Fulfilling a dream
Showtime talks to actor Chris Dingli
You have just completed an acting course at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. How did it go and do you feel that you are now a better actor as a result of doing the course?
The course was absolutely fantastic. It was extremely hard work and long hours, but I don't think I could have asked for a better training. Yes, it definitely changed me, I'm not one to say that I'm a better actor because of it, but I certainly go about preparing for a role differently now after doing the course.
Give us a taster of what you did on the course.
Where do I begin? I learned so many things about my body, my voice and how to live as an actor. Webber Douglas didn't simply teach me a rigid philosophy of acting. It basically presented me with ideas for ways of doing things, and let me choose which worked best for me. I think one of the best things about it is that when I left the college and started working as an actor, there were no surprises. I don't feel at all out of my depth and I didn't feel shocked to suddenly be out on my own. I felt prepared for anything that could come my way. I guess that's a sign of a good training.
Is it now your intention to pursue an acting career in the UK and beyond? If so, how are you going about this?
Yes, it is my intention. I've been incredibly fortunate to have already begun working in London. I've done a couple of plays in fringe venues, as well as a number of short films. Getting jobs is not easy. I subscribe to a number of specialist publications that advertise acting jobs. I usually get an audition for perhaps two out of every ten I apply for. I then attend the auditions, maybe a second audition if I'm lucky, and hopefully I get the job. At this moment I'm just building my London résumé and trying to get noticed.
Do you have an Equity (union) card to enable you to work professionally as an actor in the UK? Was it easy to obtain said card?
I have an Equity card. It was a very happy day when I first received it. Training at Webber Douglas automatically entitled me to apply for one.
Before embarking on your UK acting course, you lived here in Malta. Can you give us a bit of your background? Where were you born, raised, go to school etc...?
I was born in Sliema and raised in St Julian's. I went to school at St Edwards College, then Junior College sixth form and finally did a communications degree at the university of Malta. I then worked for Radio 101 and later the British High Commission, before moving to London two and a half years ago. I now live in Baron's Court in a tiny flat with Erika who I will marry later this year in Malta. Apart from my parents (Bob and Lou), I have a brother (Ed), a sister (Jus) and a dog (Zoe).
The acting profession is notoriously tough. What makes you think you will succeed where thousands have failed?
Success is a very subjective thing. Is success fame? Fortune? Or simply employment? I see fame and fortune very much as byproducts of this job. Fame is not something I aspire to. I just want to be able to live a comfortable life doing what I love. And if fortune comes my way, well and good. I don't know how easy or difficult it will be. I just know that I'm not going to give up. I'm going to give it my best shot and have a damn good time doing so!
You did a lot of theatre before moving to the UK to train professionally. Apart from the fact that Maltese actors are part-time, how does the theatre here compare with the theatre in the UK?
Theatre in Malta is of an extremely high standard. Certain theatre companies produce some fantastic shows. The only difference really is that sometimes people in Malta could get miscast, simply because there isn't a big enough pool of actors to choose from. In the UK you can find anything and anyone you need.
You have already acquired quite an acting CV locally. Which roles and productions stand out? And which actors and directors do you rate here?
If I had to choose a few, they would be Puss 'n Boots (my first production in 1997), Grease (my first main role), Amadeus (not only because of the fart jokes), Cabaret (still gives me goose bumps) and Cinderella (when I played one of the ugly sisters). I don't like to name people because most people I work with are people I enjoy working with, whose work I rate highly. There are some extremely talented actors and directors in Malta. I'm sure you don't need me to point out who they are!
You are soon to play Riff Raff in Masquerade's production of The Rocky Horror Show. The film is something of a cult movie, but have you seen the stage production? If yes, what did you think of it?
I saw the stage production a few months ago when it was showing in London. I went with Erika and I'm ashamed to say we were two of only a handful of normally dressed people there. Everyone in the audience was dressed in costume. I thought the show itself was a little bit too tame and glossy. It was a bit like Top of the Pops meets Sfida in drag. During the curtain call Richard O'Brien (the guy who wrote it) went up on stage and danced the Time Warp with the rest of the cast. He had played Riff Raff in the original version.
How did you come to be cast in this particular production?
Long story. The short version is: Tony Bezzina of Masquerade had mentioned this to me ages ago. Finally, he asked me if I'd be interested in playing Riff Raff. I said yes and arranged to meet Andy Reiss. However, he was on tour with his show and I was stuck in London doing my own show so it was very difficult to meet up. I finally managed to meet in a theatre somewhere in the northwest of London. We found an old piano in a draughty corridor behind the stalls and I sang for him there. When I came to Malta this Christmas, I met with Tony and he very kindly arranged a rehearsal schedule that fits in with my London work commitments, and that was it.
