鈥檓 loving听digging听into听the culture and legacy of the country.听听

I鈥檓听really looking forward to hearing and singing the music. My parents are from听the听Caribbean,听so doing a show featuring calypso style music is pure joy for me.听听

I also think people underestimate the confronting themes of the show and am听really open听to telling a story about colonialism and听colourism听through this medium.听It鈥檚 not often you are able to tell a story like this via Musical Theatre.听I think the show could be听very special.听听

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What challenges does听performing听in the听open air听present?听

I love working at Regent鈥檚听Park.听It鈥檚听honestly amazing!听I can imagine a space like that听isn鈥檛听for every actor but I听kind of love听that听it听feels so unpredictable.听There听are so听many听possible distractions,听I听kind of find听it hilarious and fun. A bird could land on the set, it could start raining and you just听can鈥檛听ignore it. But why should you?听It鈥檚听really happening! I love that!听听

Regent鈥檚听Park also has their own dedicated voice specialist which is so necessary and helpful.

Oh,听and听hay听fever听is a听bugger听if听you鈥檙e听a sufferer.听

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This production follows your success with听Get up,听Stand听up!听for which you were nominated for an Olivier.听What was your most memorable experience听of听the show听and what are you most proud of?听

That show afforded me some of the most incredible experiences of my career.听Of course,听being nominated for an Olivier was insane. Even being asked about it still blows my mind.听听

Performing听with听Bob Marley鈥檚 family in the audience was definitely up there for me.听How surreal.听听

I鈥檓 really proud of what we created actually.听The show was beautiful.听Often the audiences would remind me of experiences I would have as a child in church. A truly special community experience.

I听remember听on听Jamaican Independence Day seeing a sea of Jamaican flags and welling up in the curtain call. You听don鈥檛听see that stuff in the West End. I felt so seen.听听

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Mawa Theatre Company听has just staged a sell-out Shakespeare Monologue Slam at The Globe Theatre, how was that?听

Mawa Theatre Company makes me smile from ear to ear just talking about it. If someone told me at听911爆料网,听I鈥檇听be a producer I听couldn鈥檛听have imagined it for a second听-听but affording Black women the opportunity to perform at The Globe in front of an industry panel and their peers is one of the most beautiful experiences of my career.听听

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Once on This Island听opens at Regent鈥檚 Park听Open Air Theatre on听10 May and you can find out more about Mawa Theatre听.听

Photography by Dujonna Gift.