By EMILY IANNELLO
LOCAL star and recent Logie nominee Georgia Chara will make her stage debut in her hometown.
The Bellbrae local is best known for her portrayal of the wrongfully accused prisoner Jess Warner on Foxtel’s Wentworth, screened in more than 80 countries around the world.
But Chara is taking advantage of the time during the break between seasons of Wentworth to further round out her acting experience and abilities.
She will embark on a new adventure in her first ever stage performance, playing the female lead in Exit The King, a production made famous by the Sydney Theatre Company and Geoffrey Rush.
Although having had the ‘dream run’ with roles in Home and Away, Rush, Neighbours, mini-series Killing Time and Wentworth, Chara said she understood the importance of being a well-rounded and versatile actor.
“It’s easy when an actor has screen success at a young age to think that’s all they need for their career. It’s a common trap that we see a lot of young actors fall into,” Chara said.
“But good actors know that to be fully rounded and to extend the reach and versatility of their craft, a mix of both stage and screen is vital.
“Now it’s time to really stretch myself with the female lead of Exit The King.”
Director Stacey Carmichael said having an actor of Georgia’s standing choose this as her stage debut added weight to an already talented ensemble of cast and crew.
Exit The King is set in a fictitious kingdom, taking the audience on a journey of witnessing the King’s demise as plotted by his first wife, Queen Marguerite, played by Chara.
As the King succumbs to illness and ultimately death, so does his kingdom, and the audience is left viewing a mass of rubble on stage where an elaborate kingdom once stood.
Carmichael said this version of the play was unlike any other, boasting a range of design elements never before seen on a Geelong stage.
The 4-D effects and the crucial role of the stage in creating a seventh character all worked to enhance and expand the absurdist elements of the script, she said.
Exit The King premiers at GPAC at 7.30pm tonight with performances through to 18 July. Visit gpac.org.au for further times.
