Today we interview Rebecca Smith, Director of Don Carlos from SEDOS, the Stockbrokers’ own in-house Drama Society. Returning to Edinburgh this year, SEDOS are playing Schiller’s romantic tragedy, an intense drama about flawed personalities, the blindness of love, the tyranny of power and the championing of Spain’s oppressed peoples. A highly challenging play but not a show to miss!
Don Carlos is on at C Cubed, Venue 50 from Sunday 17th to Saturday 23rd August at 5.55 pm daily. So let’s speak with Rebecca to learn more about her and their play, Don Carlos…
1. What inspired you to become a Director?
I think after spending years looking after the money and helping other directors achieve their visions as the producer of countless shows I began to build up a clear idea of what I thought about interesting and engaging theatre. I love truly theatrical productions such as Complicite’s work and the recent Brief Encounter. Seeing some really awesome professional theatre recently such as Cheek By Jowl’s Troillus and Cressida and the National Theatre’s Blackwatch has helped shape the kind of stuff I’d like to create.
2. What is your show about and what should the public expect from your show?
Don Carlos is Schiller’s classic tale of love, treachery, passions and murder set in the court of King Philip of Spain at the time of the Inquisition. We’ve been lucky enough to secure Mike Poulton’s brilliant new pacey adaption, the version I saw at Wynhams a few years back that made me want to do the show in the first place. I hope our audiences will be enthralled by 90 minutes of thrilling dramatic theatre, directed with an engaging and creative vision.
3. What is your favourite festival or fringe?
Edinburgh simply can’t be matched in terms of atmosphere. This will be my fourth year up here and I hope to continue to come for many years.
In terms of other festivals I finally made it to Glastonbury this year, not exactly the same thing but the comedy tent was excellent and I’d really like to see it become more of a ‘thing’ there..
4. What’s your best advice for aspiring performers on the festival circuit?
As a director my advice to other directors would be to think very carefully about your choice of show. Don’t forget the sheer size of the fringe and work as hard as you can and as long as you can in advance to work on promotion to get those people to come and see you…. The competition for those bums is huge!!
5. What is your funniest experience and also your worst experience performing or attending a festival?
Funniest experience was watching Jason Byrne last year. He was hilarious but watching my friend trying not to have a hernia laughing was even more so… Worst experience was catching a horrific cold one year about 2 days in and having to miss a whole day of fun recovering….
6. As you travel performing, where is your favourite place to vacation/chill out and why?
My parents cottage in North Yorkshire is one of the most beautiful and relaxing places I know. And as it is en route back from Edinburgh, if the perfect stop off venue to recuperate after the madness, sleep and give your liver a rest.
7. Who is the person you most admire and why?
Elizabeth I. The ultimate woman in a man’s world. The Golden Age!
8. What is the best tip you have ever been given?
Putting ice cubes in your gravy gets rid of the fat…
9. What is the best book you have read and why do you like it?
Katherine by Anya Seyton, beautifully written and full of love romance and easily accessible history! Perfect!
10. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Homeless people break my heart. I’d love to find the means to give everyone a place they could call home.
