#like the ones that are beyond household names. the truly like top .001% of fame

[marsixm]

all this reminds me of eddie izzard pretty downright explicitly stating in her autobiography that she wanted to pursue acting because her mother dying when she was 6 and being sent to british boarding school traumatized her and made her desperate to feel loved. she referred to the praise one gets for performing as a "surrogate affection machine" and thats why before she did acting she did comedy and before she did comedy she did street performing. literally anything to climb the ladder

#and i have heard that to her peers shes not exactly known to be friendly #but like i dont blame someone whos been openly trans since the 80's #on male dominated comedy circuits #for developing a thick and perhaps unfriendly skin #but at the same time it goes with the same territory of that desire for fame #making one be like.... not an ordinary person in both good and bad ways #like im sorry all the big time celebs people worship. i do not trust them to be nice or have good politics #like the ones that are beyond household names. the truly like top .001% of fame #shit i even started side eyeing ben c when he started taking too many luxury watch sponsorships #but like at the same time eddie and ben c can probably walk down the street and not get stopped #bc thats kinda more the vibe in the uk #i have actually seen eddie walk down the street unbothered WITH MY OWN TWO EYES #multiple times! i was the only one who stopped her ! lmfao

[theberrybest]

DEVELOPMENT TASK #001 - AN INTERVIEW WITH RACHEL BERRY

It’s late afternoon in Manhattan in January, but the winter sun is providing an unseasonable warmth. Another unexpected treat is Rachel Berry (23). When we meet at her favourite vegan cafe on Amsterdam Avenue, a petite brunette beauty, she is sporting a black beret, a schoolgirlish black t-shirt, thigh-length beige skirt and ballet flats with knee-high socks, an ensemble I am later told was largely thrifted - her latest out-of-work interest is in sustainable fashion. 

Rachel greets me with a toothy showbiz smile, clasps my hand in hers as tightly as if we were sisters and leads me to the best table - the one by the window. She has already ordered for me. “I know what’s best here,” she assures me, her chocolate eyes a mix of playful and serious. Though taken aback, over a slice of entirely vegan strawberry cheesecake, combined with hot chocolate to stave off the January chills, I concede that she was correct.

She directs my gaze to the view. “I just love people-watching in this city,” she muses. “You just know everyone that found their way to New York City has some kind of a story.”

The rising starlet has a story herself. The only child of Senator Leroy Berry, whose latest emotional speech concerning the President’s cuts to arts education brought the public to its knees, and devilishly handsome arts lobbyist Hiram Berry, the arts have run through Rachel’s veins since her birth. Evoking the pathos of Hans Christen Andersen’s other major work Thumbelina, Rachel tells me that the couple so desperately wanted a daughter, that they chose a surrogate mother to carry their little miracle, whose talent they fostered through countless vocal, drama and dance coaching, all the way to her residency at the New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts, and beyond. 

It is her fathers who will be front row center on opening night. “They have been my inspiration and my biggest supporters,” Rachel gushes. When I probe about some handsome He-Man meeting her backstage with a dozen red roses, an equally rosy blush takes hold. “There’s no one like that just yet,” she confesses, with a shy smile. “Maybe one day.” And what of her mother?"I am sure she’s very satisfied knowing how happy she made my dads, and I wish her well.” she says simply - I somehow get the sense that she has rehearsed this response as frequently as her lines.

We turn to the production itself: Voice is an ambitious new take on the beloved Little Mermaid, Hans Christen Andersen’s dark fairytale made famous by Disney just over 30 years ago, adapted by devilishly handsome writer Sebastian Smythe and brought to the stage by talented and debonair actor-turned-director Jesse St. James. It was undoubtedly a risk to cast an unknown in such a beloved, nostalgic lead role. “Of course I feel the pressure leading this production.” she admits. “The source material is so rich and nuanced, with so much emotion to convey nonverbally - we really want the audience to understand it - to show without telling, and that really comes down to how well I can represent our creative vision, how effectively I can tell a story where, as the star of the production, I have barely one line of dialogue in the second act.” 

Does that mean she’s been getting in extra rehearsal time on top of her already demanding schedule? “Absolutely.” she says with certainty. “We need to get this not only word-perfect, but the chemistry between the cast needs to be perfected too - we cannot let anything go amiss here. The story is too dear to too many people to rest on our laurels.” 

And her thoughts on her coworkers? Incredibly positive. “Everyone has been so welcoming and they are all so good at what they do. Jesse (St. James) has been the consummate professional as our director - a true visionary. He pushes us all, especially me, to be the best that we can be - and it’s going to pay off on opening night. His fame is completely deserved - mark my words - one day he will be a household name. Sam (Evans, playing Prince Eric’s best friend, Francis) is my closest friend in the cast - we work very well together, but offstage he is like my big brother. Noah (Puckerman, the production’s A-List draw) has been full of surprises as my leading man, and is surprisingly down to earth. Even though we are all working very hard and that can come with occasional tensions, the entire cast have truly been a pleasure to work with and I know that we will end Voice’s run as a big family.” 

It’s time for us to bid farewell and just when I think this breath of fresh air could not possibly surprise me any more, she reaches into her handbag to handwrite me a recommendation for another vegan dessert place, and pulls out a pen with a big star on its tip. When she notices me observing it, she explains with an intimate smile: “Gold stars are kind of my thing.”

Voice: The Musical begins previews on 16 February 2020, at the St. James Theatre. Dir. Jesse St. James, starring Rachel Berry, Noah Puckerman. Tickets available through all major retailers.

#development task #press