feature
Working in theatre can be
quite stressful at times,
is there anything you do
before a show to calm your
nerves?
Emma Cook
Bridget Jurgs
USQ acting student
USQ stage management student
Playing King Lear
Stage Manager
If you could be involved in
any movie or theatre show
what would it be?
E: I would probably be in a Wes
Anderson movie. I would be a
female lead, I don’t care which
movie. It’s so monotone but
there’s so much in them and
quirkiness to it!
B: I would totally work on the
Lion King musical stage show.
Out of everyone in history,
if you could have dinner with
absolutely any one of them,
who would it be?
Some people may dismiss
Shakespeare’s works as too
hard to understand, how
would you convince people
otherwise to check it out?
E: I like to look everyone else in
the eyes and make sure we’re all
connected and all ready for this
and I’ll take a few deep breaths.
Once you get out there it
becomes a lot easier, particularly
on stage compared to television.
E: It’s going to be so much
cooler than what you’ve read!
It’s presented in such a way
that it is a lot more appealing to
younger people. After reading it
in high school and then learning
it at university it is so different.
Sitting through some traditional
performances of Shakespeare
can sometimes be a little hard
to sit through because there’s
so much language. We’re a
bunch of kids though that are
doing it so we’ve had to learn
it and understand what they’re
saying and then perform it to
the audience in a way that they
can understand as well. It’s like
a translation through us.
B: For me it’s mainly checking…
double checking… triple
checking and being that person
hovering over everyone else’s
shoulder making sure everything
they need to do has been done.
Is there anything you can tell
us about the design or style
of this year’s performance?
E: I don’t know how much
we’re allowed to say at this
stage. [Laughs] I feel like a
famous actor now being
interviewed about a movie I
can’t say anything about!
B: It’s just… not traditional.
Where do you see yourself
after graduation or even five
years into the future?
E: Probably Emma Stone, I really
enjoy her work and she seems
easy to talk to and have dinner
with. Normally I would say she’s
a great actor but in Birdman she
was PHENOMENAL! I want to
try lobster, I haven’t had it yet
and then something… chocolate
for dessert …and that white
wine that I like…
E: [Laughs] I hate this question!
I’m just trying to get through
each day here! It’s hard, I love
Japan so I would love to do
something over there but I also
love Brisbane and Australia.
Working in England on a British
comedy would be great as it’s
so sharp and witty, I would love
to be a comedy best friend.
B: Probably Audrey Hepburn,
she’s pretty cool, interesting,
great actor and she was also
a humanitarian, she did some
great things.
B: I plan to move to any of the
major cities in Australia like
Brisbane or Melbourne. Moving
overseas to America or Canada
would be amazing.
“It’s going back to where we first started doing Shakespeare in the park.
It will allow the actors to interact and connect a lot more with the audience.
It’s getting back in touch with the nature of Shakespeare.” – Bridget Jurgs
B: It’s really not as harsh and
boring as some people think
it is. It’s going to be very
entertaining and everyone
should be able to understand it
easily.
Lastly, when do the
performances start and
where you tickets be
purchased from?
B: The performance is on the
19th of March. You can buy
tickets online or from the Box
office in A block.