The Tempest: William Shakespeare
Directed by: Robert Lewis
Photographer: Rachel Baird
During my second year as an acting student at Charles Sturt University, I played the character, Gonzalo, in our year’s production of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.
Gonzalo is a wise old man who’s gone through tough shades of life and has grown to see everything optimistically. Other characters see him as a hassle; Gonzalo has a lot to share but isn’t taken seriously until the end of the play. Most of his words are dismissed as utter nonsense.
My experience in bringing him to life mostly focused on developing my vocal tone and posture. I focused on my legs, tired to bring in a shaking, frail stature. The Gonzalo I envisioned had a rough, older voice, therefore I set about learning to deepen my voice and tone without sacrificing the amount of projection I would need. It was difficult at first, but with persistence and practice, I was able to get the tone I wanted without sacrificing volume.