AND THAT'S MY STORY: RONKE ADEKOLUEJO, ACTRESS
I have been intrigued to find out more about the creators behind projects that I have been fortunate enough to see and/ or hear for a long time now so I've decided to do something about it. And That's My Story is a series on this blog that shares with you a bit about the creators and talent I've met along the way and their journey towards fulfilling their dreams; it will run for as long as I can find people who are willing to share their story. Today, I would like to introduce you to the hilarious and down-to-earth Ronkẹ Adekoluẹjo who is currently part of HOME's production of The Oresteia.
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Ronke was the last cast member that I got to speak to and chatting with her was a great way to wrap up the preview event of The Oresteia. The girl was so full of energy, completely affable and had me laughing almost non-stop. In this interview we get to know a little more about the actress who stars as the leader of the female chorus in HOME's production of The Oresteia and also makes an appearance in the hit show, Chewing Gum.
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COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SELF??
[laughs] Oh what a fun question!
[LAUGHS] YOU COULD CHOOSE THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF IF THAT IS EASIER.
Hmm.. Zealous. Ambitious but not in… I'm just going to say ambitious. Loving [chuckles].
HAS BEING AN ACTRESS ALWAYS BEEN ON THE CARDS FOR YOU?
[chuckles] Yes. So, what happened was when I was younger, my mum put me and my older brother in a stage school and my older brother always used to get jobs. And I used to go with him as I was only 2 years younger and they never gave me jobs [both laugh]. And I used to be like, ‘But wait! I’m great!’ And then he went off into the Navy at like 16 and I was like, 'How could you not want to do this forever?' So I just embarked on it; went to drama school and I've only been out of drama school for 2 years.
I DID SEE YOUR RADA PROFILE; GREAT HEAD SHOT BY THE WAY.
[Laughs] My good side! It’s hilarious. It’s bizarre man. It’s just wonderful.
IT IS GOOD THOUGH. YOU'RE MAKING IT - STEPPING OUT.
God is good, yeah. It’s been really, really special. My mum still wants me to make that Hollywood blockbuster film though and get married [Both laugh].
YOU CAN DO ONE AND THEN GET BACK TO THE "TRUE ART".
I'm going back to the stage mother [both giggle].
IS THERE ANY OTHER CREATIVE ROLE THAT YOUR WANTED TO DABBLE IN LIKE BEING A WRITER OR A DIRECTOR SOMEDAY?
So, I write poetry [chuckles]. Not like it’s good but I write thoughts. I write my thoughts down and sometimes it rhymes and makes poetry and so maybe one day a writer, but that stuff is hard. I'm not even going to say maybe - yeah, I’d love to be a writer and a producer. I’d love to write, star and produce.
OK, SO I THINK YOU'VE SORT OF ANSWERED THIS BUT, DOES WORKING IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY RUN IN YOUR FAMILY OR ARE YOU A REBEL IN THAT RESPECT?
Well, my mum I’d say is an actress at home. She’s a business woman but I've seen her turn on the tears. Literally, there was a time my aunt used to work in Wilkinson and my mum wanted her to get her off early – and this was when we were still using phoneboxes- and she picked up the phone and was like, ‘Yes, this is the sister of da da da da da’, and then burst out into tears. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! Mum, are you ok?’ And mum was saying, ‘My dad has just died…’ and I was like grandpa died when I was 3…
[BOTH LAUGH]
Then she was like, ‘Let’s go and get aunty’, and I was like, 'Whoa, this woman doesn’t play'. So, I say yeah, it is in my family because it is in her. And that’s probably why she put me and my brother into theatre school because she thought, ‘these are my children they will know how to do it' [Both laugh].
SHE SOUNDS LIKE A VERY ENTERTAINING WOMAN.
She’s a wonderful woman who is entertaining. That is what to say about her. She’s incredibly entertaining.
OK, SO WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCTION OF THE ORESTEIA THAT CAUGHT YOUR ATTENTION AND HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT IT?
I love the Greeks. There’s something so resounding about the language and for me, any opportunity that I get to take part in that I just want to grab with both hands. So therefore, when my agent called me and was like, 'It is The Oresteia' - they already had two productions in London - so I was like, ‘Go on, how you mean?’ They were like, ‘It’s in Manchester’, and I was like, ‘Nah, I ain’t going Manchester’.
