Chris Connaughton's Theatre Firsts

Yesterday I experienced another Theatre First when I went along to The Word children’s library at Crown Street Library, Darlington. Professional actor and children’s author Chris Connaughton was staging Alice in Wonderland based plays and telling traditional fairy stories. Crown Street Library based the events around the painting Lewis Carroll at St Peter’s Rectory, Croft Yorkshire by American artist, Ralph Leslie Swinden (1968). The painting was the centre piece of the day and inspired the Lewis Carroll themed activities. 

It is the first time I can recall going to see a professional story teller and I was just as impressed as the children. I hung on to every word as Chris became Lewis Carroll and acted out excerpts from Alice in Wonderland. He then explained what had inspired Carroll to write it and encouraged the children to help him create a new story to tell in the same way Lewis Carroll would with Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired him to write Alice in Wonderland. Throughout the morning, Chris played everyone from Rapunzel to the Cheshire Cat and I felt just as involved in his performance and stories as the children. 

It was a fantastic event and I watched several of the children leave with books. I wasn’t surprised by this as I too wanted to go home and read Alice in Wonderland, or write stories or do anything that involved using my imagination. I remembered how much I love children’s and young adult literature and how I wished I had more time to write! The event really captured the imagination and encouraged creativity. The accompanying adults became just as involved as their children, shouting out answers and suggestions for stories and were hopefully inspired to go home and read, or to go to the theatre to watch more stories unfold before them.

In between shows, I caught up with Chris to ask him about his Theatre Firsts.  

What is the first show you went to see?

The first show I went to see was a panto when I was about four. I think it was Aladdin.  I remember a transformation scene with deep, blue lights and being carried out screaming – I was terrified!

What is the first show that really stood out to you?

As a teenager, I went to see a production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and it left a lasting impression. It was a cast of five dressed all in white, so they each played more than one character. They used hardly any props and I was moved by how different it was and how involved I felt in the audience. It’s definitely left a lasting impression and influenced the way I perform. 

What is the first show you performed in?

The first show I performed in professionally was Macbeth and I played Banquo.

What was the first character you played?

Banquo was the first character I played professionally, but in college I played Chekov’s Uncle Vanya. Playing that character pushed me as an actor and made me take my performance to a whole new level.

What was the first play you read at school or for fun?

I remember seeing an excerpt from Macbeth when I was about 8 that involved the three witches. I knew then that I was reading something entirely different to anything I had ever seen or read before. I also remember reading a Midsummer Night’s Dream at school as a teenager, but the first play I read for enjoyment was Equus. It was a new play at the time and quite adult so I wanted to read it and see what it was all about.

What shows do you hope to see in future?

I’m seeing Hamlet again later this year but would love to see a really good production of King Lear or Othello.

What show would you love to be in if you had the chance?

I would love to have another crack at Uncle Vanya now that I’m the right age to play him. He would be a fantastic character to revist. I would also love to play Iago in Othello or be in War Horse. I love the puppetry and beauty of War Horse. I achieved my ambition of playing Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing in a production by Mad Alice.

What do you think is the perfect first show for children?

For little children, I think anything by Theatre Hullabaloo, Polka or Unicorn as they specialise in quality theatre for very young audiences and really know how to perform and appeal to children. For older children, I would recommend War Horse or Matilda. I also think Macbeth is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for older children. It has witches, magic, ghosts and violence! If more schools used it as an introduction to Shakespeare, I think it would get more boys reading and interested in Shakespeare.