from funkdup Arts London Youth Issue - May 2007.
[ oconel found this interview and here it is transcribed from the original website. Set in May 2007. 'Vernon God Little' at the Young Vic 30th April 2007- 9th June 2007]
It’s not often actors get the chance to make their stage debut on one of London’s most famous stages but then most of us aren’t Colin Morgan. Morgan, a twenty year old from Armagh, Northern Ireland, won the change to be cast as the lead role in DBC Pierre’s Booker Prize winning novel, Vernon God Little. The stage adaptation of the novel is directed by Rufus Norris whose stage hits include ‘Afore Night Come’ and ‘Small Change’. FunkdupLondon got a chance to speak with the up and coming actor about the play and what he has so far discovered about living in the big city.
FUL: Hello, how are you? I got a chance to see the technical rehearsals, it looks very impressive. How happy are that your first acting gig is at the Young Vic - It's a pretty big deal?!
CM: Yeah I was lucky to get the job and I am still taking it in really, it's great.
FUL: But it required moving to a new city, how are you finding that?
CM: London is huge, I haven't really had a change to explore it yet I am in [at the Young Vic] ten to ten everyday. But I am looking forward to going out and taking it all in. I am from a city myself, so I guess I know what to expect but London is very different to Armagh, it’s very diverse there seems to be so much going on. I just haven’t yet had a chance to check it all out.
FUL: So, how did you get into acting?
CM: For as long as I remember I’ve loved it. From doing little plays at school to pantomimes it’s something I have always seen myself doing and I guess it just reinforces for me how lucky I am to actually be doing something that I wanted to do, you know?
FUL: Yes it’s not often that people get that lucky how did you get the lead role in the play?
CM: Well, we performed these five minute pieces and you know it can be the best or worst time for a student cos you have all sorts of industry people looking and you hope they like your piece and they’d give you a call, If you are lucky someone will call you and tell you “ok I have a part that I think you be perfect for” or you’ll get an agent who wants to sign you on. I was lucky enough to have been offered the opportunity to audition for this role.
FUL: Oh so you are still a student? How do you plan to juggle your job, living in London and drama school?
CM: It’s going great actually I mean they [the school] understood that the opportunity was the kind you’d get once in a lifetime and this time counts towards my final mark, so it’s all working out well.
FUL: That’s good. So lets talk about the play, Vernon God Little.
CM: Yes, Vernon
FUL: I got the press release for the play and the line that really caught my eye is when Vernon says “See what happens now I’m in trouble, see the awesome power of trouble.” That line had some resonance because of the recent shootings in Virginia at a college campus, how did you feel about it?
CM: Yea, it was strange cos even though the play doesn’t so much deal with the shooting it deals with the aftermath and how Vernon got all the attention that he couldn’t buy when he was a just a regular kid.
FUL: Was it strange for you to play such a character, a Texan schoolboy dealing with the e aftermath of a school massacre?
CM: Err, well, no. I didn’t approach it from that angle. I mean more than the fact that he was running away, Vernon wanted to find somewhere where being himself would be okay and I guess to a degree we can all identify with that, so it was not that strange for me.
FUL: That’s very true. So outside of your work, what do you do?
CM: Well, nothing much, I go home and sleep and listen to my CDs.
FUL: Cool who are you digging right now?
CM: err, lets see, I like Bloc Party a lot, I keep listening to ‘Weekend in the City’. Oh and I also watch films a lot and TV when I can cos that’s the next level I am aiming for.
FUL: TV or Film or both?
CM: Well, you gotta dream big and if I am lucky enough to get the opportunity to be on TV or appear in a film I will be pretty pleased.
FUL: Film would be a good move to make after theatre. Any director you would particularly like to work with?
CM: I am a big fan of Sam Mendes. He is an excellent director and I think he stays true to the art. I like that.
FUL: Yeah that seems pretty rare these days with actors and directors taking the easy route.
CM: True. I mean its like anything really you will have to compromise but I hope in doing so I can maintain the core reason that I love acting, you know, it makes me happy and I hope I can put that across.
FUL: Yes, I can fully appreciate that. I only get that feeling with one or two actors, Gael Garcia and Ryan Godlin and two that I can think of.
CM: And James McAvoy.
FUL: From ‘The Last King of Scotland’?
CM: Yea, if I could be as lucky in my career path and choices, I would be happy.
FUL: Where do you see yourself in five years?