[BOTH LAUGH]
But then I though it is the Greeks and I love then Greeks. And then she said it’s Blanche and I was like, ‘Ooo! Is it? Ok cool’. And I read the play and there was this one line that Gary says in the beginning - Gary plays Agamemnon – and it says:
Life at the top has the best view of the depths man will crawl to.
OH! THAT'S SOME DEEP LINE!
That is deep ish! And you know when you read a play and that’s one of the first few lines you read and your like, ‘I'm in it! That’s the play. I want to do that job. I'm so involved. I'm ready, let’s go!’ Literally, rocked up to the audition and I said, ‘Blanche, here I am’. And I sat down. And as my mum says, ‘Once you walk into a room, let them know. This is me, I am here and I'm not going anywhere’ [both laugh]. Trust me. But yeah man, it is such a blessing to do; such a blessing to watch everyone.
SO WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO WORK UNDER BLANCHE'S DIRECTION?
She is a free worker. There are some directors you work with who know what they want from you and they will work you to get it and that doesn't necessarily mean you are restricted but it’s like, ‘This is where I want you to be etc.’ But Blanche is like, ‘I don’t know let’s see what happens’. For me, because I am that kind of person, I just go in whatever way takes me. So, I was like, ‘Aw this is great, this is fun’. But when you get to about week 4 of rehearsal and your like, ‘Hmm… where was I standing the last time we did this? Wait… what am I supposed to be saying now?’ You kind of go, ‘Ok, Ronke you have to sit down and make sure you lock in certain things. But she’s great. She inspires you to think new things and she’s exciting... in an alive way. You know how fire crackles and you feed it and you get something back? It’s just a movement. She’s definitely, definitely like that.
YOUR LAST QUESTION! OPENING NIGHT IS ON THE HORIZON. HAVE YOU GOT ANY INTERESTING PRE-PERFORMANCE RITUALS THAT YOU DO?
I pray; I steam to warm up my voice; I hula-hoop(!) with a weighted hula-hoop just to waken my core (for only like 30 seconds to a minute) so that I am speaking from a place of supportiveness because when the adrenaline kicks in and you’re on the stage under the lights and you’re in costume and you look at yourself in the mirror and your like, ‘Ok, I look different', it’s easy to get off voice in a sense where you start speaking up here [changes pitch of voice] and this place [points at throat] gets tense. And you find that at the next show you’re going to do, there’s no voice. Also, I eat something sweet like cheesecake or something. It’s the only time. That’s why I love opening shows. I'm like, ‘Cheesecake every day because I'm going to sweat it off on stage anyway. Give it to me, give it to me!’
[BOTH LAUGH]
So those are the interesting things I do. If I ever have thoughts or images of stuff I will get an eye pencil and write it on my dressing room mirror. People will come into my room and think: she crazy with all these different sayings and poems and stuff in the room. And I'm sitting there [mutters/chants under her breath]. And they’ll be like, ‘Don’t chat to her, she’s crazy’.
[BOTH LAUGH] INVOKING SOME SPIRITS.
Exactly! People be playing demons and stuff in this play and I'm like, ‘Holy Spirit protect me please; this is just my job'. I come out this place thinking I'm going to be walking down the street and people will be like, 'Ronke, you've got an energy about you'. Eh?! God forbid bad thing. I don’t want! Thank you. Going onto the next job [Both laugh].
[BOTH LAUGH] I THINK YOU'VE OVERWORKED MY AB MUSCLES.
[Laughs] It’s good to laugh.
... and that's my story.
You can find Ronkẹ here: twitter
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And there we have it folks! I hope this entry was to your liking. Thank you Ronke for being so lovely and taking the time to have a good ol' chinwag. And thank you Karina for clicking away on your trusty camera and capturing these funny moments. Tomorrow is the last showing of The Oresteia at HOME so if you want it to see the play, you could try and see if you can still get a ticket. I hope you are all having a fabulous evening!
Mo x
*Photos taken by Karina So. for WML*
Thanks to HOME for giving me this opportunity to interview some members of the cast of The Oresteia!