Owain Rhys-Davies with Fiona Ramsay on stage in 'The Opera Singer'.
Image: Supplied
The inimitable Fiona Ramsay returns to the stage for “The Opera Singer”.
The play, written and directed by Janna Ramos-Violante, focuses on an interview between a journalist and an opera singer. This encounter reveals the singer's unique, often quixotic personality, her sharp wit, her closely guarded secrets, and her profound trauma.
Ramsay recently discussed her character's dynamics in an interview.
She revealed, “Just to give you a little background on the piece. Janna Ramos-Violante and I worked closely on many productions in South Africa – ‘Doubt’, ‘Miss Dietrich Regrets’ and ‘Blonde Poison’ are a few you may recall.
"She wanted to write a role for me and has always been fascinated by the lives of prima donnas in opera, and specifically Maria Callas.
“Although the play is not solely based on the diva’s life, it has shadows and resonances of her. She chose the format of a two-hander, as I have performed many one-person shows, and it can be lonely.
"Janna was also fascinated with the role of journalists, particularly in the arts, and how they ethically view writing and capturing the life of an artist.
“My father was renowned journalist Raymond Louw, and therefore the play resonated with me as more than an interrogation of the life of an artist.”
Ramsay continued: “We meet her in her later years after some time into her retreat from the world – not only her career – but from life, and we meet her preparing for an interview for the first time in some years.
"She has reconstructed her former self to meet the interviewer, and her voice exhibits the artifice and façade she projected to the world – she tries to recapture this with some effort as she has been out of the limelight for many years and living alone in isolation in a flat in Paris.
“As the narrative develops, we begin to see the cracks appearing in the fragile diva, and her voice too begins to lack the confidence and attack as she becomes frailer and more brittle. I use a breathy tone, and the accent becomes a little more pronounced as she tires and reveals her frightened fragility.”
On the paradoxical challenge of her character grappling with a profound lack of self-worth despite immense success, she explained: “Without wanting to fall prey to the cliché of the lonely star alienated from the world by her vocal demise, I do think the qualities often evident in artists who have achieved acclaim and success for roles that are emotionally demanding and exhausting, often become gradually aware of the toll this commitment and dedication has on the body and the spirit.
“As an actor, you are remembered for your last performance as an indicator of your talent and value, and when the instrument of your craft becomes strained, less accessible and fundamentally the ability to perform with ease wanes, lack of self-worth does become profound.
"I think this has increased with the intrusion into the life and intimate moments in the artist's life by social media; one’s dignity is profoundly affected.”
As for working with Owain Rhys-Davies, Ramsay shared: “I had not worked with Owain before but knew that he had appeared in ‘Twin Peaks’, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘The Lion King’ – and was therefore both a stage and film actor. “Janna had worked with us both independently and decided we would be a great combo.
“It is a wonderful relationship with a chemistry that embraces a variety of factors – from a similar vision of the possibility of theatre, sharing devotion to improving moments, unfolding of narrative and emotional arcs. It has developed into a wonderful working relationship that I hope will endure beyond this production.”
Last but not least, I asked Ramsay, as a veteran of the stage, whether she shares that obsessive drive for the perfect performance, or has she learned to embrace the “beautiful flaws” of live theatre?
She responded: “I believe that as an actor gets older, they have a choice – whether to settle on what they have discovered to date about themselves and their performative ability – or whether to continue to strive for more insight, more wisdom, more varied experience.
“ As a wildly curious person, I identify closely with endeavouring perfection and therefore commit to a creative process that is rigorous, exacting and serves inquiry. I believe the bottomless infinite resource of artistic pursuit is what fires my imagination and life.”
Where: Theatre on the Square.
When: March 12 to 26, 7.30pm.