Dylan Thomas. William Shakespeare. Two men who lived and wrote centuries apart; each man's contributions transformed the face of English literature as we know it today. The two never had the chance to meet . . . until Geraint Wyn Davies brought them together for one night only in Leon Pownall's "Dylan Thomas and Shakespeare: In Envy of Some Greatness."
Recently in Nova Scotia, I had the opportunity of having a few words of a kind with the Welsh-Canadian actor. Returning to North America after a recent move to France, Wyn Davies was in Wolfville preparing for his benefit performance at the Atlantic Theatre Festival.
Perhaps best known for his television role as angst-ridden vampire, Nick Knight on "Forever Knight," he is no stranger to Nova Scotia, having portrayed movie producer-turned-boat builder Nick Haskell in the CBC drama "Black Harbour" filmed in nearby Hubbards.
Neither is he a stranger to the stage. His career, spanning more than twenty years, has led him from Canada's Shaw and Stratford Festivals where he portrayed D'Artagnon in "The Three Musketeers," and the title roles in "Pericles," and "Henry V," among others. In the UK, he won the prestigious Best Actor Award for his portrayal of "Hamlet."
Taking time out from his busy rehearsing schedule, Wyn Davies spoke candidly about his follow-up performance to his successful portrayal of Thomas in Pownall's "Do Not Go Gentle . . .", as well as commenting on his career, the theatre, and his working relationships with playwright Pownall and Artistic Director, Jerry Etienne.
KMM: Generally speaking, how far in advance are productions chosen for a theatrical season?
GWD: Right now, they are picking their season for next year. In a heavily funded theatre like they have in Canada, they will plan either two or three, or even more variations on a season. They will plan one if they get grants from different government sources. They will plan season number two, if they don't get those, because the $100-200-300-400,000 will certainly affect the budget.
They plan now. They plan before the end of one season for the next. Decisions are made . . . I would say . . . before the end of this year, they have to announce the season. Then they start putting publicity into effect, for the next year.
KMM: How is casting handled?
GWD: For the Atlantic Theatre Festival, Jerry goes to the Eastern half of Canada: Ontario, Quebec, all the Maritimes. That's where he gets his players, but that doesn't mean that players can't come from Vancouver, or wherever else. That is classified by budget as well.
The Atlantic Theatre Festival is not a hugely over funded place by any means . . . This theatre actually has the tightest belt— and they run it really well— of any place I'd ever done. So they are very money conscious, which is why I do the benefit for them. I want to help because they do such a good job.
They would start rehearsals in May for a season that starts end of June, beginning of July. It changes each year and they have a little bit of leeway. It goes until the second week in September. It used to go, I believe, a little later, but they had to pare that down due to restrictions of funding.
KMM: Funding is everything!
GWD: Funding is! Also the choice of the plays . . . And Jerry would agree . . . Well, not completely, because he specifically fights to do at least one or two things that really make the word "art" at least a part of the deal. But you do have to take into consideration that a theatre . . . An empty theatre doesn't stay open very long.
KMM: Right.
GWD: So there would have to be certain populous choices. Now that does not mean that they're not great. For example, "Private Lives," which I think is one of the best struc
