Interview: Jonny Woo, Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion

Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion gives Shakespeare’s classic play a vital, exciting and confronting makeover. Robert Chevara directs a site-specific performance at the basement club of The Divine in London. Ahead of its run between 12-27th September 2024, we interviewed Jonny Woo to find out more about it.

Can we start by telling our readers a little bit about you and your journey into the performing arts industry? 

From the start? Well I used to do shows for my gran when I was a kid with my sister. I always had a burning desire to perform and once stood up in front of the class and sang Tight Fit's Fantasy Island at age 10. Now do the maths on my age. Seriously though, aside from a side step into retail, performing is in my blood, like most performers and at school and Uni I was always studying theatre and performing and it was actually in dance that I trained professionally at London Contemporary Dance School.

It was in New York though that I discovered drag, performance art and cabaret on the Downtown scene and found permission to call myself an artist and it's this kind of work that has been the backbone of my career. I felt I had control over what I was making and in fallow periods I could find ways to make art and employ myself if you like. In London, from the age of 30 onwards, I've been making solo and group shows in the queer community and now I have my own venue, The Divine where I can experiment and make work but also offer a space for emerging queer artists at any stage of their career to work and create as performers.

What do you think has kept you inspired creatively during your career? 

Change and variety. I like to explore different mediums. I've made installations with fine artists (with Mark Titchner at The Serpentine); acted in a few plays (Tell Tale Heart, Suddenly Last Summer,  Sex/Crime); written a musical (All Star Brexit Cabaret with Richard Thomas); staged large-scale variety (Un-Royal Variety at Hackney Empire); made comedy shows (Stark Dallas Naked): worked at festivals (Glastonbury with NYC Downlow since 2007); made and presented performance art (a highlight presenting work at The Royal Festival Hall for Peaches); I've always messed around with drag in cabaret and solo shows in particular with Soho Theatre and been lucky to tour internationally most frequently in Australia. And finally I've always been part of the club and cabaret scene where community is key and change is permanent.

What drew you to wanting to work on Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion? 

It was Robert Chevara's vision... and he said whilst we worked on Alexis Gregory's 'Sex/Crime' that I'd make a wonderful Cleopatra. That in itself not only piqued my interest but I loved his directorial style and was keen to work with him again and when a window of opportunity opened to do a workshop performance of the show arose, I jumped on it. I didn't know the play before then but I had faith that Robert had the skill to bring it to life in the basement of my former venue (The Glory) and all of us involved would make a truly unique take on this classic text.

Shakespeare’s work is known for its rich language and intricate characters. How do you think it's been approached to preserve the essence of its story in a shorter format? 

For me as an actor, this version shines a light brightly on the two central characters. As I said, not having a great knowledge of the work beforehand, for me this version is the definitive version and it's about the passionate power play between two incredibly strong yet narcissistic individuals.

What have been the challenges of creating this work so far? 

As the producer I don't naturally have a producer's head; well an administrative one so it's tricky learning lines and keeping on top of things like marketing or rehearsal space or props list. But I'm getting better. Learning lines is also very tricky. When they are in they are in if you like and when learnt the rehearsals really take off.

How do you think it speaks to today’s world and contemporary issues? 

It's an all-male gay cast  (Willaim Mc Geough plays Antony, Alexis Gregory plays Charmian and Jonathan Blake plays Dolabella) so already we are playing with the gender perceptions of the male and female dynamics. I'm Cleopatra and I'm not playing it in drag so I hope audiences will see that Shakespeare's language speaks to the male and female energies inherent in all of us. Also it's set in a club; artistically in a Berlin-style club but literally in my venue, The Divine, so I hope it will be a thrilling visceral experience enhanced by the environment. The characters use drugs throughout so the effect of the play really does give the audiences a real theatrical rush!Shakespeare's language is pure poetry and that is timeless in itself.

Finally, why should people book their tickets to the UK premiere of Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion?

It's Shakespeare like you've never seen it before. Thrilling. Raw. Passionate. Poetic. This is literally Sex, Drugs and Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra: A Dream of Passion will perform at The Divine from 12 - 27th September 2024.