Windsor's Romeo, Colm Feore, reunites with his original Juliet
'It was so long ago I played it in my own hair': Colm Feore
Nearly a dozen star-crossed lovers will be reuniting on stage Thursday to mark the Stratford Festival's 65th season.
Windsor's Colm Feore will be among the actors present, along with his Juliet — Seana McKenna. The pair played the Shakespeare's famous couple back in 1984 and spoke with Windsor Morning's Peter Duck about taking on the iconic roles, Feore's Windsor roots and why people shouldn't buy a 1977 Chrysler Cordoba.
You were Romeo and Juliet 33 years ago. Does it seem that long ago?
CF: "It was so long ago I played it in my own hair. It was brown and curly and Romeo-esque. It was starting to go, but it was enough to last the season."
SM: "For me too (laughs). My hair was long and straight down my back."
What was it like to play such iconic roles at that point in your career?
SM: "It was a gift. I was very passionate about it. I was so excited when they actually said 'Yes, we want you to play Juliet.'"
CF: "It was extraordinary. It was a huge risk for them to let me do it. I had been on the main stage for a couple of years until they discovered I was terrible. Then they sent me to the young company to polish up a bit. Once you play these big parts — and by big I don't mean they have a lot of lines, I just mean they have a huge reputation, people know them, there's a history to them and a long line of at least 400 years of people playing them — you have a responsibility. You are forever a different actor afterwards."
What type of an actor do you think you became afterwards?
CF: "I hope a bit better, but one who had with the blessing and the help of everyone around. At the end you realize that it takes enormous mental and physical stamina to begin to assault these parts and once you do one you think 'I might be able to do another one, and another one, and I'll get a little bit better every time.'"
Seana what do you remember most from that season?
SM: "I remember I had help from a lot of people.This year I'm playing the nurse in Romeo and Juliet so I'm trying to be the mentor in the company. I spent many hours in my mentor's dressing room crying. I feel I can pass on what I gleaned through that experience. Even though it was 33 years ago it sometimes rings like yesterday when I'm in my dressing room listening to the play or I'm on the same spot on the stage... hearing the same words, but with different ears."
Colm, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that you have Windsor roots.
CF: "I grew up in Windsor and happily worked on the line at Chrysler. Please do not by a Cordoba from 1977 (laughs). It would be a very bad idea."
Looking back to 1984 do you think your Romeo and Juliet would be pleased with how your careers have turned out?
CF: "I hope that they would be. If we're going to be really honest with each other the biggest issue is if we've capitalized on the opportunity, the gift as Seana said, to play those parts, because it is a responsibility. I have to say I think we've done pretty well."
SM: "I agree. It's generational … we're trying to pass on the skills and the lessons that we've learned. We're a less articulate world now, we text, and to actually get young people to embrace this language as their own and not feel phony doing it is a real challenge and I find great joy in that."
What are you most looking forward to about the reunion?
SM: "I'm looking forward to seeing people we haven't seen in a while."
CF: "I'm looking forward to seeing Seana play the nurse. I hear they're also going to have a collection of costumes ... and I'm going to try to figure out how the hell we fit into them."
-This interview has been edited for length and clarity.