What are your memories of your first production at STC (The
Herbal Bedin 1997)?
It was with lovely Angie Miliken and the deeply funny and naughty
Marshall Napier. My strongest memory was that Marshal and I had to
recite a long list of the latin names for all the plants in his
'herbal bed'. Marshall never managed to make it through without
inventing a few species, and there may have been the odd show where
I needed to turn away from the audience and they would have seen my
shoulders going up and down - almost as if I were trying to hide
the fact that I was laughing.
Your favourite STC role?
Cyrano de Bergerac. It is one of the great roles, and I loved and
felt I understood his character, and his anger and sadness. It was
an absolute pleasure to don the nose and sword and entertain a full
house eight shows a week. I still get stopped in the street by
people that want to tell me how much that production moved
them.
Any memorable anecdotes you can share with
us?
I don't know, maybe the matinee of Cyranowhen a huge
cockroach started walking slowly and deliberately across the
stage during one of my monologues. I was aware that the whole house
was now more focused on the bug than me, so I slowly and
deliberately walked towards it, looked at the audience, who were
now daring me to do something, then looked at the cockroach. There
was a long silent pause - the tension was palpable - before I
suddenly leapt forward and stomped on the poor thing. The
audience screamed, then were silent for a breath, then broke into
applause. It was a real lesson in being 'present' on stage to make
the most of any moment that comes.
How has STC changed since you first performed
here?
I don't think it has changed that much. I like the fact that there
is a bar at the end of the wharf instead of a four star restaurant
that saw the Australia's flagship theatre company as an annoying
distraction to serving food. When you are looking at the
legacy of Andrew and Cate, that's a good place to start!
In addition to many workshops and play readings, Jeremy Sims has
performed in numerous productions at STC over the years. Here are
the highlights...
Jeremy's first production at STC was Peter Whelan's The Herbal
Bed, which was staged in 1997 and directed by Marion Potts.
(Photo: Tracey Schramm)
Two years later, Jeremy's performance in Cyrano de
Bergeracwas a tour de force that many still vividly remember
today, including STC's Archivist Judith Seeff who says "It was one
of the best performances I have ever seen". Jeremy performed in
this memorable production alongside Nicholas Garside, Justine
Clarke and David Wicks. (Photo: Tracey Schramm)
The following year he played Flamineo in Gale Edwards' mammoth
production of The White Devil opposite Julia Blake.
(Photo: Robert McFarlane)
In 2002 Jeremy turned his hand to comedy, performing alongside
Sophie Lee in Tony McNamara's The Virgin Mim. (Photo:
Tracey Schramm)
He was barely recognisable as Ted Parker in a remount of David
Williamson's The Clubin 2003, which also starred John
Wood and Steve Bisley. (Photo: Tracey Schramm)
In 2005 he worked again with director Gale Edwards, and performed
alongside Kate Mulvany and Timara Pollicina, in the family drama
Festen. (Photo: Heidrun Lohr)
Jeremy's most recent performance was alongside a rock star cast
including Susie Porter (pictured), as well as Hugo Weaving and
Marton Csokas, in Andrew Upton's Riflemindin 2007.
(Photo: Brett Boardman)
The Secret
River, Sydney Theatre, 8 January - 9 February, 2013.
Archive: Jeremy Sims
Date posted: 29 Nov 2012Author: STC