CM: Happy and doing what I love and hopefully I would have taken in as much of London as I can then, it’s so big I think it may take about that long to see all of it…
FUL: Good luck with that.
CM: Thank you so much.
It’s not often actors get the chance to make their stage debut on one of London’s most famous stages but then most of us aren’t Colin Morgan. Morgan, a twenty year old from Armagh, Northern Ireland, won the change to be cast as the lead role in DBC Pierre’s Booker Prize winning novel, Vernon God Little. The stage adaptation of the novel is directed by Rufus Norris whose stage hits include ‘Afore Night Come’ and ‘Small Change’. FunkdupLondon got a chance to speak with the up and coming actor about the play and what he has so far discovered about living in the big city.
FUL: Hello, how are you? I got a chance to see the technical rehearsals, it looks very impressive. How happy are that your first acting gig is at the Young Vic - It's a pretty big deal?!
CM: Yeah I was lucky to get the job and I am still taking it in really, it's great.
FUL: But it required moving to a new city, how are you finding that?
CM: London is huge, I haven't really had a change to explore it yet I am in [at the Young Vic] ten to ten everyday. But I am looking forward to going out and taking it all in. I am from a city myself, so I guess I know what to expect but London is very different to Armagh, it’s very diverse there seems to be so much going on. I just haven’t yet had a chance to check it all out.
FUL: So, how did you get into acting?
CM: For as long as I remember I’ve loved it. From doing little plays at school to pantomimes it’s something I have always seen myself doing and I guess it just reinforces for me how lucky I am to actually be doing something that I wanted to do, you know?
FUL: Yes it’s not often that people get that lucky how did you get the lead role in the play?
CM: Well, we performed these five minute pieces and you know it can be the best or worst time for a student cos you have all sorts of industry people looking and you hope they like your piece and they’d give you a call, If you are lucky someone will call you and tell you “ok I have a part that I think you be perfect for” or you’ll get an agent who wants to sign you on. I was lucky enough to have been offered the opportunity to audition for this role.
FUL: Oh so you are still a student? How do you plan to juggle your job, living in London and drama school?
CM: It’s going great actually I mean they [the school] understood that the opportunity was the kind you’d get once in a lifetime and this time counts towards my final mark, so it’s all working out well.
FUL: That’s good. So lets talk about the play, Vernon God Little.
CM: Yes, Vernon
FUL: I got the press release for the play and the line that really caught my eye is when Vernon says “See what happens now I’m in trouble, see the awesome power of trouble.” That line had some resonance because of the recent shootings in Virginia at a college campus, how did you feel about it?
CM: Yea, it was strange cos even though the play doesn’t so much deal with the shooting it deals with the aftermath and how Vernon got all the attention that he couldn’t buy when he was a just a regular kid.
FUL: Was it strange for you to play such a character, a Texan schoolboy dealing with the e aftermath of a school massacre?
CM: Err, well, no. I didn’t approach it from that angle. I mean more than the fact that he was running away, Vernon wanted to find somewhere where being himself would be okay and I guess to a degree we can all identify with that, so it was not that strange for me.
FUL: That’s very true. So outside of your work, what do you do?
CM: Well, nothing much, I go home and sleep and listen to my CDs.
FUL: Cool who are you digging right now?
CM: err, lets see, I like Bloc Party a lot, I keep listening to ‘Weekend in the City’. Oh and I also watch films a lot and TV when I can cos that’s the next level I am aiming for.
FUL: TV or Film or both?
CM: Well, you gotta dream big and if I am lucky enough to get the opportunity to be on TV or appear in a film I will be pretty pleased.
FUL: Film would be a good move to make after theatre. Any director you would particularly like to work with?
CM: I am a big fan of Sam Mendes. He is an excellent director and I think he stays true to the art. I like that.
FUL: Yeah that seems pretty rare these days with actors and directors taking the easy route.
CM: True. I mean its like anything really you will have to compromise but I hope in doing so I can maintain the core reason that I love acting, you know, it makes me happy and I hope I can put that across.
FUL: Yes, I can fully appreciate that. I only get that feeling with one or two actors, Gael Garcia and Ryan Godlin and two that I can think of.
CM: And James McAvoy.
FUL: From ‘The Last King of Scotland’?
CM: Yea, if I could be as lucky in my career path and choices, I would be happy.
FUL: Where do you see yourself in five years?
CM: Happy and doing what I love and hopefully I would have taken in as much of London as I can then, it’s so big I think it may take about that long to see all of it…
FUL: Good luck with that.
CM: Thank you so much.