A Life in the Theatre
Image: John Gaden and Akos Armont
Photo: Helen White
Step inside the actor’s world with American playwright David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre – the story about the relationship between two actors, John and Robert. John has just joined the cast of a theatre company with Robert taking him under his wings. You see the relationship develop over a year.
Actor Akos Armont, who plays John, says his character is a bit naïve when he first enters the company.
“[John] begins to learn lessons: life lessons, career lessons, philosophies and approaches to different aspects of performance, behaviours and professional etiquette,” he told City Hub.
“He belongs to a different era, a different generation of performance, so I guess there is a nexus the play explores between generations and the handover of status and the handover of responsibility for the arts, or whatever industry you want to apply to, in the hands of the next generation.”
He explained that the Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s current production is authentically staged the way Mamet intended.
“We have American dialect, the story isn’t period specific, it could be in the backstage of any theatre in the world.”
Even if you’ve never acted professionally, you can relate to these characters.
“Anyone who is not necessarily familiar with the tropes and the traditions of the life in the theatre, there will be things they will be familiar with and I think some wonderful surprises for audiences as well in terms of what goes on backstage.” (AMal)
Nov 9–Dec 4, evenings & matinees. Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton St, Darlinghurst. $35-$49. Tickets & info: www.darlinghursttheatre.com/whats-on
BY ATHINA MALLIS
