Katherine Kingsley: “SPELLING BEE is extremely funny at times but also has a real humanity about it”

Originally from Cambridge and graduated from Bristol Old Vic in 2003, Katherine Kingsley can currently be seen in THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at London’s Donmar Warehouse, a funny musical that opened officially on 21st February 2011.

SPELLING BEE, that runs through 2nd April, features music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinking, with additional lyrics by Jay Ress. This first London production of the Show, which was a huge success on Broadway in 2005, is directed by Jamie Lloyd.

Katherine Kingsley had already worked with Jamie Lloyd in PIAF for the Donmar Warehouse and at the Vaudeville Theatre, where she played the role of Marlene Dietrich, for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2009. In Summer 2010, Katherine starred in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Andrew Lloyd’s Webber ASPECTS OF LOVE and previously she had also starred in HIGH SOCIETY at the Shaftesbury Theatre and on UK Tour. Her other theatre credits include ‘The 39 Steps’ on UK tour, ‘The Truth Will Out’ for the Old Vic, ‘The Black and White Ball’ at the King’s Head Theatre, ‘Hobson’s Choice’ for the Chichester Festival Theatre and ‘The Canterbury Tales’ for Bristol Old Vic.

Katherine Kingsley tells us about her work in SPELLING BEE, a show that she defines as a “Musical Parody”, and about her recent work in Musical Theatre.

HOW WOULD YOU INTRODUCE THE SHOW ‘THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’?
It´s an unusual show, most certainly. As soon as you walk through the doors of The Donmar you are entering the Spelling Bee. The whole space has been decorated and set up like a school gym. The piece is set in the present moment. Everything that happens on and off stage is happening in that precise second. As the audience take their seats, cast members are milling about and preparing themselves for this annual competition.
Once it gets started the audience are included throughout. The piece, in my opinion, is a Musical Parody. It is extremely funny at times but also has a real humanity about it. You get drawn in to the childrens lives and stories and at times these sweet young characters can really move you in the most unexpected way.

WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS MUSICAL BEFORE TAKING PART OF THE PRODUCTION AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST OF IT?
I knew nothing of the Musical. I´d not seen it in New York and hadn´t really heard much about it either. I had watched a wonderful documentary film called Spellbound, however, which is all about the Spelling Bee competitors and their lives which I found fascinating and funny. I then got sent the soundtrack to listen to and loved it.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CHARACTER AND WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST OF PERFORMING IT?
I play Rona Lisa Peretti who won The Third Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as a young girl. She has now stepped up to be the Hostess (with the mostess) for the past nine years. She is a true delight to play. She lives her life with blinkered optimism and ambition. She cares very much about all the children she has contact with and loves the fact that she is well known in her rather small county for her selfless contribution… (that´s how she sees it anyway)... others might suggest that she likes the limelight a bit too much and is a big fish in a small pond and sadly lives her life looking back at the best moment of her life which was winning the Spelling Bee. It´s all about the winning for Rona.

FOUR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE JOIN THE ACTORS ON STAGE IN EACH PERFORMANCE. WHICH IS THEIR ROLE IN THE SHOW AND HOW DO THEIR PARTICIPATION AFFECT TO YOUR WORK?
This is my favourite part of the Show and the main reason I wanted to do it. It´s great never knowing what or who you are going to get on stage with you. Every night is different and I have to be open as an actor to keep improvising with what we get. Various ad libs and character descriptions are invented freshly every night. It keeps my job incredibly fresh and it´s a gift to be in this unique situation as an actor.
Sometimes we have to be careful as a company that certain energies from the Volunteers don´t have a negative impact on our own energies. During rehearsals we did lots of exercises that included improvisation, syncing up with one another and making sure that we were using all of our senses to listen and feel and see each other.
The Volunteers role is to compete, like all the other Spellers, in the competition. They have a big opportunity to win!

HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THESE FIRST WEEKS OF THE SHOW AT THE DONMAR? HAS THE AUDIENCE REACTION SURPRISED YOU?
We´ve had a great first few weeks. The buzz during and after the show is totally amazing. The audience reaction makes it complete. Doing a comedy to an empty rehearsal room is essential but taking it into the space and putting it in front of an audience and hearing the reaction is both exhilarating and informative.

THIS PRODUCTION HAS BEEN DIRECTED BY JAMIE LLOYD. HOW IS IT WORKING UNDER HIS COMMAND?
Working with Jamie again has been a true delight. He is so incredibly hard working, bright, perceptive, emotionally intelligent and fiercely visual. I loved Piaf - it was an epic piece with the biggest heart and the most amazing Elena and life affirming songs and passion. I played a handful of characters in it, including Marlene Dietrich. Playing Marlene was such an honour. Incredible woman, incredible strength, incredible kindness, incredible sensuality.
So, to be working with him again on such a different type of project is wonderful. Great to be doing something completely different. I want to work with him again and again!

YOUR PREVIOUS WORK IN LONDON INCLUDES ‘ASPECTS OF LOVE’ AT THE MENIER. WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU TO STAR IN THAT PRODUCTION?
Playing Rose Vibert in ASPECTS OF LOVE was quite extraordinary. I feel particularly blessed to have had the fortune of working on this with Sir Trevor Nunn who I was in complete awe of every day. I had to keep pinching myself to see if I was dreaming. He had directed the original production many years ago but wanted to revisit it in a small scale, intimate Theatre with a small scale orchestration. The story is complex, huge and painful. Rose, who is an actor, has the most bumpy, whirlwind life journey and ultimately is a victim of believing her own press. She is deeply in love with two men throughout most of her life but she ends up alone. Many people think she is not a likeable character but I loved her hugely and could really sympathise with her situation and actions. The score is tricky for an actor to make real at times. So with a lot of the recitative I decided to sing down the octave in order to create a more conversational tone. We achieved a lot in that production of breaking the Musical Theatre boundaries and I´m very proud of myself for being so bold in my choices. Playing her French and translating a lot of the dialogue had never been done before. To me, it was a no brainer...the character is French, most of the scenes are set in France, she needs to be French to help create authenticity. Playing a character who starts off in her early twenties and finishes in her early forties was also a great challenge but again with physical adjustments and a deepening and richness of voice it was possible.

COULD YOU COMMENT ON YOUR FUTURE PROJECTS?
I´m awaiting confirmation on a play at the moment. Fingers crossed.

Katherine Kingsley in THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE