Interview: Rosalind Ford on performing in THE CABINET MINISTER at Menier Chocolate Factory
Nancy Carroll’s adaptation of Arthur Wing Pinero’s The Cabinet Minister is playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory this Autumn. We spoke to actress Rosalind Ford who will be playing Lady Imogen Twombley in the upcoming production.
Please can you tell us what The Cabinet Minister is about and a little bit about your character.
The play is set in 1889 and follows the aristocratic and chaotic Twombley family from their London townhouse to the Drumdurris castle in Scotland as they attempt to juggle debts, betrothals and the threat of the middle class. My character, the débutante Lady Imogen Twombley, has just enjoyed her coming out ball, and is ready to be matched for marriage. The question for her is, to whom?
How are you finding working on a comedy rather than a serious piece?
Very fun! When the material itself is as funny as this (thanks to Nancy Carroll’s brilliant adapting), it makes our job as actors very easy. The challenge is keeping a straight face during scenes, and truthfully selling the seriousness of the scenario for the characters.
Which part of the show are you most looking forward to sharing with audiences?
There are some truly hilarious turns coming from members of this company, and I can’t wait for audiences to share in the joy and exuberance of the world we’re creating. I’m also really interested to feel how the show plays to a modern audience in these absurd political times.
How is working on a play, such as The Cabinet Minister, different to working on a musical?
There’s much less singing and therefore more pressure on the acting to drive the energy and arc, but there is music (and - spoiler alert - some singing and dancing) in The Cabinet Minister (I’ll be playing cello), and since songs in musicals always hope to be an extension of the action anyway, it doesn’t feel too different.
In recent years, you've performed in quite a few new British musicals. What attracts you to working on new writing?
There’s a creative freedom and a real sense of collaboration that comes with bringing a brand new script to life. It’s amazing to witness writers and creatives making lasting choices about the material itself based on conversations and revelations happening in the room. And new work tends to be striving for a certain relevance that keeps it interesting and challenging.
You've done a mix of plays and musicals of varying scales and sizes. What advice would you give to aspiring performers seeking to have a similar varied acting career to what you have creating for yourself?
It’s tough to make an early performing career make sense financially, so finding an amenable and happy day job is almost as crucial as bagging auditions! That way you can also afford to invest in new skills (ding ding, learn an instrument!) Stay open to lots of conversations, and say yes a lot - set your parameters for the type of work you want to do, and then bust through those parameters depending on what opportunities pop into your orbit, no matter how disparate. Most experience is good experience, even if it’s not fulfilling a dream yet - there’s always something valuable to learn, and making friends with everyone involved will often lead to more work (and more pals!)
What can audiences expect from The Cabinet Minister and why should they come to see it?
You can expect to laugh a good deal, to fall in love with the characters, and to be transported by both the gorgeously authentic Victorian set/costume design from Janet Bird, and the brilliant live music by Sarah Travis.
The Cabinet Minister plays at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 21 September - 16 November, with further info here.
