Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Richard III - Jim Cairl

Meet Jim Cairl. Actor. Father. Cardinal. Or…wait, no that last one is one of the characters he plays in Hamlet Isn’t Dead’s Richard III. He also plays Brackenbury, Ratcliff, and King Edward IV. It’s not easy tackling multiple characters, but either Shakespeare makes it easier or Jim’s a freakin’ natural.

Look at that face and tell us it's not both.

So if you’re a fan quick-changes, Jim’s got ‘em in spades. Let’s hear a little from the Master of Disguise himself.

HID: Jim. May we call you Jim? Jim. What is your favorite color and the favorite color of each of your characters?

JC: My favorite color? I like a nice blue. Not an in-your-face blue, but something muted and quiet. Brackenbury - He's definitely another fan of blue. But, a navy blue. A straightforward color -  you know what you are getting with a good navy.  Edward - White, of course, For the White Rose of the House of York. Cardinal - Another easy one. Red, for his office... and the tasty strawberries... but mostly the strawberries Ratcliffe - A deep grey - like the shadows he's always lurking in.

HID: We hear a lot about the Cardinal and his strawberries. Do you have a green thumb in real life as well?

JC:     I grew up in an apartment, and now own a house - I've been trying to cultivate some gardening skills, but so far it's been very touch and go. It's a lot more work than I thought it would be. 

HID: So, what’s, uh…what’s wrong with King Edward? Is it syphilis? It’s syphilis, isn’t it?

JC:     Look, Richard has had his eye on the crown since Henry VI, part 3. So I think a nice, slooooooowwww, poisoning from an unsuspected crippled brother is much more likely path than the sudden, serendipitous demise of the syphilitic sovereign. Besides, late stage syphilis has dementia as a component, and though Edward may have been a little too trusting of the people around him he still made sense -  right to the end.

HID: If you were King of England, what are some changes you would make to the current system?

JC:     I will take my inspiration from a former King of Spain, who said (sang)
It's Laissez Faire/
I don't even give a care/
Let's make Friday part of the weekend/
And give every new baby chocolate eclair It's Laissez Faire/ I don't even give a care/ Let's make Friday part of the weekend/ And give every new baby chocolate eclair
I think people would prefer that to Polo and fascinators. 

And if we have to have that song stuck in our heads, everyone does!!

Listen and enjoy, then boogie on over to the BPT to purchase tickets for Richard III. The time is nigh, we open THIS FRIDAY, and we can’t wait to see you there!!

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