The cast of A Mirror reflect on their Christmas traditions
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Sian McBride
If you see Samuel Adewunmi (Adem) cutting up slices of orange in his kitchen, you may think he was preparing some mulled wine, creating a Christingle, or garnishing a roasted duck. You’d be wrong. ‘I love to get jazzy when decorating the tree! I like to do something fancy and slice up some oranges and dry them on the branches’, so don’t be tempted to snaffle one of the sweet segments you see on his chopping board, you may be inadvertently consuming the decorations (thankfully, however, you won’t end up with tinselitis)
A Mirror, the critically acclaimed new play making its West End transfer after a sold out run at the Almedia Theatre is equally deceptive. As the tagline says ‘this play is a lie’. Interrogating censorship, authorship, and free speech, the powerful production forces its audience to examine the Ministry’s rules, and the devastation they can cause.
Something else that can cause devastation? Well, according to Adewunmi that would be denying that Mariah Carey is the queen of Christmas! ‘I’d be betraying pop culture if I said anything else!’ Geoffrey Streatfeild (Bax) is also no stranger to cheese, a cheese board that is. ‘My favourite Christmas food is cheese. Always a cheese board’
We sat down with the pair ahead of the West End opening, to discuss their Christmas past, present and futures…
1. Which Christmas food is your favourite?
S: Gotta be the turkey – my mum does a mean turkey and Yorkshire puddings! Definitely the Yorkshire Puddings.
G: Maple syrup glazed ham – I’ve demolished one already! And cheese. Always a cheese board.
2. What are you most excited about in bringing A Mirror to the West End?
S: It’s just a really great play – the themes are so interesting, especially in the current climate. We don’t speak about censorship enough – it’s not necessarily in our consciousness. I really enjoyed reading the play, so hope it translates to the stage just as well.
G: I am most excited to introduce the play to younger audiences and whole new audiences in general – it was always the most exciting part of the Almeida run. I love everything about playing my character. I love how confrontational he is. I can’t wait to play him again.
3. What are your favourite Christmas traditions?
S: Decorating the tree – I love to get jazzy with it. I like something fancy and slice up some oranges and dry them on the tree – I might try that next year. It’s never a real tree though!
G: Stockings and washing up! I always get to do the washing up.
A Mirror tickets are available now.
See the “ingenious drama” starring Jonny Lee Miller, Tanya Reynolds, Samuel Adewunmi and Geoffrey Streatfeild from £25.