Interview Special: Ghost the Musical - Rebecca Trehearn
Backstage Pass were delighted to catch up with Ghost the Musical star Rebecca Trehearn recently. Rebecca plays the iconic role of Molly Jensen in the show based on the
1990 film of the same name. Described as one of the most technically advanced
shows on the touring circuit we caught up with Rebecca as the tour headed to Southhampton’s Mayflower theatre.
Thanks for taking the time
to talk to us Rebecca, we know you’re very busy.
Ghost has been on the road
for 6 months now, how’s the tour going?
It’s going really well
thanks! It’s a funny thing, sustaining
a show and a role like this long term; it’s arguably quite a
specialised skill! It’s proven
to be a balancing act of performance level vs endurance for me. What I’ve learned is that the
performance you find early on in a run which initially feels like the right
place to be, can eventually start to feel so comfortable that you push a little
harder, until that starts to feel too easy and so on. It can become something of a vicious circle
whereby you’re suddenly killing yourself each night to try to find a
performance level you don’t realise you’ve long since surpassed, if that makes any sense! I’ve realised of late that I can afford to pull back a little
without sacrificing any of the impact of the story or the character on the
audience. The primary challenge on a
long run will always be keeping it fresh and in that sense, I feel very lucky
to be working with this company; Stew, Dave and Wendy in particular. They’re wonderful to bounce off of every night and I’ve never
felt that we’ve gotten stuck in a rut performance wise, touch wood!
The film is very iconic,
why do you think the story has such lasting appeal?
Aside from the fact that it’s a terrific story of
almost Shakespearean proportions; what moved me when I saw the show and why it
connects with audiences so deeply, I think, is because the experience of love
and loss is so completely universal. We’re all
going to go through it at some point in our lives and although in many ways,
grief is the loneliest, most inexplicable experience you’re ever
likely to go through; seeing others experience it, their attempts to cope and
move forward, can resonate at a really deep level. I feel a real sense of responsibility to tell
this story as truthfully and sincerely as I can, because I know from personal
experience that the stories of others, whether real of fictional, can mean a
huge amount to those undergoing similar loss.
Sam and Molly’s story is heart-wrenching
and the show is very emotional, is it difficult to go on that journey 8 times a
week?
Yep! Again, I’ve had to learn to pull
back a little of late, for my own sanity as much as for anything else! It’s a testament to the writing though, that no matter how much of a
mountain it can feel you have to climb at the start of the show, as soon as we
get started I find myself swept away by the story and it’s rarely
difficult for me to get to where Molly is by the end of the show.
You've played Molly on the
West End and now on the first national tour, is it a hard show to leave behind
you at the stage door?
Aside
from the odd occasion, I’m pretty good at leaving it behind me at the end of the
night. It’s a peculiar job that
requires you to dwell on all the things that make you terribly sad eight times
a week! I suppose it can impact on my
mood sometimes without my necessarily being completely aware of it. I will say however, that I think the show’s going
to be incredibly hard to leave behind at the end of the run. It’s certainly the role that’s meant the most to me in my career so far. I’ve never felt any real desire to return to a show I’ve
already been in, but I did feel that I wasn’t quite done with Molly
when we closed in the West End, so I feel very lucky to have been given the
opportunity to return to the role full time.
Molly spends the majority
of the show completely grief-stricken. Your portrayal of her is so compelling,
how do you keep your energy levels up especially on two show days?
Chocolate?! Seriously, I don’t know! We all really have to look after ourselves on
this job as it’s knackering for all involved and two show days are admittedly a
killer. I chill out in my dressing room
in between shows most of the time, read a book, whatever. I’ve found having a nap to be fatal, as it’s incredibly difficult to
drag your energy levels back up again!
Plenty of rest, healthy food, moderate excercise and minimal booze
outside of work seems to be the way to go.
I’ve never been so dull in my life!
Sam [Stewart Clarke] is
invisible to you for most of the show, how challenging is it as a performer to
have to ignore someone on stage right in front of you?
Initially it was strange but we’re all completely used to
it by now. Stewart’s rarely
directly in my eyeline once he’s dead, which is helpful!
The only time it gets difficult is when he’s feeling mischievous and
decides to subtly make his presence felt!
What’s your favourite part of
the show?
Probably
the first scene, simply because it’s the only time I get to have any fun! I do love the last scene also; both for the
catharsis Sam and Molly finally get and because we can sense the effect the
final moments have on the audience. It’s
incredibly satisfying to hear people sniffling away, always makes me feel like
we’ve done our job well!
Being on tour and visiting
new towns every few weeks, what's the best way you and the cast have found to
get to know a new place?
Usually
the advice of others, whether locals or other company members. A lot of our company have toured before so
they’re often a good place to start.
Otherwise, google is a wonderful thing!
Just getting out and about and exploring a city on foot is the best way
to do it, I think.
When did you catch the
acting bug and what led you to musical theatre in particular?
Very young; I started competing as a singer as an eight year old
and joined my local am dram soon after.
I guess I was obsessed with music and its role in telling a story from a
young age; I’d sit and watch musical films over and over again. Music connected with me in a way that I felt
deeply but didn’t understand as a child. I
don’t know many kids who were as fascinated by the concept of harmony
as I was. I suppose I love working in
musical theatre because it allows me to combine my love of singing with my love
of acting. I’ve always been far more
comfortable singing as a character in a show than as “myself”.
You've already played some
fantastic roles are there any you would like to revisit or any roles you’ve seen recently that
really caught your imagination?
I really
enjoyed understudying and playing Rose in Aspects of Love; I suppose if there
was any role I’d like to go back to and explore further, it would be that
one. As far as recent roles go; I’d cut
off an arm to play the girl in Once. I
love that show and I find her such an intriguing character.
If you weren't in musical
theatre, what would you see yourself doing instead?
No idea. That question keeps
me awake at night! Possibly something
to do with the English language and/or literature, but what exactly, I have no
idea. I’m hoping people keep
employing me as an actress and I never have to find out!
Thanks for your time and
good luck with the rest of the tour!
Read our interview with Stewart Clarke who plays Sam Wheat here
To find out more about Rebecca visit www.rebeccatrehearn.com
To find out more about Rebecca visit www.rebeccatrehearn.com
