A matter of size

''After expertly exploring the depraved depths the 

characters of Glengarry Glen Ross stoop to, emerging stage director Gehan Blok has now set his sights on a new motley group of intriguing individuals. 

With Michael Casella’s The Irish Curse, Blok and the actors of his Identities Inc theatre group have 

challenged themselves to demonstrate the failings and vulnerabilities of a male 

self-help group whose 

members all share the 

common problem of not 

measuring up.

In a brief interview with Daily FT, Blok outlined the experiences he and his stellar cast of actors shared in bringing Casella’s comedy to life. Following are excerpts:''

Gehan Blok

Q: What generally influences your choice of play and which thematic elements did you find most appealing in your forthcoming production, The Irish Curse?

A: All the plays I look for are usually acting-heavy scripts with little or no gimmicks. I guess this comes from being an actor myself. I think I’m more comfortable directing actors than managing the visual mastery of a play (deep down I’m afraid that I might suck at it).

The Irish Curse covers a subject matter you usually don’t see much within the local theatre scene - a story that deals with male insecurities in terms of identity, masculinity, sex and relationships. There are definite bizarre elements but also those which are comical and truthful at the same time, which will (hopefully) manage to not bore the audience. The balance between comedy and seriousness within the script is what drew me towards wanting to try this one out.

 

Q: How did your directorial debut with Glengarry Glen Ross help with your understanding of what worked on stage for the audience and actors? 

A: Getting the actors involved in the direction process – ensuring that they are comfortable with the direction I have given them, never wanting them to do something they aren’t comfortable doing plus getting their input in terms of fine-tuning the direction.

Good scripts, equally good performances from the actors coupled with slick and tight direction always wins.

I also never play for laughs even if it’s titled as a dark comedy – make the performance as natural and real as possible, the laughs will come naturally. Finally, local audiences seem to enjoy witty yet brutally honest profane dialogue, which is a good sign based on the plays I pick.

 Q: Is directing such a talented cast intimidating or do you find that it makes your job a lot easier in that they have their own ideas on how to approach their roles, allowing you time and space to explore your own creativity?

A: I love directing a talented cast. It makes my life easier plus they add to the base direction I provide them with which makes for a scene which is better at the end of the day.

Plus, I don’t direct plays like a dictator (I think). At times there are certain ideas I have for direction of a particular scene in my mind which don’t work and have later been changed by the actor or one of the guys in our production team.

 

Q: Has Identity Inc. included any of its own stylistic elements in The Irish Curse or did you decide to stay largely true to the original form of the play mapped out by Martin Casella?  

A: Well, none of us have seen the off-Broadway version therefore everything you will see is our own style and we have tried to stick to the original framework of the play as mapped out by Casella.

 

Q: How would you describe the entire experience of working on this play and how did it vary from your time handling Glengarry Glen Ross? 

A: This time around I’m part of the cast even though that wasn’t the original plan. The actor who was initially cast had to back out due to unforeseen commitments that came up.

It’s been challenging but also fun at the same time. The people who direct me are my fellow actors themselves so the process of directing has become more of a team effort. At the start I found it difficult as I had to switch on and off to watch these guys as a director and also get into character myself.