The Upstage Interview: Andrew Zadel and Inka Malovic

The Cast of Closer

Invading Intimacy

Upstage Contributor Stephanie Breton spoke with Director Andrew Zadel and Actor Inka Malovic about Chesterfield Productions presentation of Closer by Patrick Marber. Below is an abridged version edited by Estelle Rosen, CharPo Editor-In-Chief.

UPSTAGE 

Andrew, you’re director of this play, you’re Co-Artistic Director of Chesterfield Productions with your sister;  and she’s also in the play. Closer is a sexually charged  piece – is it awkward to Direct your sister?

ZADEL

Good question. My sister and I are best friends. We work well together in a professional setting. 

UPSTAGE

Closer is being presented at Espace 4001, an intimate space; I read you’ll be doing it in the round. Tell us about that.  

ZADEL

I wanted to bring to the show a sense of intimacy almost like invading the space of these people. It’s an intimate show and about conflict between the characters as well as about human relationships in modern era right now. It’s not something removed, not Shakespeare, not historical drama; rather situations that many people in the audience have likely experienced. I wanted to make them as uncomfortable as possible; to push them right in there. 

The characters in the play are people who  are in pain, in conflict, and the audience is right there in the room with them. The whole feel of the show is almost claustrophobic with the audience on either side of the actors. The use of projection screens adds to feeling like you’re stuck with them in the pressure cooker and can’t get out.

Anyone who’s been through some encounter with love can identify with it.

UPSTAGE

Briefly, the story is about two couples who meet for professional reasons; and then things happen. Inka, you’re playing the role of the photographer;  what’s it like for you working in this space where the audience is right there.

MALOVIC

I think it’s ideal for this play. If we were in a setting where the audience was far removed, I don’t think the audience would get as much as they could when they’re right there with us. This is a play about  relatable things. Anyone who’s been through some encounter with love can identify with it. I’m excited for us  to have the audience so close; it’ll fuel us..

As soon as we decided to do Closer, I didn’t want to to be influenced by seeing the movie again.

UPSTAGE

Closer  was a movie; did you see it, discuss it? 

MALOVIC

I saw the movie a long time ago. As soon as we decided to do Closer, I didn’t want to to be influenced by seeing it again. 

UPSTAGE

What about you Andrew?

ZADEL

It’s a known film, we can’t get away from it but we really tried to make it our own. What we really concentrated on is what can we do in this space in Montreal in 2011 with these actors.

I didn’t ban them from watching the movie but I don’t think it’s seeped into what we’re doing. This is our take on Marber’s play written in 1994.

UPSTAGE

What were some of the challenges?

MALOVIC

Most challenging for me was not knowing much about the history of my character.  At first I had a hard time getting to know her and realized I had to have a strong choice in order for it to make sense. Often this isn’t in the text. A challenging role but such a gift to take it into your own hands and create what you want with this person.

Brilliantly written text that allows you to do something original with your own take.

UPSTAGE

Credit to the script to have such great liberty.

MALOVIC

Brilliantly written text that allows you to do something original with your own take.

UPSTAGE

Tell us about the set.

ZADEL

Since the play has a lot to do with memory, I am using two multi-media projections to underline what happens between scenes and to help narrative bring it along with projections.  

To Oct. 22

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