Company Interviews: Lesley Robertson as Touchstone
We asked Lesley Robertson, who plays Touchstone in our production of As You Like It, a few questions about herself, her character, and wrestling...
Lesley Robertson as Touchstone. Photo by Kyle Purcell.
Have you been in a production of As You Like It before?
Never. But As You Like It was either the first or second Shakespeare play I ever saw. I saw it at Stratford in the early '90s in elementary school and I was so infatuated by it that afterwards I named my diaries either "Rosalind" or "Arden." Haha...#nerd
What might people be interested to know about your take on your character?
Shakespeare BASH'd's decision to swap the gender of Touchstone and Audrey has been a fascinating journey for me because the dynamic is now a rather arrogant, confident, and sexual woman with complete power over a pretty clueless and vulnerable man. It's a romantic dynamic that I'm less used to experiencing in literature of the past and pop culture of the present. Very refreshing and fun for me to play :). I've never played a character whose motivation is so often simply "sex" hahaha...
What is your favourite forest?
Ooooh...good one....I remember there was a nature trail at the Bay of Fundy where I was surrounded by magically green trees and moss and I felt like it was a place for fairies (#nerd). I kept a piece of wood from the forest's floor to remember it as a child. I used to imagine I would get married in a dense forest (I wanted to be a fairy as a child lol). I'm revealing too much in this interview...
Who is your favourite pro wrestler?
I grew up watching WWF with my brothers; my eldest brother "was" The Undertaker, the middle brother was Bret the Hitman Hart, and I was Shawn Michaels. I think I liked his long, flowing, blonde hair.
What have you done with Shakespeare BASH'd before?
I have played King John, Feste, and Pompey in previous years. Touchstone offers me my first love interest :)
If you could see one band/musician at any time in the past, present, or future, who would that be?
Judy Garland is my ultimate. I would've loved to see Queen also.
What are you most excited for people to see in this production?
The way Touchstone seduces Audrey through an apple.
Never. But As You Like It was either the first or second Shakespeare play I ever saw. I saw it at Stratford in the early '90s in elementary school and I was so infatuated by it that afterwards I named my diaries either "Rosalind" or "Arden." Haha...#nerd
What might people be interested to know about your take on your character?
Shakespeare BASH'd's decision to swap the gender of Touchstone and Audrey has been a fascinating journey for me because the dynamic is now a rather arrogant, confident, and sexual woman with complete power over a pretty clueless and vulnerable man. It's a romantic dynamic that I'm less used to experiencing in literature of the past and pop culture of the present. Very refreshing and fun for me to play :). I've never played a character whose motivation is so often simply "sex" hahaha...
What is your favourite forest?
Ooooh...good one....I remember there was a nature trail at the Bay of Fundy where I was surrounded by magically green trees and moss and I felt like it was a place for fairies (#nerd). I kept a piece of wood from the forest's floor to remember it as a child. I used to imagine I would get married in a dense forest (I wanted to be a fairy as a child lol). I'm revealing too much in this interview...
Who is your favourite pro wrestler?
I grew up watching WWF with my brothers; my eldest brother "was" The Undertaker, the middle brother was Bret the Hitman Hart, and I was Shawn Michaels. I think I liked his long, flowing, blonde hair.
What have you done with Shakespeare BASH'd before?
I have played King John, Feste, and Pompey in previous years. Touchstone offers me my first love interest :)
If you could see one band/musician at any time in the past, present, or future, who would that be?
Judy Garland is my ultimate. I would've loved to see Queen also.
What are you most excited for people to see in this production?
The way Touchstone seduces Audrey through an apple.