'Thank goodness they made Jim Hawkins a lady!' Patsy Ferran on Treasure Island
Treasure Island came in a whirlwind year: you left Rada, acted opposite Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit and then starred in this huge show at the National.
It all hit me after the fact. I remember a coffee break during Blithe Spirit where I went: “Hang on, I’m being paid to do this now?” For years, acting had been a hobby or school plays or training. Being in a rehearsal room with other actors, trying to tell a story – that was always the goal. Then I was working with Angela Lansbury! On Treasure Island I was on stage in almost every scene. I didn’t have time to know what the significance of it all meant. I would have had a meltdown if I did. It was seeing a show at the National’s Olivier theatre – Coram Boy, on a school trip – that made me know I loved theatre. I was thankful that I worked with such incredible people. That’s the main thing: if you’re with a good group of people, everything else fits into place.
Had you read Robert Louis Stevenson’s book before?
I hadn’t but I read it as prep. I’d expected it to be quite twee but I was very wrong – it was far darker and more thrilling. Polly Findlay definitely aimed to recreate that in her production. Even though it’s for kids, the book is very violent and quite scary in parts. There is a joyousness in Bryony Lavery’s adaptation that balanced those things out. I was relieved that I liked the book: I’d just said yes to the role without knowing much about the novel because it was such an amazing opportunity. Thank goodness they decided to make Jim Hawkins a lady.
The production is directed, adapted and designed by women, with you as Jim. How much did you talk about gender roles in the rehearsal room?
Throughout rehearsals we didn’t have a single conversation about the fact that it was a story about a girl. Polly wanted to stress the fact that it’s just a good story. Jim just happens to be female. It reminded me of an experience at drama school when I played a mum in her 40s in Jane Bowles’s play In the Summer House – we never talked about her age in rehearsals, we just tried to tell a story as truthfully as possible. By not putting the spotlight on it we were able to tell the story without an agenda.
The Olivier theatre is huge. How did the size of the stage affect your performance style, especially as Jim switches between narrating and being in the story?
The Olivier is such a muscular space. I’d stood in the back row watching shows as a student. You need to have the back row and beyond in your brain when you’re expressing yourself. I had an amazing voice teacher, Jeannette Nelson. As the narrator I could speak directly to the person in the back row. It’s a harder job, technically, to pretend that they’re not there while also making sure that they can see you and you’re involving them in what’s going on in the scene. It can be a difficult space, but when it works, the Olivier is kind of magical. Every play you do is an experiment. It’s easy to forget that. If you try to get it “right” that’s probably when you start to fail. I remind myself of that in everything I do. Just try something new – if it fails, you’ll learn from it.
What was it like to act on Lizzie Clachan’s fantastic set?
My initial reaction to the set was that it was the best design I’d ever seen. It was so exciting. Fast-forward to tech and I was terrified I’d fall off! There were trapdoors here and there and I was climbing up rigging. I’ve never slept so well because it felt like an obstacle course I was going through for two hours. I became very fit doing that job. The revolve stage is very cool. You feel slightly superhero-like, standing still but moving on and off. But jeez, I was running up and down everywhere. I had no time to think. It was: go through this, crawl under that, dive through a trapdoor!
Do you enjoy the sea or are you a landlubber?
Oh my days. I am probably the most scared person you’ll ever meet. I want my feet firmly on the ground. I do not like water. I can appreciate the sea from the land. My family love to swim. I’ll be by the pool dangling my feet in the water and looking after the towels. That’s why I like theatre – I can pretend that I’m braver than I actually am.
Treasure Island streams on YouTube from 7pm on 16 April as part of National Theatre at Home. Available until 23 April.
