Play
Something for Kate
Engel Schmidl
14May08
Lizzie Matjacic combines psychological insight and strong vocals to bring the character of Lilli Vanessi to life in Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate. Picture: MARK FRECKER N44DV401
THE best actors are like psychologists, working hard to get inside a character's head.
So Greensborough mum and psychologist Lizzie Matjacic has a real edge when it comes to the Park Players' production of musical theatre favourite Kiss Me, Kate.
She plays movie star Lilli Vanessi, who tries to revive her career by taking on the role of Kate in a theatrical production of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew only to become "the shrew" in her own battle with the show's director, her ex-husband, Fred Graham.
The 1948 Cole Porter stage-show classic's plot-within-a-plot is certainly enough to keep a psychologist intrigued.
"I really love Lilli's feistiness and I love the chance to play a great emotional range; some really physical comedy and then some beautiful tender moments," Matjacic said.
Bitten by the acting bug at Macleod High School, Matjacic looks forward to performing classic numbers from the show such as Wunderbar and So In Love.
"Acting and singing is an expression of just me, it's a change from my role as a psychologist," she said.
Kiss Me, Kate is on at the Karralyka Theatre, Mines Rd, Ringwood, from May 16 to May 18. Details: 9844 5827.
