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Interview

Melody and rhythm

Rahel Romahn on his role in COSÌ

Rahel Romahn talks about the patterns of his character Doug and what drives his agenda in Cosi.

What do you think the driving force behind your character Doug is?

I believe the driving force behind my character is his inability to fit in, to understand why people don't seem to find him likeable. He continues to attempt a form of attention seeking, which goes back to a deep seated issue of his fractured relationship with his mother.

How do you inhabit your character? Do they have specific gestures, movements, facial expressions or habits?

I inhabit my character by falling into a state of physical and expressive freedom. There is a particular rhythm in which he speaks, which leaps of the page for me. Once I fall into this melodically, I am then able to exist with liberation and behave the way in which the play requires. 

How does your character grow during the course of the play?

He grows by learning that he has dreams, hopes and aspirations. He continues to behave in his patterned pyromania, but as the play progresses and he loses the opportunity to woo his crush, which is Julie, and perform in a play where he can shine, he realises that he may have made a big mistake and we witness this in his subtle physical behaviour and wording.

Can you describe a moment/exercise from rehearsal that helped you interpret or develop your character?

I realised that as wild as this character is, the moments of vulnerability where we see the benevolent child — which once existed and had his mind tarnished due to the harsh environment in which he lived — was just as pivotal and important.

How important is experimentation and improvisation in rehearsal for you, in regards to interpreting the script and its characters?

Experimentation and improvisation are extremely important because they fill in behavioural gaps and linguistic vividity which may arise and come into question as you explore the play.

Do you have a favourite line from the script? It mightn’t be your own. Why is it your favourite?

"Tres Droll" from the character of Nick. I just find this utterance hilarious considering the circumstances in which is it said. You will have to wait and see.

 

Published on 1 May 2019

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