When someone says the word “director,” images of Broadway and Hollywood come to mind. But speaking to director Naomi Simpson, images of prison replace all thoughts of celebrity life. No, she’s not an inmate, but she has directed shows in Victoria at William Head Institution. And despite her unique directing background, she hasn’t been doing it for long: her true passion is acting.
“I’ve been an actor all my life, and I have done some directing. It’s just been in the last couple of years that I started to direct again,” says Simpson. “I like directing, but my heart is as an actor.”
Her assistant director at Langham Court Theatre, Julian Cervello, feels the same way. His background is also as an actor, and he is just now developing his directing career. But these two passionate actors have come together to direct a psychological thriller, The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs. Both were drawn to this play for the darker themes, and jumped on the opportunity to explore the story further.
“I gravitate towards dark themes because I brought myself up on Shakespeare and the tragedies and history plays; they have so much vital life,” explains Cervello. “It’s the kind of theatre that I like to see, so it’s the kind of theatre that I like to do.”
Simpson agrees with Cervello and also takes it a step further: she says theatre shouldn’t just be about happy endings, because that’s so rarely the case in reality. She feels responsible for shining light on the gloomy things encompassing humanity.
“I definitely also veer towards work that is darker,” says Simpson. “I do believe that we have a responsibility as storytellers not just to entertain but to hold up that mirror to society because the world we live in is so very complex and often dark.”
Simpson says this play in particular will leave the audience pondering questions about themselves and their relationships. It’s important to tell stories with real life themes and problems because that’s what people can relate to and what audiences find thrilling, she says.
“Telling stories that reflect the nature of society that way is not only important but also exciting for the audience,” she says. “I tend to stay away from the tame and trite for entertainment value. In fact, I absolutely rally against it.”
Maybe it’s the actress in her, or maybe it’s the director who accepts the dark themes with an artistic heart. Either way, both Simpson and Cervello agree that they chose this project because this play is not only entertaining and funny, but also a terrifying journey.
“I just found it to be a sublimely translated play with a lot of beauty in the language,” says Simpson, “and yet a very suspenseful, curious play that took me down hallways and up staircases and through doors and dark alleys in my mind.”
The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs
November 20 to December 6
$19-$21, Langham Court Theatre
langhamtheatre.ca