Actress Ameila Donkor plays Shanti in Manchester Lines. She shares her cast experience…
Rehearsals are going very well and it’s really exciting to be working on such an innovative project that is constantly changing and evolving. This week we started to rehearse in the performance space – Number One First Street. It’s like a treasure trove of lost things and the cast had great fun searching through it all.
My character’s mother Jessie has dementia, so myself and Anne (playing Jessie) were lucky enough to take part in a Storybox workshop, led by Lowri Evans working with local groups of people with dementia. We drove over to Wythenshawe and met some lovely people. The session was full of singing, movement and artwork. It was a really enjoyable research trip and good to see the Library Theatre’s work in the wider community.
Music is also a central component of Manchester Lines. Much of the inner life of my character Shanti, is conveyed through song and I’m grateful to have our fantastic Musical Director Dominic Harlan to bring me up to speed. It’s a real treat as a performer to be working on a play that has such a rich, musical dimension and to be creating a character utilising two different mediums.
With only 3 weeks until press night, we’re all working very hard and having a lot of laughs along the way. And we can’t wait to get an audience in and see what their reaction will be. Until then…
Manchester Lines runs from 12 June until 7 July 2012. Book your tickets here.