Being Jacqueline

"Having lived in the south of France, gained a PhD in medieval French literature, been Head of Languages at a private girls’ school in Christchurch, New Zealand and now teaching French at Melbourne's Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar, it is fairly safe to say that Jo est amoureuse de tout ce qui est français.

It is this passion for 'all things French' and Jo's sense of adventure that has found her in her acting debut in the role of Jacqueline. 'Dr' Rittey sees this as an opportunity for her to entertain others with all the melodramatic fervour she can muster, speak French, gesticulate wildly, and channel the Parisian she knows lives inside her."

A little show-offy, perhaps, but such is the actor's bio...and unbelievably I AM currently an actor...actress...treading the boards...all the world is a stage...and other such thespian-type quotes...

Having attended a surreal audition night where I was convinced that everyone would see me for the fraud that I am...not French...haven't acted since I played myself in my brother's short film and he told me I was 'too big for the screen', by which I believe he meant I over-acted and was not actually a comment on my physical stature...I was chosen for the role of Jacqueline. The Melbourne French Theatre is putting on Pyjama pour Six or Don't Dress for Dinner, a French farce involving a country house and six completely loopy people who seem to involve themselves in ridiculous dialogue and a multitude of misunderstanding. Given that my life is often reminiscent of a French farce, this should be a walk in the park. 

I am immersing myself fully in the role of Jacqueline to the point where I no longer know where Jo ends and Jacqueline begins. I believe they call that method acting.

The concern is, of course, that I spread myself too thinly over the multi-faceted Melburnian life I am leading...teacher...aunty...blogger and now actor. It's a challenge, I tell you. Not, of course, that I am worried that I spread the frenchiness too thinly...oh no, I am all for spreading frenchiness like a thick slab of roquefort on a crusty piece of baguette...it is just that the intense rehearsal schedule and the full Jacqueline immersion process...not to mention actually having to learn lines...well, you know, it is pretty immense.

This is a hideous photo...but there we go...