Orphans:

Why did you choose to perform Orphans?
It’s an exciting play whatever way you look at it. The narrative is crazy, it’s full of lies being uncovered, people getting at each other and finding ways to get what they want, but it’s also filled with love between people in a warped sort of way. The characters are very enticing. I feel like I’d love to play any of the three parts – they’re dream roles: so complex, so gorgeous. There’s so much room in the script – it’s just begging to be interpreted physically, for people to hear the dialogue racing and the physical presences of the characters butting up against each other.

Has there been anything unique about your rehearsals?
We’ve been trying to work in a way that focuses on instinct rather than action, so we’ve been pretty free in the way we structure rehearsals, using the text as inspiration to performance rather than just converting the words into a stage-piece. Also the collaborative approach to directing has been really positive.

How have you approached your characters?
We’ve done some specific character work (we each had an hour long session with a psychoanalyst for example) and we have explored our characters and their response to a song through dance. We’ve tried to keep clear from saying that my character is like this or that. Part of getting into any character comes down to relating to your own experiences, but at the same time I have to be careful to make sure my response is more Liam than Silas.

How would you describe your character? Are you like him in any way?
I love Liam, I think he’s great. He’s pretty violent though and a bit nuts generally. It’s good being able to express that kind of thing on stage. I’ve found myself reigning it in quite a bit during the process when I realise I’m being too indulgent. I don’t know if I’m like him; I don’t have the distance to really be able to say that.

Is Orphans different to other Cambridge plays in what it’s trying to achieve or spotlight?
It’s good to be performing something in Cambridge that hasn’t been done here before and by a playwright who hasn’t seen his acclaim spread extensively to the scene here. We’re definitely trying to offer something different with Orphans – Rebecca would probably say it’s “a bit London”.

Favourite line?
“I’ll call the police”.

Personality:

What is your most noticeable personality trait?
Depends who’s noticing I guess. 

What is your idea of happiness?
I came up with this on the spot but it’ll probably change in a couple of hours: being comfortable with however much freedom you have.

What virtue do you appreciate in others?
Honesty. I like people who speak their minds even if it’s just how they’re feeling at that moment. Passion for something is good too. 

What do you most deplore in others?
I try not deplore too much. But more of a concrete answer: when people just don’t give a sh*t about other people. That’s pretty annoying.

What’s your life motto?
Do people still have these? I thought they kind of died out along with the section of the population who could speak fluent Latin. Maybe we have facebook statuses now instead. Judging from my answer so far it’s probably something to do with me never really making up my mind about anything. 

Interests:

Favourite film?
It’s usually Pulp Fiction but today it’s Control. Not sure why...

Favourite novel?
Disgrace. Still haven’t got over all that sh*t about the dogs. 

Favourite poem?  
Today it’s a poem called ‘Rain’. Can’t remember who it’s by though... I also like ‘Where Art is a Midwife’.

If you were on a desert island and could only have access to the works of one writer, who would it be?
I’d probably take with me the complete works of ‘Anonymous’. He/she wrote loads of books, poems and plays over the course of thousands of years. Is that cheating?

Either/or?

Nicki Minaj or Rihanna?
Err… 

Reading the book or seeing the film first?
The book I suppose, but I’m not strict about it.

Luck or Money?
Luck always.

Sweet or Savoury?
Savoury. Mostly bread.

Summer or Winter?
Summer. It gives me a chance to get my pasty white legs out!

E-Book or Physical Book?
I guess physical books because I’ve never read an e-book. I like that smell. And also if it wasn’t for books we wouldn’t have book-burnings. Like in Don Quixote.