Drowning in Veronica Lake: Come along and be transported back to the glamour of the golden age of Hollywood.

Playwright Phil Ormsby talks to drama on the waterfront about Veronica Lake, the writing process, and society's 'casual way of disposing of celebrities'.

DOTW: Please tell us a bit about Drowning in Veronica Lake. What is the story?

PO: The play is based on the life of film star Veronica Lake who enjoyed a short reign as a major celebrity in the early 1940’s before being dumped by Paramount and virtually disappearing overnight. For ten years she provided tabloids and movie magazines with gossip and scandal most of which was carefully managed for full effect by the studio’s publicity machine. After she left Hollywood (or was dumped depending on who you want to believe) her career rapidly declined but she never gave up believing she would come back.

Alex Ellis in Drowning Veronica Lake.

DOTW: What made you want to write a play about Veronica Lake?

PO: I liked the idea that hers is a story that repeats itself throughout the entertainment industry – a performer unprepared for sudden fame finds themselves isolated and ends up in self medication and denial. In the end the gossip and scandals overshadow the performer’s actual career. See Michael Jackson, Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse…..

DOTW: What can you tell us about the writing process? What kind of research did you undertake?

PO: There is a ton of material online and the best thing about Veronica is for every story there seems to be a conflicting version. She published a biography in her later years rehashing some of the old magazine stories from her glory days with the benefit of hindsight and adding a bit of tell-all gossip. After her death her mother also published a biography which contradicted much of Veronica’s but with the passage of time neither is verifiable.

Alex and Simon (the Director) would workshop the script and give me their notes and I would rewrite as they went. Having a bit of distance from the process gave me a much better perspective; if I can find someone to actually write my next play for me I’ll be off the hook altogether!

Alex Ellis in Drowning Veronica Lake. 

DOTW: Have you written other plays? How does this one differ/compare?

PO: This is my fifth play and the first about a real character (insomuch as a celebrity can be ‘real’). It’s the first play where the story already existed and I just had to come up with a way of telling it that did it justice. It’s also the first play for which I haven’t been involved in the production process except as the writer. In the past I’ve been director, tech, designer, builder or actor but for Drowning in Veronica Lake I had the luxury of a brilliant team to do all these things and I just had to write. Fantastic!

DOTW: What can you tell us about performer Alex Ellis? What does she bring to the script/this character?

PO: Because Alex bears no actual resemblance to Lake it meant we could abandon any pretence of a faithful impersonation of her and Alex’s intimate connection with the audience makes the story much more personal than just another tale about a fallen star, she brings an emotional honesty to her performance which is very moving and for which I am hugely grateful.  

DOTW: Finally, what should Circa audiences know about Drowning in Veronica Lake?

PO: It will make you laugh, it will make you cry (or choke back a manly sniff) and hopefully it will make you think about the casual way we dispose of people we call celebrities. But most of all come along and be transported back to the glamour of the golden age of Hollywood.

Alex Ellis in Drowning Veronica Lake.

Drowning in Veronica Lake is on until 12 November in Circa Two. To book, please call the Circa Box Office at 801-7992 or go online at www.circa.co.nz. 

Drowning in Veronica Lake

The sole performer in this captivating play, Alex Ellis answers some questions about what it is like to drown in Veronica Lake.

How did you get involved with the show? 

Phil (the playwright) was googling 1940's film director, Preston Sturges one night and stumbled upon (as you do on Google) an article about Veronica Lake, who had starred in one of Preston Sturges' movies. The article, about her body being smuggled across the USA/Canada border after she died and her ashes being found in a junk shop 40 years later, was so bizarre and far-fetched that it lead to another article and another and another...

There was so much scandal and rumour surrounding her life and although she was one of the biggest Hollywood stars in the 1940s she virtually disappeared unlike her contemporaries, like Rita Hayworth or Marlene Dietrich. She seemed like the Lindsay Lohan of the 1940s and such an unknown entity that we had to find out more. And once we knew more there seemed no doubt we had to write the play. And I couldn't pass up an opportunity to play such a Hollywood glamour girl – who would?!

Have you worked with any of the company on any other shows?

Phil Ormsby of course, Phil is the other half of Flaxworks and a playwright who has written all four of Flaxworks' productions. Nik Janiurek has also been our lighting designer for a couple of our previous shows – he is amazing! But I had never worked with Simon Coleman, the director, or Elizabeth Whiting or Sara Taylor before (our dress designer and creator). I would most definitely work with all of them again if I could. You know some things just come together like a well oiled machine to create magic and that's what happened here! Veronica Lake magic...

I guess I'd never worked with Veronica Lake before either, she's pretty amazing too but the drinking, the men, she could drink us all under the table...

And what about your role…any particular challenges?

So many Challenges! I am the solo performer which is always a slightly scary prospect, realising there’s only you out there with no safety net. And although I have performed a solo show before you can never escape the fear and the adrenaline rush of taking to the stage alone! Playing a real person was also a challenge. We made a conscious decision not to try and copy Veronica Lake exactly or turn the performance into a tribute show but I do feel a responsibility to portray my interpretation of her with some love – I don’t want to make her perfect but I do want to show her some respect.

There’s also the American accent…

and not being able to move from the spot for the entire show…

Ha! Challenge schmallenge, I love it all!

Alex Ellis as Veronica Lake.

What sort of audience reaction have you received so far?

Amazing, people have really loved the show. I think people have been impressed by all aspects of the production, (which is wonderful for everyone involved who put so much effort in to making the show!). Most of all I think people are surprised by it and by Veronica Lake. She was an amazing woman who lived a spectacular life that didn’t always go to plan. A true story, full of glamour, booze, the wrong men and money… what’s not to love?

What will be the strongest idea we will take away from the show?

Be careful what you wish for...

All that glitters is not gold...

Things are not always what they seem...

Apart from the cliches those basically are the themes for the show. It's the Hollywood curse of thinking someone has it all and then realising the truth is not always what you see and that the pressure can be too much.


Drowning in Veronica Lake opens in Circa Two on 1 November and runs until 12 November. To book your tickets, contact the Circa Box Office at 801-7992 or go online at www.circa.co.nz.