Paapa Essiedu on Death of England And His West End "Marathon"
In a West End summer of standout performances—Imelda Staunton in a deeply felt Hello Dolly!, Francesca Amewuda-Rivers as Juliet opposite Tom Holland’s Romeo, the entire six-person ensemble of Next to Normal—the British actor Paapa Essiedu is a literal knockout at the Soho Place Theatre.
In one of the three parts of the trilogy Death of England, running through September 28 and first performed at the National Theatre, Essiedu plays Delroy, a one-time boxer wearing an electronic police-tag trying to sort out his feelings about his white girlfriend, Carly, and their newborn daughter he has yet to meet. The Guardian called him "a wonderful combination of force and insinuation." Here, Essiedu (I May Destroy You and, more recently, The Effect at the Shed) talks to T&C about his nonstop 100-minute monologue.
Why take on such a challenging piece of material?
I’ve never done a one-man show before, and I was curious as to what that would be like. And it turns out it’s not easy. The challenge was a big part of the reason. The piece is knotty and difficult and confrontational and funny and moving in lots of different ways. I had a chat with Clint [Dyer, the show’s co-writer and director and the deputy artistic director of the National], and I just happened to have a gap in my schedule. It was a bit of a “fuck it” moment. Do I regret it? When I see everyone on the South Bank drinking Aperol Spritzes and enjoying the sunshine, and I’m trying to remember 170,000 words, sure, maybe a little.
Did you get advice from any actor friends about how to tackle a piece like this?
I did, and both of them said, “You’re fucked.” My friend Rhys Ifans told me it’s very difficult in the beginning, but then it eventually becomes the most thrilling, rewarding challenge. He said that at the start of each performance you’ll feel as if the Death Star is coming towards you. It’s inevitable and unstoppable, and you have to give yourself over to it.
What’s it like rehearsing by yourself?
It’s pretty weird. In the tea break, you’ve got no one to talk to and you don’t have anyone to bitch to. That’s a big part of what actors like to do. But the room was very populated with plenty of allies, and my understudy who is so vital to the production was very present.
What was it like performing The Effect in NYC?
In London you’re at home. You have your home life. In New York, you feel like you’re on holiday. The first day there we went to see the Knicks. But New York was wicked. The American audience was in some ways different and in some ways the same. One line [co-star] Taylor [Russell] had about insulting Beyonce got a little titter in London, but in America, they were rolling in the aisle.
Your monologue is very physically demanding.
There's great kineticism. The play has an internal motor that requires a certain amount of energy. I was thinking about putting on some weight because Delroy is an ex-boxer, but that’s been basically impossible. It wouldn’t be wise for me to run a half marathon and do this play. This play is my half marathon.
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