Holding Interest
by Estelle Rosen
Juliet Paperny is in her third year at McGill and facing the difficult question of what to do after graduation. After moving to Montreal from Vancouver she had to get used to two things: the frigid winters and the huge workload. The latter had been standing in the way of extracurriculars for a while; as a history and psychology student there isn't much room for outside projects. Ms Paperny had been acting since she was six, had helped direct for a few years in high school and has always been a Shakespeare fanatic. It was the end of last year when she decided to pitch The Tempest to Players' Theatre. She has since found her involvement with the McGill theatre community very rewarding and worth the hours of dedication. Though she is still grappling with the daunting task of post-undergraduate decisions, she's convinced this experience will stay with her no matter where she ends up.
CHARPO: What was it about Shakespeare that converted you to a Shakespeare fanatic, and
as a fanatic, what is your opinion on the controversy whether Shakespeare wrote all those plays. The Tempest has been adapted in a variety of styles besides theatre including music and literature. Tell us a little bit about what form this production will take.
PAPERNY: William Shakespeare provided us with comedies, tragedies, histories and blends of all three; and what’s more, they’re all free to perform. I chose The Tempest because it’s one of the Bard’s rare combinations of humour, misfortune and fantasy, all taking place in real time. The Tempest pushes the boundaries and provides the audience with wondrous escapism. I selected The Tempest for this very reason. Players’ Theatre attracts many different people but for the most part, the audience consists of students, students with work, stress and little free time to spare. If they’re taking the time to come to the theatre in the middle of November it better be something that will hold their interest.
