By Cathy Aronson

Downstage Theatre is dark until the marketing manager finds the house lights and reveals a stage with a lone chair and table holding a half empty pitcher of water. Or half full as it's consumer the day before, Ginette McDonald, may see it. The room comes to life as Ginette enters through the elevator for her second day of rehearsals, struggling with an oversized handbag in one arm while navigating a new cellphone in the other.

Ginette is preparing for her one-woman tour de force My Brilliant Divorce with director Geraldine Brophy. Yet to join the stage is a cast of store mannequins who represent some of the 12 characters whose lives intertwine with the lead Angela - who has just been dumped by her accountant husband for a younger model.

Ginette is well known for mimicking and monologues through her 'infamous' character Lyn of Tawa, first created as a late night review at Downstage when she was 16.

By Cathy Aronson

Downstage Theatre is dark until the marketing manager finds the house lights and reveals a stage with a lone chair and table holding a half empty pitcher of water. Or half full as it's consumer the day before, Ginette McDonald, may see it. The room comes to life as Ginette enters through the elevator for her second day of rehearsals, struggling with an oversized handbag in one arm while navigating a new cellphone in the other.

Ginette is preparing for her one-woman tour de force My Brilliant Divorce with director Geraldine Brophy. Yet to join the stage is a cast of store mannequins who represent some of the 12 characters whose lives intertwine with the lead Angela - who has just been dumped by her accountant husband for a younger model.

Ginette is well known for mimicking and monologues through her 'infamous' character Lyn of Tawa, first created as a late night review at Downstage when she was 16.

A character revived for The Golden Years Tour with Gary McCormick in 'far flung pubs' last year, and a 'Cultural Ambassador' that took on an identity of its own.
It's been "a curse and a blessing ever since."

"People who know me better call me Lyn."

But in an age of celebrity, Lyn of Tawa made a young working actress well known and helped Ginette secure more work.

"Because I've never been identified as a dedicated theatre person or a dedicated anything person, perhaps people think I'm more light-weight, certainly not in girth but maybe in outlook. But I started in this theatre so it's a great love of mine. But then so is radio and television. I have a great love for the industry."

While she is willing to acknowledge Lyn of Tawa's contribution to her success and the parrels with her current role, Ginette is keen to divert the conversation and attention back to Angela.

"Angela must be treated with respect. She's a very nice person Angela, while by no means simple, she has, by the standards of today, had a rather sheltered life.

"She's only ever known one man, her husband. She's never been into a sex shop, which I presume there's a lot of people like that, I can't say I met them, but one has to honour her surprise at certain things in life without parodying it.

"She's a terrific person and because she is so well meaning it's not fair some of the things that happen to her. I think the audience will really empathise with her character and hope it comes out alright for her."

Ginette says My Brilliant Divorce has a universal theme - not restricted to demographics - of abandonment, loneliness, new journeys, redemption and love.

"I don't think demographics have a lot do with the way individuals empathise with other individuals."

"Its billed as a comedy but there is a depth to it that at times can be heart rendering."

Ginette has to 'people the stage' for the audience with all the other characters in Angela's life as she finds herself adrift in a sea of weird sexual encounters, sneaky solicitors, phone-in counsellors, a bad case of hypochondria and the spectre of poverty. Set designer John Harding uses mannequins as a visual prompt, a reference to Angela's job as a window dresser.

"I have to do a number of voices, it could have been written for me really. But it is going to be challenging because it's a very English play despite its universal themes."

"I've always sneered at method acting but every time I'm in a play I become very method. I once played a siren of a sex pot which permeated through my life and I was emanating steaminess everywhere I went."

Ginette practices her 'heightened version of herself' as a corporate speaker, comedienne, actress, producer, director and TV presenter. But she has never been alone on stage in a play, the closest being Lyn of Tawa.

Maybe one of the reasons director Geraldine Brophy approached her for the role. "And Angela's middle aged and a bit plump," says Ginette.

Geraldine Brophy, who is sharing the directing role with John Harding, says Ginette's Lyn of Tawa character 'makes sense in terms of an audience knowing who your performer is but you come along and see the show and realise there aren't vestiges of Lynn of Tawa there at all - she's inhabiting a completely different character - infact about 12 different characters."

"I admire her very much as an actress, and it seemed to me that it was a really good vehicle to marry quite consummate acting skills with an awful lot of experience of dealing in a stand-up way with an audience. It's quite a mission to hold a one-person show, to hold an audience to that requires quite a lot of skill. I thought here's someone we should see a lot more of."

The idea for My Brilliant Divorce had been kicking around in Ginette's 'orbit' for about three years waiting for the time commitment and 'steely resolve and discipline' required for theatre.

"I'm not big on adventure sports. I consider bungy jumping to be one of the most stupidest things on earth. There is no point to it, it's just giving yourself an adrenaline shot for the sake of it. Jumping out of a plane, while terrifying, is a useful skill because you might have to do it one day to survive. I needed to do my own mental adventure travel and leap into this play."

"We all have to guard against treading water, you have to keep turning corners. We have to keep on being interested and contributing. If you keep reacting and interacting you should be alright."

For now she's happy to be back where she began as a 'precocious' 14 year old in Nola Miller's after school drama class who convinced Richard Campion and Tim Elliot to put their little production 'My Vote Belongs to Daddy' on at Downstage.

Sitting at the bottom of the auditorium seats, Ginette stares up at the theatre stage.

"My whole career started here, oh yes there's a lot of history tied up here."

At Downstage from Friday 30 May till Saturday 28 June, Monday to Wednesday at 6.30 pm and Thursday to Saturday at 7.30 pm. There will be a $20 preview on Friday 30 May, additional $20 performances on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 June and afternoon matinees at 3 pm on Saturday 14 and 21 June.

Written by Geraldine Aron

Starring
Ginette McDonald

Directed by
Geraldine Brophy & John Harding

Costume/Set Design
John Harding

Lighting Design
Lisa Maule

Sound Design
Gil Eva Craig

Production Manager
Simon Rayner

Stage Manager
Helena Coulton

See the production diary on the Downstage Theatre blog.

Story and image: By Cathy Aronson

Email: The editor@thebigidea.co.nz with the subject line My Brilliant Divorce tickets
Include: Your TBI username, your full name and contact details
Eligibility: To be eligible you must be a member of The Big Idea. You must be able to attend and tickets are non-transferable.
Entries: Need to be received by midnight Tuesday May 27.
Winners: Will be contacted by email on May 28.

18/05/08