Clapham Omnibus Theatre’s production of The Orchestra will thrive because of the internationalism it possesses when it opens next year, according to one of its star cast.
The play, which will open at on 29 January 2019, explores an orchestra’s journey in a small French town and has often been played by actors of French or British roots.
But Stefania Licari, who is an actress as well as a producer for the play, realises that having a cast from all over the world will make this a unique experience for the audience.
She said: “We are very keen on the internationalism as each member of the cast comes from a different nationality.
“The play would normally be played in a way in which only French actors or British actors would play, but having this lively connection of the cast will be very refreshing.”
With actors from different nationalities, each comes with its own nuances and characteristics and Stefania wants to embrace the opportunity to showcase them.
She said: “We are very keen on bringing people’s background and their heritage and their own accent.
“We look to use the actor’s accent and their uniqueness rather than dismiss it as we just love to bring this uniqueness on stage.”
The actress, who has previously played at the Omnibus Theatre, is extremely excited by the challenge of performing for three consecutive weeks and hopes to improve her performance each day.
Stefania said: “As a performer, I could not be more excited and it’s a wonderful opportunity to perform at such a length.
“You really listen to the feedback while you’re performing and you get to modify the show as it goes, and you make it better and better.”
This year has seen Stefania found TeatroLatino in collaboration with Charlotte Laporte, and by producing this play, she hopes to promote different varieties of theatre.
She said: “I want to promote the use of actors and theatre from different backgrounds in order to empathise with the beauty of the UK, which is in the variety and cultures.
“My dream is to make contemporary theatre that really impacts people and have the connection to humanity.”
The extraordinary story about Stefania is that she is not just an actress and producer, she is also a qualified doctor.
When asked about why she made the choice to retrain as an actress, Stefania burst into laughter but her love for theatre was clear.
She said: “This is the same question my mum asks me!
“I have to say that I wanted to be an actress since I was a kid and my love for theatre was always there.”
When she looks back on her training, her training at Ecole Philippe Gaulier stands out but not because of its magnificent history.
“Some of the teachings such as listening to the audience and using performance to discover your humanity really stood out as for me, that is the essence of performance.”
As Stefania looks forward to the new year and the opportunities she will have, one quote epitomises her approach to theatre.
“It is not an indulgence, it’s all in the sharing.”
