THEATRE: WEIRD STUFF
Do you recognise this young man? Beth recently accepted an unusual role as a teenage boy for the production Weird Stuff, by Onstage Theatre Company. The play was a parody of the famous Netflix series Stranger Things, and Beth’s role was Mike. “It was unusual casting, but it was so much fun to create the character” laughs Beth. “I’m quite feminine in real life and to make Mike believable I had to rethink everything; my voice, my way of moving, my character’s interests and intentions. It was such a challenge and has definitely been one of my most memorable theatre roles.”
The show played at Vigo’s García Barbón theatre, amongst other venues. “Since the pandemic began, I feel lucky every time I get to perform live theatre” continues Beth. “Although we have performed shows via streaming, it’s just not the same when you can’t hear the audience’s response. Perhaps they loved the show, perhaps they hated it, perhaps they got up and left. You just don’t know. You take your bow, there is no applause, you go off air and everyone goes home. It’s a strange, empty feeling. Even so, streamed performances have meant that we could reach a wider audience during the lockdown, so I’m grateful for the initiative.”
Onstage is an English language theatre company based in Madrid that performs original comedy shows to diverse audiences all over Spain. Beth’s other roles for the company include Claire in The Final Game and Alice in Alice in Wonderland (Galileo Theatre, Madrid), as well as the children’s storytelling shows The Elegant Elephant and George and the Dragon, amongst others. She collaborates regularly with the company director Luis López-Mancisidor and loves working with fellow actors Aaron Ziobrowski, Tania Watson, Ana Rosa Butler, Adrian Randle, Michelle Botwood and Tom Hassell. “When you work in theatre you become a close-knit team, especially when you’re touring” concludes Beth. “We laugh a lot both offstage and… On Stage!”
Find out more information about upcoming productions on the On Stage company website: www.onstagecompany.es
