I Wish You a Boat

This is the time of year when aspiring actors are working on their monologues to get into Drama schools. Huge numbers apply for the main flagship schools and of course there are limited places. Recently I have seen work from two Melbourne Drama Schools and both greatly impressed me. It is important for aspiring actors to note that a career as an actor theatre maker is a lengthy complex journey that requires the capacity to continually refresh aspirations and the capacity to be able to generate ones own work.  Often a more pragmatic approach than that of a prestigious Drama School will reap more lasting rewards.

Wendy Ward has come from New York to open a Drama School - Ward Acting Studios and I Wish You a Boat is a very fine example of the outcomes of her work.

From the moment the actors walk on stage, with their personal props, to present this work about the tragic sinking of the liner ship Merry Rose, they inspire confidence.  Due to their focused work, stage relationships though often fleeting, are uniformly convincing.  One senses each actor has an intrinsic gist of the importance of sincere engagement with, and respect for, their compatriots, which results in the creation of a rich and credible milieu.

The characterization is lovely with all actors playing several believable individuals, at a convincing level of development and commitment, under Ms. Ward’s unified direction. 

There are two distinct parts to this work the first focusing on first class and the second on steerage passengers.   In the first half the parting scenes though poignant and interesting and varied are little too long and repetitive but the second half very fine and moving in its use of language and expressions of pathos.

It would be interesting to discover Ms. Wards key ingredients in her extremely effective drama training that produces beautifully tuned, evenly balanced work, in which all actors appear confident and comfortably in control of their craft.

Suzanne Sandow

wardtheatrecompany.com