205. Special interview: Jonathan Groff and Fisayo Akinade
The WhatsOnStage Podcast
Actors Jonathan Groff and Fisayo Akinade join the podcast to discuss their upcoming all-male production of 'As You Like It' at the Royal Sha
Key takeaways
- Jonathan Groff is performing his first Shakespearean role as Rosalind in an all-male production.
- The production features a score by Theo Jameson inspired by traditional Welsh singing and a cappella styles.
Main topics
- RSC's As You Like It
- Shakespearean performance techniques
Notable quotes
I was sitting there and I was like, this is the best thing I've ever been given in my whole life.
Conclusion
An inspiring look at how classical theatre can be revitalized through
Transcript preview
Speaker 3 (0:06) Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the What's On Stage podcast with me Alex Wood and me Sarah Crompton and we are joined by two incredibly special guests. I am absolutely chuffed to introduce Fisayo Akiyade and Jonathan Groff who will be taking to the stage at the Royal Shakespeare Company in a matter of weeks to star in Daniel Evans's all-male production of As You Like It. Speaker 3 (0:32) Hello. It was an Speaker 1 (0:33) excellent lunch. You did so well. I was Speaker 3 (0:36) muttering down the streets of Clapham just to get that ready. People were like, what is he up to? That was amazing. We're really Speaker 4 (0:43) proud of you. Thank you. Good lunch. Speaker 2 (0:45) So we are talking in Clapham in the rehearsal rooms at the RSC, very glamorous rehearsal rooms, but you are actually on your way to Stratford tomorrow. No, Saturday. Speaker 4 (0:57) Well, some Saturday, I think most of us on Sunday, I Speaker 2 (1:01) think. So for both of you, it's a first. Visaya, amazingly, it's your RSCW. Speaker 4 (1:13) So Speaker 2 (1:13) how are you feeling about going to Stratford? Speaker 4 (1:15) I'm really excited and I feel like I need to slightly calm down because I do feel like I'm going on like a holiday. Because I'm having such a good time, it feels like we're just going to have a party for eight weeks. And we're not, we're there to work. So I just need to remind myself of that. But also I think what Daniel is doing at the RSC with Tamara is really exciting. And it's the thing that made me want to come and do this. I think the way they're moving things and the direction they're moving is really exciting. And it made me want to... Jump on board. Also this man next to me. Speaker 2 (1:56) Who has been, who is not only going to Stratford for the first time. Yes. And the RSC for the first time. Yeah. But am I right in saying you're doing Shakespeare? Speaker 1 (2:06) That's correct. For Speaker 2 (2:07) the Speaker 1 (2:07) first time. Yeah, I've never done it before. Speaker 2 (2:09) So how are you feeling? Speaker 1 (2:11) There was like a little bit of Taming of the Shrew in Kiss Me Kate, which I did in 10th grade in high school when I was 15 years old. But other than that. Yeah, I've never done Shakespeare. Actually, the first time I ever went to Stratford was in 2019. And I saw a production of Taming of the Shrew. I was with a boyfriend at the time. And he took me to Stratford. And we spent the night there. And I was completely blown away by the city and by the production. And I wrote Claire Price, who was playing Petruchia. Speaker 4 (2:50) Because it was a gender Speaker 1 (2:51) swapped, funnily enough, teaming of the shrew. I wrote her a fan letter, which I've never done before. I went to the shop next door and got a card. And I was like, I have to write her and just tell her that she's reminded me why I do theater and the whole cast and the production. So to actually be doing a Shakespeare there is surreal. And I never imagined it would happen. But I found it so inspiring when I was there. Speaker 3 (3:18) And taking on the roles of Rosalind and Celia, possibly one of the greatest double acts. I'd argue possibly Shakespeare's best double act. Yes! I'm a Speaker 1 (3:29) double act. It's very Roxy and Velma from Chicago. It really is. Speaker 3 (3:34) Where did you begin with that and building what clearly is quite a buzzy and lovely relationship? Speaker 4 (3:40) It honestly, I think, started day one. It was kind of... Speaker 4 (3:46) Insane. We immediately were like, sisters. Yes. That was sort of it. And then it's just gotten richer and deeper and more fun and giggling. I spend most of my days giggling with this man and it's really naughty. I love it. I love it. Speaker 1 (4:04) We were just coming from the dance rehearsal and had to control ourselves because we were just cracking each other up. Yeah, it's like, it's... It's urination level Gingolay. Like key in your pants kind of vibes. Speaker 3 (4:17) I think I need to put that into a review now. How Speaker 2 (4:20) have you approached it? It is one, it's very interesting to do an all male as you like it. It does seem to be the play by Shakespeare that most often switches all genders, that everybody... You know, you could imagine it being all female as well because it is so much play about gender swapping and the differences and similarities. So how have you approached being Rosalind? Speaker 1 (4:48) Oh, my gosh. Yeah, that's such a good point. And Daniel saw this production and I think it was 93 with Adrian Lester. And that was a big inspiration for him in doing this. I think it was the day before he started drama school. He went to see that and thought like. oh wow, someday I want to direct a version of that. But as far as approaching Rosalind, I mean, the first step for me was, well, because I'd never done Shakespeare, Daniel and I and Patsy, our amazing vocal coach, legendary Patsy. Patsy Speaker 2 (5:24) Rodenberg. Yeah, Patsy Speaker 1 (5:25) Rodenberg. She and Daniel and I met every Friday. from January through the first day of rehearsal in the beginning of August. So Patsy started by giving me sonnets to learn, and then we moved to soliloquies. And then in May or June, we started at the... I started then just with Daniel working on the first scene of the play and going through. So I've had like kind of a crash course in speaking Shakespeare. And really it was like the... the learning of the lines. I mean, as basic as that sounds, but just sitting and getting really diligent about being exact about the words. And it all kind of obviously starts from there. Then we've then, ever since we've gotten in the room, we've just been playing and having the best time. But the work definitely started with getting the words correct. Speaker 3 (6:24) That must have been so lovely then to welcome everyone else into the room when you've been on that journey since the start of Speaker 4 (6:29) the Speaker 3 (6:29) year. Yeah. Speaker 1 (6:30) Yeah, I felt like I had a lot of catching up to do. I wanted when I walked into the rehearsal room to be able to look people in the eye and feel energies and try and create something and channel something together as opposed to be worrying about what the lines were. So that was what a lot of that early work was about. Speaker 2 (6:54) And for you, it's quite an important play because you did it, you played two parts in As You Like It, in a touring production early in your career, and you were nominated for the Ian Charlson Award at that point. And I think that's the point I feel I first saw you. I mean, I feel that that was when you thought, oh, this is a really interesting actor on stage. I mean, so how is it coming back to it? Speaker 4 (7:20) It's so interesting because I don't think I've ever, done a play that I did years ago, I've not had