Interview: Actress Rachelle Diedericks on Headlong’s A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
The acclaimed Headlong Theatre's production of A View From The Bridge, co-produced with The Octagon Theatre Bolton, Chichester Festival Theatre and Rose Theatre Kingston, is the first major revival in the UK for nearly a decade. We spoke to actress Rachelle Diedericks who plays the role of Catherine in the piece.
For those who may not be familiar, please can you tell us what A View From The Bridge is about?
It's a story about what people wanting to live ethically but also wanting to fight for what they love. It's complex because you've got these big feelings of love and having to make sense of all these desires and figuring out what's more important to these characters; doing the right thing or the thing that they think is most important to them.
How does it feel to be starring in the first major revival of this show in the UK for nearly a decade?
It's always exciting knowing that this is the first time the show has come round in a while but what I've loved most about doing this play recently is the people that know it and have come back to watch it again in this new iteration. I think what drew me into this play is that from the beginning you know what's going to come and where we're going to end up but you kind of hope that people make different choices.
With this being the first time that the role of Alfieri has been cast as a women, do you feel that this will give the show a new perspective?
I think so because I think a lot of the characters struggle with the consequences of living in a patriarchy. For me, when Eddie goes to Alfieri, it creates an even more uncomfortable situation for his character purely because he's living in a time when men didn't speak about their feelings, let alone with a woman outside of their family. So it adds another level of discomfort that I hope audiences will engage with.
What is your favourite thing about working on this production?
The company. We can all be quite silly sometimes so when working with such heavy subject matter and with a play that has so many uncomfortable moments and emotions, it's an absolute relief knowing that I can have a laugh with everyone.
What are you most looking forward to about taking A View from the Bridge to Bolton, Chichester and Kingston?
Seeing the different audience reactions. We've had a lot of school groups come to see the show in Bolton and it's been interesting hearing the questions that are coming up and what people have to say about it. Without giving too much away, there are parts in this show that have brought out a lot of questions from audience members and it's been interesting getting their opinions and thoughts on what it means before giving our explanation for those choices. So I'm very excited to hear what Chichester and Kingston audiences have to say.
What do you love most about your character, Catherine?
That she's a product of her upbringing. She's not completely blameless but I do think that being brought up in this cocoon of the home Beatrice has created and that Eddie controls, has shifted what she sees as appropriate. I think that's interesting because in this story you want to make sense of the confusing things that these characters do and Catherine, in my eyes, is a real victim of her upbringing. It makes it quite fun to play with every night.
Why do you think that people should come and watch A View from the Bridge?
It’s a really important play about living with integrity, the dangers of toxic masculinity and life as an immigrant. There are some big complex themes in this play and I think it’s still a really important story that still needs to be told. If done right, I think at that heart of this story all of the love that these characters have for one another runs very deep but like in life, it just gets very messy.
A View From The Bridge concludes its run in Bolton this evening (30 September) before visiting Chichester from 6-28 October, and Rose Theatre Kingston from 31 October-11 November. For more information, please click here.
