Below is an interview Una McKevitt (Director) and Vickey Curtis gave to www.gaelick.com about "Victor and Gord, Ali and Michael" in June.
“You know those friends you grew up with? Went to school with? Laughed, cried, partied and pulled with? D’you ever wonder sometimes, will they ever just F*ck Off?”
We’re just friends because we ARE friends, do you know what I mean?
So says Vickey Curtis (AKA Victor) of her best friend since childhoood Aine McKevitt
(AKA Gord) And yes, I DO know what she means! In case you think this was some
confidential information imparted by Vickey, this is in fact the subject matter
of her performance (play? documentary?) Victor and Gord/Ali and Michael
which opens later this week as part of Queer Notions at Project Arts Centre.
So how did the friendship end up on stage?
It was Una’s (sister of Aine/Gord) idea. The three of us have been friends for like…ever. Una gave us the nicknames and had the idea to make a performance of our friendship. To put ‘real lives’ on stage, so we devised the piece around…us, the way we are around each other! It’s full of all things the things we remember from growing up together.
So the rehearsals are about digging into your friendship…?
Yeah completely headwrecking! Sometimes it’s like therapy!
The other ‘characters’ in the play are real-life brother and sister Ali
and Michael Barron. So how did they come on board?
Una found found them on Facebook! She saw a photo of them and thought they looked great! They’re brother and sister and also best friends, they’re hilarious together… and they’ve never acted before!
Director/Actor Una Mckevitt has lots of shows under her belt, mostly as an actor including a 2004 version of Genet’s The Maids: Spurt!Sister!Spurt!(directed by Vickey) which featured our beloved Panti as Madame, naturally!(Panti’s new show A Woman in Progress is also been performed as part of Queer Notions)
So a question for Una, acting or directing?
I’ve always liked performing and when I was at college I usually performed in a show during the summer, such as the one you mention Spurt!Sister!Spurt! in Fringe 2004. At college I studied Devising and Playwriting and the work I make now is really a mix between these two practices. Collaborating with performers and shaping the work we make together for the stage is what makes me excited at the moment.
I love plays, I love going to plays but I’m not a text based performer or director and I can’t think of one play I’d like to perform in or direct! I can think of lots of plays I’d like to make though.
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