London’s Charing Cross Theatre presents the world premiere of this original musical about the life of celebrated impressionist painter Claude Monet. Join us as we sneak into the rehearsal room to talk with cast members Rithesh Manugula, Sam Peggs, and Brooke Bazarian, and we offer you an exclusive first look at what’s coming to the Off-West End stage next week!
As performers, how does it feel to be part of a new musical and originate the roles?
RM: Working on new material is absolutely my favourite part of the job — to have your own fingerprints on something that’s flexible and malleable. I think having the opportunity of putting your own stamp on something is the reason why I do what I do.
SP: It’s super exciting to me too! I’ve spent these last years in cast-change roles, so being able to originate a new role feels incredibly rewarding. To be something where you’re at the heart of its inception is just amazing.
BB: It feel amazing! It’s a very different material, because everything is new territory — none of it has been done before, so we are finding everything as we go. That makes it scary, but at the same time, it’s extremely exciting. Honestly, I think it’s a blessing to take the character in the direction that feels right to me without any audience expectation. I feel very lucky and it’s a ton of fun!
What prompted you to be part of this musical?
RM: I had heard of Monet before, but I didn’t know that much about the impressionist scene and the revolution that they created. When I was offered the part of Bazille, I started doing my own research, and I was extremely inspired by his story. He made some incredible paintings, and now he’s getting some of the recognition he deserves, with some exhibits in Chicago, for example. It’s such an honour to portray someone who shouldn’t have been almost forgotten.
SP: I’ve worked for Aria Entertainment before, and I had auditioned for their casting director regularly. I’m well acquainted with how they reward new work and how they champion either original pieces or revivals. Knowing how they work, apart from the material’s freshness, made it all very exciting. I remember phoning my agent and telling him how I really wanted to play Renoir! He was funny, silly best friend — and I think I can do funny and silly (winks).
How would you define your approach to the role?
RM: Bazille was the light in every room. And that’s something that I really want to do justice to. I want to bring that positive energy and embrace it also on a personal level. It’s been a journey of channeling myself through this character.
SP: As an actor, you must let yourself bleed into the role. In my case, Renoir was very high-energy — a bit of an anxious guy, with even a few nervous ticks. You’ve got to find the connection between you and your character, and for me, that uptempo attitude is something I can relate to. I’m letting my instincts guide me. If I want my arms to move, or turn the page, or whatever it is, I will do it, because that’s probably what he would have done. I’ve also tried to implement a few things from the research I’ve done — he had a husky voice because he was a chain smoker, for example.
BB: I think Camille goes through some of the heaviest themes — she’s dealing with abortion, extreme loneliness, really poor mental and physical health, etc. In the show, the older version of Monet is looking back in time and mourning her, but what Camille goes through is still very active and present. Her stakes are very high, as there were no major medical resources — even having a second child would be very scary and risky for her experience. At the beginning of the play, she’s having a child without being married, which also affects her situation. My approach is trying to understand being a woman in that era, especially marrying someone who would not provide the life that the society of the time would expect. I think my approach is trying to figure out these moments in her journey when she tries not to break. Obviously, they can’t happen too early or too many times, as we got a satisfying arc, but must be balanced so it’s accurate to her real situation.
What has your research process been like?
SP: I’ve been reading one of his most recent biographies, which is written by an American Art Historian who’s spent her whole life studying Renoir. She collected five thousand letters either by Renoir, his friends, or his relatives, which she uses to tell you how he was. It was a tough read, as it was around 500 pages, but from there, I could learn how he moved, how he talked, and so on.
RM: There’s not that much information available about Bazille, most unfortunately. Luckily, there’s a website called The Bazille Catalogue, which features all of his works as well as detailed information about his life. The most important bits of information I’ve gathered concerned his relationships with Monet and Renoir. They had a volatile friendship. Bazille couldn’t always pay for everything, although he came from a wealthy family, so Monet would dismiss him and tell him they wouldn’t be friends anymore. There are also lovely moments. For example, during one winter, Bazille would come to Monet’s house to get him out of bed to go paint. In the end, it was a very rich relationship between three geniuses who were pushing each other into greatness.
BB: There’s not that much historical documentation about Camille, Monet’s wife, either. That’s due to the fact that she died really young. What do we have is a lot of letters and paintings! We can use those paintings to track her life with Monet. However, her emotional state is something that I’ve had to interpret from the historical context — what it would have meant to be a woman in her situation and status, marrying into such a different lifestyle and experiencing the grief that she went through. She was in really poor health for most of her life, for example. My research has been all about that as well as trying to put a timeline and match that to her journey within the show.
What particular challenges have you faced in this musical?
RM: My character dies relatively early. So for me, it’s all about mining my relationships and my throughline in a shorter amount of time. Of course, the show isn’t about me, but the character is still an integral piece for Monet’s narrative. Doing that job in a more limited space can be challenging.
SP: Continuing the scenes after Bazille’s death (laughs).Seriously, though, this is a very episodic story. Time passes between every segment, and you must find a way to paint in your mind how the characters’ relationships have evolved within those cuts — where your journey starts and where it ends.
BB: Camille also has very large jumps. The play is structured as a memory piece. It’s not a retelling of Camille’s wife, where we are tracking every single thing that happens in between moments. At one point, we shall see her when she’s pregnant; in the next scene, the baby has already been born; and in the next one, it’s three years later and the baby is a toddler. Consequently, you have to jump into very different emotional states in comparison to where you were the last time you were onstage. As an actor, that can make it quite difficult.
Are there any highlights in the show that you would like to flag?
RM: There are eight characters in this show, and they all share a massively important part within the arc. And so, all the performances and singing are absolutely brilliant.
BB: For me, it’s playing Camille’s moments of joy, which are definitely there despite her dramatic parts having more prominence in the show. I really enjoy doing those bits when she can feel joy and ease. There’s a very beautiful moment at the end, where she and the older version of Monet have a connection that I just love. I think it will be very beautiful to watch, and it will be a beautiful way of tying everyone’s stories together.
Why come see A Mirrored Monet?
SP: From what I’ve seen, this is way more ambitious than what the Charing Cross has done before in every aspect. There is a huge budget into it, and it’s going to make it spectacular.
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A Mirrored Monet plays at London’s Charing Cross Theatre until 9 May. Tickets are available on the following link.