Sebastian Faulks’ epic Birdsong on the Guildford and Chichester stage

SussexWorld

Charlie Russell is Isabelle Azaire as Sebastian Faulks’ epic tale of love and loss Birdsong returns to the stage in a brand-new production marking the 30th anniversary of the international best-selling novel.

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspaper. It's lovely

00:06to speak to Charlie Russell this afternoon about a fabulous production which is heading

00:10our way. It's coming in our area to Chichester, Brighton and Guildford, and it's Birdsong

00:16on the 30th anniversary of the novel. Incredibly powerful novel in which, Charlie, you are

00:22playing Isabel. Set the scene, where do we meet her and when?

00:28We meet Isabel right at the beginning of the play, just as we meet Stephen. It's Amiens,

00:351910, so before World War One, but as there is a rumbling of conflict, and that provides

00:44an undercurrent for Act One. Stephen has come to stay with a French family, to work for

00:52his guardian and to write a report on the factory of Rene Azaire. But whilst he is there

01:00and staying with Rene, he meets Rene's wife, who is much younger and seems to have, I think,

01:08Stephen, you know, a lot going on. And then I would agree, playing Isabel, there's a lot

01:12going on for Isabel under the surface. She's in an abusive, oppressive marriage. She has

01:18no agency. And she's very limited. And she's finding within herself and where she can,

01:28sort of avenues of freedom and independence, either by going behind her husband's back

01:36and helping the people who work for him, or by looking after his daughter with love and

01:41affection. But when she meets Stephen, a sort of door is opened into a part of her that has

01:50been closed off, the part of her that would really love some passion and love. And to

01:57truly be herself, she would be in love and passionate and caring for somebody else. And

02:05she gets to experience that and explore that with Stephen.

02:08But danger too, jeopardy too, isn't it?

02:11Huge danger and jeopardy and some pretty serious consequences.

02:19And you're on the road for the next six months or so with this part,

02:22and you will be discovering more and more about this part as you go on, won't you?

02:27Yes, we're very lucky as a company that the entire cast and crew and creatives are incredibly

02:34invested and committed to this show. And we're very, very proud of it. And I feel very lucky

02:40that I'm working with actors who we sort of, we never feel like we're done. Nobody thinks,

02:48oh, I've done this now, I've sorted it. So every night when we go on stage, or indeed,

02:52in the afternoon for Rastanet, is another opportunity to explore and develop and

02:58discover more about the characters and their relationships. And that is a real privilege

03:03as an actor to get to do every day.

03:05The point being, it's a process. You're suggesting that if you ever thought, right,

03:08we've sussed this, then you've lost it.

03:12Exactly. As soon as an actor thinks that they've nailed it, they've probably lost it.

03:18And along the way, you seriously impressed your dad.

03:22I did. So my dad is a huge fan of the novel Birdsong. And when I told him I was even

03:30auditioning for the play, he got very excited. And then I've been lucky enough to meet Sebastian

03:36folks and go to his house actually to read some of the script. And Sebastian comes to the show

03:42quite regularly. He's been extremely supportive of the process of Rachel Wagstaff, of Alastair

03:46Watley, and supportive of us. So I was a little cheeky, but I asked my dad if I could borrow

03:55his copy of Birdsong to read and take with me on tour. And when I opened it up, my dad had written

04:02me a note of support and love in the book. Well, I always had this plan. I then asked Sebastian

04:11to write a note in the book for my dad. And so I've been able to now give that back to my dad.

04:17And I think I might be off the hook for Christmas now.

04:21Oh, fabulous. How many times will your dad see this performance then?

04:25He's seen it twice so far, and he'll see it a third time at the end of the first leg of the run.

04:32Fantastic.

04:33Very lucky, very supportive family. Very, very supportive.

04:37I'm sure you need it in any acting profession.

04:40Yeah. Do you know what? Support from family and friends is hugely important for actors.

04:44And it means a lot to us, I think. And I'm certainly one of those very privileged people with

04:51really an exceptional group of friends and family.

04:55Fantastic. Well, lovely to speak to you. And all good wishes for the rest of the tour.

04:59Looking forward to seeing the show again. And it's coming in our area to Chichester,

05:03Brighton and Guildford. Thank you for your time. Great to talk to you.

05:06Thank you so much for having me.

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