Orange Tree Theatre presents Shaw Shorts: How He Lied to Her Husband and Overruled – a double bill of Bernard Shaw’s short plays directed by Artistic Director Paul Miller. The production opened on 26 May, with previews from 22 May, and runs until 26 June. It will be streamed live via OT On Screen on 3 and 4 June.
Overruled sees two strangers fall in love at sea. Both married they decide they must part, but then are surprised to find their spouses at a hotel together. They’ve fallen for each other too. Do they stay together or swap? Miller directs Alex Bhat (Gregory Lunn), Jordan Mifsúd (Sibthorpe Juno), Dorothea Myer-Bennett (Mrs Lunn) and Hara Yannas (Mrs Juno) in the production.
In How He Lied to Her Husband, Aurora (Dorothea Myer-Bennett) is concerned about what has happened to the poems written for her by her admirer, the impetuous Henry (Joe Bolland), and fears they may get into the hands of husband Teddy (Jordan Mifsúd). Henry suggests they confess the truth and go to the theatre as planned… to see Bernard Shaw’s Candida. Then Henry arrives home.
The Artiscape spoke to Joe Bolland about his role in How He Lied to Her Husband and his thoughts on returning to the theatre after lockdown.
Joe Bolland’s theatre credits include Paper Cut (Theatre503). His television credits include The Trial of Christine Keeler, and for film, Curs>r, and Martyr’s Lane.
Can you tell us about Henry Apjohn, the character you play?
Henry is the “He” who lied to “Her” “Husband”. He’s 18, and obsessed with Eugene Marchbanks from the play Candida. Quite a useful boxer, recently turned self-professed poet. From a wealthy background. Prone to bouts of melancholy and prosaic declarations of love. He is in love with Aurora Bompas. Paul Miller’s observation was that he is capable of being any age on any line: one moment a petulant five-year-old, the next a hardened pugilist.
What are you most looking forward to about your upcoming performance?
Working with Dorothea and Jordan! They are both so great in it and are really fun, kind people; I can’t wait to get stuck into some performances with them.
What have you taken from being in lockdown, as an actor?
I started lockdown in my family home, and we went a little mad at some points… I wrote, and made my family perform in, a swords and sorcery play for my brother’s birthday (possibly a very niche reference, but based on his favourite video game “Darksouls”). It is safe to say that I was missing acting a lot. It was a big thing to go from feeling the struggle of trying to make it, going to auditions and working side jobs, to suddenly no one is working and there is 0% chance of getting work.
It made me really realise how much I love it. Making my parents dress up as knights, with curtains draped round their shoulders and holding tin foil war hammers and halberds, made me remember the fun in it, why I love it so much and to not lose sight of how much fun it is. It’s easy for acting to become synonymous with “the grind” but lockdown definitely helped me to separate them!
I also worked as a Teaching Assistant in an S.E.N.D school for eight months over lockdown, where I think my improv skills were tested and practised more than they ever have been before! Trying to get children who had been away for months to become happily engaged with maths problems taught me a lot.
What are your concerns about performing before a live audience again?
I know the Orange Tree team are doing a great job in ensuring it is covid safe, from testing to cleaning to mathematical-socially-distanced-seating-equations; but just being inside with people again could be in itself overwhelming. I want anyone who feels that and wants to leave during a performance to know that we completely understand.
I’m also terrified that I’ll forget all my lines, everyone will boo me off, and I’ll never work again…
What do you think an audience will take away from this performance?
I’m really hoping the main thing will be “I’ve missed theatre so much!” I’ve just been watching loads of telly, and you’re half on your phone and chatting and eating most of the time, while it’s on in the background. I’ve missed the theatre so much: the active role you have to play as an audience member because you are adding to the atmosphere in the room.
That sense of shared experience and community and the discussion it brings afterwards. Specifically from this play, I hope they find the language fun and enjoy what we’ve created, as we have had fun putting it together.
The two short plays by Bernard Shaw, directed by Artistic Director Paul Miller follow his hugely successful OT productions of Shaw’s Candida, Misalliance, The Philanderer and Widowers’ Houses.
The creative team include Designer Simon Daw, Lighting Designer Mark Doubleday, and Composer Elizabeth Purnell. The executive Director is Hanna Streeter
The production will run at the Orange Tree Theatre until 26 June.
1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA
Box Office: 020 8940 3633
22 May – 26 June
Press night: Wednesday 26 May at 7pm
Mon – Sat (not Mon 31 May)
Audio Described performance: Mon 21 June 7.30pm
Captioned performance: Tue 22 June 7.30pm
The plays can be seen separately or together as a double bill, with each play around 40 minutes.
Check www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk for the full performance schedule.
Tickets: £15 for one play or £25 for both plays or double-bill performances
Under 30s: £15
Website orangetreetheatre.co.uk | Email box.office@orangetreetheatre.co.uk
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SEE IT SAFELY
We have been granted the use of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre’s See It Safely mark. The mark certifies that we are complying with the latest Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, to ensure the safety of our staff and audiences. You can find out more here https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/covid-19-safety about the measures put in place ready for your visit, and what you will need to know beforehand.
