Last year my friend, actress Matilda Ridgway, played Ophelia in Bell Shakespeare's nationally touring production of HAMLET. When asked, in a schools audience Q&A in Canberra, how she was able to cry on cue as Ophelia, she replied:
"Well, as a female actress you get really good at crying and taking your clothes off – sort of like how the male actors get really good at sword fighting and having all the dialogue."
I've been thinking a lot about Matilda's words as I've been developing my next project. I'm still working out what exactly it is so more on that soon, I hope.