The star of Theatre North West's latest production is really happy that she was invited back after a 13-year hiatus from the Prince George stage.
Annabel Kershaw will play Alice in Henry and Alice: Into the Wild, a comedy by Michele Riml who wrote this sequel to the well-remembered Sexy Laundy that TNW presented in 2010.
Kershaw last appeared in the TNW production of Streetcar Named Desire as Blanche.
The comedy runs April 18 to May 8 at Parkhill Centre.
The play finds the couple facing early retirement, dealing with almost-adult children and ailing parents, when they decide to go on a relaxing camping trip that throws them a few curves.
"I have to remove certain pieces of clothing during the play and even though I am a Yogi and I work out a lot, it's still a challenge," said Kershaw. "I wonder if that's the criteria for coming back to Prince George because I did have to run around in my slip in Streetcar so I guess you gotta show some skin when you're in Prince George."
Kershaw said it's always nice to be offered a part in a play.
"I don't audition that much any more and I don't really like to and never did," Kershaw laughed. "So when you're offered something, that's really an honour. When you're not battling and competing for a role -- I mean, that has it's own merit when you actually 'win' a role, but when someone says you're the person I want, it's a huge compliment for me."
Kershaw has known Johnna Wright for a long time but both were acting. Now Wright is directing this production.
"Working with her is a very collaborative process, which is nice," said Kershaw, who is a big fan of the playwright's work. "I love Michele Riml. I've been aware of her for a long time and saw the first production of Sexy Laundry -- I believe it was at the Belfry and I loved it so much."
Kershaw feels Riml's work is so relatable for her, she said.
"When I was sent the script for Into the Wild and I read it, it just spoke to me," said Kershaw. "It's really very funny and Michele's just a very clever writer. The addition of the third person, as Alice's sister is in the play, it creates a different dynamic. So instead of just doing Henry and Alice, again, in a different situation, we'll add another element to kind of open it all up a bit and we find out a bit more about their lives."
Kershaw has been acting all over the country for decades. Last season she was in La Cage Aux Folles at the Vancouver Playhouse, and My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding at the Winnipeg Studio Theatre. You may recognize her from television and film appearances in Married Life with Chris Cooper, The Client, The L Word, The Client List, Smallville and Jumanji.
Kershaw said she uses her own life experience to draw from when getting into the character of Alice.
She's been married for 26 years and has two kids and she said she knows there's a lot of stuff that just gets pushed aside.
"There's no time for it because you're just so busy and everybody I know that is at this place in their lives is having to do a kind of re-examination of what their relationship is about," said Kershaw. "People are falling like flies around me and so I'm really aware of the work that has to be done and both people have to be open to it and I think that's what this play is all about."
Sometimes even a veteran actor can be taken off guard.
"Something that does surprise me is how emotional I get because it's a comedy and it's very funny," said Kershaw. "But there's a couple of speeches that I get to make that bring me to tears every time, especially talking about how you feel when your children are little and when that's behind you and how does that inform your life now when they're gone and they don't need you as much any more. It's a big transition for couples when the kids leave and Henry and Alice still have a teenager at home and that, of course, brings it's own challenges."
The depth of the play is revealed at times.
"It seems on the surface it's a fluffy play and a fun play and the depth of the frustration and the
loss has surprised me - how it touches me," Kershaw explained.
Tickets are at Books & Co., 1685 Third Ave., or by phone at 250-614-0039.
