After a sellout season of 'Bad Jews' in Victoria last year, Maria Angelico is stepping back into the shoes of her loud and proud character, Daphna Feygenbaum.
The show focuses on a family's struggle with ownership, as their grandfather passes away and leaves them with a treasured family heirloom. Maria Angelico answered some questions about her upcoming involvement with 'Bad Jews'.
Are you excited to be stepping back into Daphna's shoes?
Yes I’m very excited! Daphna is a dream role. It’s a real testament to Joshua Harmon’s writing that he has created such an equally hateable, loveable and relatable female character with such intellect and wit. She’s incredible. Although she exhausts me to no end and speaks and thinks three times the pace as me, I’m ever so grateful to play a role that goes on such a massive journey every night.
Had you ever experienced Jewish culture before being cast?
One of my mothers oldest and dearest friends is in fact the son of a survivor, so we were very much raised knowing and understanding Jewish history and culture. I also grew up on a very healthy diet of 'Seinfeld', 'The Nanny' and Woody Allen films so it’s never seemed too foreign to me.
Did you get a chance to see the show on Broadway?
Unfortunately, no but I would have loved to! Not only because it’s always fascinating seeing other interpretations of a piece your working on, but I’m a big Tracee Chimo Fan! I remember preparing to audition for the role I learnt that she played the Daphna in the debut performance, which really excited me!
© Jeff BusbyThe show seems heavily orientated around family, are you able to relate to your character on an autobiographical level?
Yes! I actually think nearly any family could ha! It’s set between a family behind closed doors and nearly everyone knows what can happen in those situations. Families hold the ability to push each others buttons and easily get under each other’s skin and with family you can go from laughing to crying in moments. I like to think I’m nothing like Daphna in a lot of ways, but I certainly can relate to the fun she has and how hurt she gets with the vicious words that get thrown around in the play.
What was it like working with director Gary Abrahams?
Gary is an incredible director, he gets the best out of his actors, his attention to detail is a cut above and he will not settle. Like any new working relationship, it took me a few days of rehearsal to adjust to the way we work together… and I mean work! I’m not sure if it was the density and sheer mammoth amount of the dialogue I have or if it’s the speed at which Gary himself works, maybe it was a combination but it was definitely one of the hardest I’ve worked! Gary is forward and strong-minded, so there was no room to doubt myself or sit on any questions I had. The experience has taught me a great deal and I’m very grateful for it. He’s also got an incredibly wicked dry whit! He’s the perfect director for this play!
You've worked with Chris Lilley as well, is comedy something you want to continue exploring?
Comedy definitely is something that I cherish in my work and as an audience, so to develop a career doing it would be a dream! I grew up watching and obsessing over 'SNL', 'Big Girls Blouse', and Christopher Guest films to name a few, so I love all comedy - from subtle to really "gaggy" stuff. My favourite type of comedy would definitely have to be comedy that has a good dose or balance of sincerity in it; comedy with heart. I recently tried my hand at writing and wrote a web series that was released last year with the help of Screen Australia called 'Movement' I never set out to write it as a comedy but it’s definitely what it is… so I guess finding the humour in a story is a very comfortable way for me to work. It’s hard but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Did you get a chance to meet playwright Joshua Harmon?
There was possibly of him coming down to Sydney for our opening night but I don’t think his schedule permitted it. Even though I would’ve been absolutely terrified for him to see the show, I would had relished the opportunity to praise his work and thank him in person! He’s a genius!
© Jeff BusbyHave you seen fellow New Yorker's, comics, and Jews Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson in their TV show 'Broad City'?
Um YES! They are absolute Kweens! (As they would say!) I never think of myself to be someone that gets star struck but I was recently in NYC for Tribeca Film Festival and discovered that Illana and Abbi would be there and totally flipped! I was sure to fan girl out! It kept me awake at night with excitement. As it turns out the day they were speaking was the day I had to head back to Melbourne to start preparation for the Bad Jews tour. I was so sad to miss seeing them talk in person as they’re such unique hilarious inspirations… but then maybe it was a good thing? Who knows what embarrassing way I would’ve behaved…
Reviews aside, why, in your opinion, should people come and see Bad Jews?
There are many reasons! The thing that stands out however is that I don’t think there’s much theatre in Australia quite like it. It’s quite traditional in its form, it’s set in real time, in one place, on one night and there’s nothing abstract about it. It’s straightforward. There’s no bells and whistles; the play relies purely on text and the story being told! So refreshing! … And it’s bloody hilarious!
What's next for Maria Angelico?
Sleep! I’ve had a very busy last couple of years gratefully with work, and playing Daphna takes great energy, so first of all after our tour finishes in August a good long nap will be very much enjoyed! I have some things cooking up with my writing I’m looking forward to sinking my teeth into and developing later in the year as well as some potential acting projects but nothing is too set in stone yet so in the true nature of the industry I’m sure whatever I end up working on will be nothing that I have in mind! Ha!
'Bad Jews' plays Queensland Performing Arts Centre 13-31 July.
