INTERVIEW: James Russell continues Irish Rep collaboration with ‘Shining City’
Shining City, a haunting ghost story from Conor McPherson, is currently receiving a new production at the recently renovated Irish Repertory Theatre on West 22nd Street in Manhattan. Two-time Tony winner Matthew Broderick plays John, a man who, dealing with the recent death of his wife, has sought the help of a counselor named Ian, played by Billy Carter. Ian, however, has his own secret: He’s haunted by ghostly images of his own wife.
One of the key roles in this four-character play is Laurence, played by Irish Rep alumnus James Russell. The actor, who has appeared in several productions for the off-Broadway company, is glad that Shining City has brought him back under the helm of director Ciarán O’Reilly, who gave Russell his off-Broadway start four years ago in Brian Friel’s The Freedom of the City.
“He and I did Juno and the Paycock a year later, and then he directed me in Port Authority a year and a half ago, which is another Conor McPherson play,” Russell said recently in a phone interview. “I was in L.A. this winter, and he gave me a call asking if I’d like to come back and do another McPherson play. And I jumped at the opportunity.”
Russell finds McPherson’s writing beautiful, calling the playwright a “masterful storyteller.” The actor said McPherson is subtle, intricate and honest with his writing.
“The humanity that he captures with all the characters is really breathtaking and just so captivating,” Russell said. “I’m only in one scene in this play, and I don’t come on until about an hour in. But every performance I’m downstairs in the dressing room, and I just sit there. And I just listen to the performances, and to the words and the language because it’s really something.”
For Russell, the themes of homelessness and finding a place in life are evident in Shining City, which continues at the Irish Rep through July 3. This searching for a foundation is central to the Laurence character as well. “He’s a guy that’s struggling to survive, and he’s living every moment to moment just doing what he can to keep his head above water,” Russell said. “And I think just that immediacy of his circumstances is something that I try to focus on.”
Performing in the 100-minute play is something of a homecoming for Russell. He even called Irish Rep his second home, and his interest in Irish theater runs deep. His parents are Irish, and they left the country when they were in their 20s. “There is a part of me that is honoring that part of my family and my heritage, and to get to honor it in Manhattan at the Irish Rep, it’s very special,” he said.
He added: “Just the plays that I’ve done at the Irish Rep, doing the Brian Friel, Freedom of the City, and then Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock as well as Port Authority, the common thread is definitely their ability of storytelling and how they tell a story.”
Doubly special for the actor is having a unique vantage point for Irish Repertory Theatre’s extensive renovations, which took 18 months to complete. When Russell performed in Port Authority, another McPherson play, he had the chance to rehearse in the Irish Rep’s old theater one last time. He then moved with them to their temporary space in Union Square, and now he’s back to the new theater in the inaugural production.
“I’m very privileged and grateful to be with them on this occasion,” he said.
Russell likes to take each role one at a time, and he tries not to get too far ahead of himself. He has started working in classical theater, including roles with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. “There’s ways to grow in all roles that you take on,” he said. “I love right now working on a contemporary play and just kind of being immersed in that world, you know. … Like TV and film, it can be you’re on the set for a day sometimes. It’s brief, but with theater, it’s like you get to come back to it every night, almost except for Mondays when we’re dark. But every performance you get to go back into that world and just to dig deeper and deeper.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Shining City is currently playing the Irish Repertory Theatre in Manhattan. Click here for more information.
