It’s what you have all been waiting for, the interview of the year with the wonderfully talented…Cally Lawrence.
YOU MAY recognise Cally from appearances in some of Britain’s best loved shows; Emmerdale, Heartbeat and Corrie, but to name a few. She went on a cringe-worthy date with Ricky Gervais during his Office days (lucky girl!) and she’ll even be popping up in Peep Show later this year. This Christmas however it will be her directing skills on show when she takes on the Wild Things. So what can we expect from the show?
“As far as I know there is a musical of the Wild Things, a film of the Wild Things but there isn’t a play, a theatre piece that has been done before in this way. It’s going to be multimedia so there’s going to be projections, puppets, singing, actors, we have even got some new songs that have been created specifically for this production,” said Cally.
Unlike George’s Marvellous Medicine, the Christmas show last year, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak leaves a wider scope for adaptations, something that excites Cally, she said:
“We wanted a story that people knew but there was scope to create a lot of new stuff. People who know the original picture book and story behind it know that the story itself only has something like 14 lines in the actual book, so it’s all about the children reading or listening to the story and using their imagination.
“Everyone has got a massive amount to think about. It’s a very exciting project to do. Rather than getting a script that’s already there and we just work from the script, we are getting everything from scratch.
“With Roald Dahl he is very well known and the characters are well loved. A lot of the audience come knowing the story so they have certain expectations, so it was about doing the characters justice”, she said.
No Loss Production’s first collaborated with Dumstruck! Productions on ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ last Christmas and following the success of last year’s show they decided to come together once more. If you went to see the show last year you will be pleased to know that the audience will once again have a chance to take part:
“What we learnt from the show was how brilliantly the audiences loved to get involved so last year the audience helped George to make the medicine and this year they will have a chance to help Max on his journey from his bedroom all the way across the sea and to the place of the Wild Things,” said Cally.
With nearly two decades in the business, the Manchester trained actress has numerous theatre credits, including a role in James and the Giant Peach, to add to her extensive television appearances. Directing however was something Cally unintentionally fell in to, she said:
“I have directed a wide variety of shows. Directing hadn’t been something I had thought about doing professionally. Over the years I have developed my directing skills alongside my acting skills. I describe myself as a jobbing actor so wherever the work is, wherever it takes me, I am happy to go and do it.”
The Wild Things is shaping up to be a great show, but just in case you need any more convincing:
“I think from a practical point of view it’s on their doorstep, it’s a good fair price and there’s plenty of free parking. On a creative level, the majority of the cast will be local professional actors who are all based in Bedfordshire, as are the back stage creative team. I think there will be some nostalgia for some people who perhaps grew up with that story and it might be nice from them to come and see that in the theatre. It’s a family show with something for everyone, no matter what their age”, said Cally.
Now it’s time to see her in action:
To keep up to date with Cally’s work follow @actorcally on Twitter.
There are still tickets available for Wild Things performances, please visit http://www.theplacebedford.org.uk/WhatsOn/Shows.shtml to book yours now.
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