It is apparent Lisa Chappell and Jodie Dorday have been mates for 25 years. Their laughter is infectious after they reminisce about previous heartbreaks and share their present struggles with menopause.
Now the 2 have come collectively to behave in Di and Viv and Rose – satirically, a play about feminine friendship spanning the a long time – each agree the work is a welcome gentle after darkish days.
“I am so within the rehearsal area that I remembered it was Lisa’s birthday and never my very own mom’s!” says Jodie, 54, as they break into matches of laughter.
The present has lastly been dropped at the stage after three Covid postponements. Jodie, who performs Viv, can also be a producer and tried desperately to maintain the play alive, which is when Lisa, like an previous pal typically does, got here to her rescue. However Lisa insists it was the opposite approach round.
Beginning out with a special solid, Jodie felt helpless as she navigated the lockdowns and watched actors fall away resulting from schedule clashes with the brand new dates of the postponed exhibits.
“It was a really fraught time to be producing a play,” tells Jodie. “What occurs within the theatre world when one thing is postponed is that individuals reschedule, and it’s totally laborious to retain your authentic solid and crew, so we’re very, very fortunate to have Lisa be part of us.”
Lisa, 54, who’s finest identified for her roles in ’80s Kiwi present Gloss and Australian collection McLeod’s Daughters, additionally discovered herself in a tricky spot across the identical time and says it is her who ought to be thanking Jodie.
“On the time, I did not have work for a few 12 months and Jodes was so supportive with the Covid stuff – even issues like getting me the help funds,” says Lisa. “There aren’t many producers who put within the work for his or her crew like that.”
Written by Amelia Bullmore, Di and Viv and Rose begins in 1984 when three younger ladies meet on the outskirts of London and resolve to go flatting. The viewers experiences their life journey collectively, which Lisa describes as profound, humorous and poignant.
Provides Jodie, “It is fairly exceptional to be previous mates and have the chance to play previous mates on stage. As a result of you might have an incredible base, you do not have to faux very a lot. However on the identical time, that is in all probability essentially the most difficult position I’ve ever carried out. You are speaking 40 years of ups and downs that these ladies undergo, and a few of it is humorous and a few of it is heartbreaking, similar to actual life.”
Coincidentally, after we rewind 28 years, shortly after Jodie and Lisa met whereas appearing in a play, they discovered themselves in Sydney. Lisa was at drama college and dealing part-time when Jodie confirmed up on her doorstep.
“I had a relationship break up and thought, ‘I’ve acquired to get out of right here and do one thing completely different,'” remembers Jodie. “So I hopped on a airplane to Sydney.”
“I had simply been dumped,” chips in Lisa. “It is a bit of fun actually, that we each ended up heartbroken in Sydney collectively, but in addition beginning a extremely fabulous new life.
“I’ve acquired a photograph of the person who dumped me proper right here!” provides Lisa, holding up {a photograph}. “He was within the play The Natural Mattress with Eilish and I. I do not usually carry round images of my exes, however I needed to indicate Eilish a photograph of us again then.”
Actress Eilish Moran, 57, performs Di in Di and Viv and Rose, and likewise joined the solid as a life-long pal.
“The humorous factor about this manufacturing is that we have all identified one another for that lengthy, similar to the characters,” says Lisa. “I labored with [director] Stephanie McKellor-Smith within the play The Sneeze after I was about 21 and I used to hang around with Theresa [Sokolich, production manager] again within the day – her finest pal performed my brother in Gloss.
“What I like concerning the rehearsals is that it is reignited these friendships that have been made in our 20s and we’re all menopausal ladies now,” she jokes. “We’re all going, ‘Oh, I can not do that!’ And, ‘I am so sizzling!'”
Each Jodie and Lisa agree it will be tough to stroll away as soon as the play involves an in depth.
“You are sharing this unimaginable, intense time with one another,” explains Jodie. “As I’ve acquired older, it is laborious to say goodbye to individuals, however I additionally know I’ll see them once more.”
Di and Viv and Rose runs from November 10-20 at The Pumphouse Theatre in Auckland. Go to pumphouse.co.nz for extra info.