The word "professional" is much abused, when it comes to theatre. How would you define the word in this context and what will it take before our theatre here can call itself professional?
These questions have become really difficult since I moved away. My personal definition of the word "professional" goes something like this: I believe being a professional actor consists of two parts. A professional actor is someone who acts for a living. However, their conduct must also be professional. By that, I mean they must have discipline, respect for the text, writer, director, fellow actors and audience members among other things. I'll give an example. I recently did a play in London in which the lead actor, for some reason, refused to learn his lines. Every night was a mini-adventure for us, wondering what fantastic stream of verbal diarrhea was going to spout from his mouth. We hated it and so did the audience.
This man completely ignored the director's pleas to get his act together, he ignored our pleas and when the reviews came out (not many critics enjoyed his performance) he blamed the audience for not laughing enough. When confronted, he threatened to walk out of the show. I don't know a single Maltese actor that would behave like that. The only reason Maltese actors are not called professional is because they do it part-time. In every other respect, they are just as (if not more) professional than many actors in London I have met.
Ten years down the road, where would Chris Dingli like to be and what would you like to be doing?
Playing the villain in a James Bond movie! Who wants to sit in a shower with Eva Green when you can pretend to cry blood?
The course was absolutely fantastic. It was extremely hard work and long hours, but I don't think I could have asked for a better training. Yes, it definitely changed me, I'm not one to say that I'm a better actor because of it, but I certainly go about preparing for a role differently now after doing the course.
Give us a taster of what you did on the course.
Where do I begin? I learned so many things about my body, my voice and how to live as an actor. Webber Douglas didn't simply teach me a rigid philosophy of acting. It basically presented me with ideas for ways of doing things, and let me choose which worked best for me. I think one of the best things about it is that when I left the college and started working as an actor, there were no surprises. I don't feel at all out of my depth and I didn't feel shocked to suddenly be out on my own. I felt prepared for anything that could come my way. I guess that's a sign of a good training.
Is it now your intention to pursue an acting career in the UK and beyond? If so, how are you going about this?
Yes, it is my intention. I've been incredibly fortunate to have already begun working in London. I've done a couple of plays in fringe venues, as well as a number of short films. Getting jobs is not easy. I subscribe to a number of specialist publications that advertise acting jobs. I usually get an audition for perhaps two out of every ten I apply for. I then attend the auditions, maybe a second audition if I'm lucky, and hopefully I get the job. At this moment I'm just building my London résumé and trying to get noticed.
Do you have an Equity (union) card to enable you to work professionally as an actor in the UK? Was it easy to obtain said card?
I have an Equity card. It was a very happy day when I first received it. Training at Webber Douglas automatically entitled me to apply for one.
Before embarking on your UK acting course, you lived here in Malta. Can you give us a bit of your background? Where were you born, raised, go to school etc...?
I was born in Sliema and raised in St Julian's. I went to school at St Edwards College, then Junior College sixth form and finally did a communications degree at the university of Malta. I then worked for Radio 101 and later the British High Commission, before moving to London two and a half years ago. I now live in Baron's Court in a tiny flat with Erika who I will marry later this year in Malta. Apart from my parents (Bob and Lou), I have a brother (Ed), a sister (Jus) and a dog (Zoe).
The acting profession is notoriously tough. What makes you think you will succeed where thousands have failed?
Success is a very subjective thing. Is success fame? Fortune? Or simply employment? I see fame and fortune very much as byproducts of this job. Fame is not something I aspire to. I just want to be able to live a comfortable life doing what I love. And if fortune comes my way, well and good. I don't know how easy or difficult it will be. I just know that I'm not going to give up. I'm going to give it my best shot and have a damn good time doing so!
You did a lot of theatre before moving to the UK to train professionally. Apart from the fact that Maltese actors are part-time, how does the theatre here compare with the theatre in the UK?
Theatre in Malta is of an extremely high standard. Certain theatre companies produce some fantastic shows. The only difference really is that sometimes people in Malta could get miscast, simply because there isn't a big enough pool of actors to choose from. In the UK you can find anything and anyone you need.
You have already acquired quite an acting CV locally. Which roles and productions stand out? And which actors and directors do you rate here?
If I had to choose a few, they would be Puss 'n Boots (my first production in 1997), Grease (my first main role), Amadeus (not only because of the fart jokes), Cabaret (still gives me goose bumps) and Cinderella (when I played one of the ugly sisters). I don't like to name people because most people I work with are people I enjoy working with, whose work I rate highly. There are some extremely talented actors and directors in Malta. I'm sure you don't need me to point out who they are!
You are soon to play Riff Raff in Masquerade's production of The Rocky Horror Show. The film is something of a cult movie, but have you seen the stage production? If yes, what did you think of it?
I saw the stage production a few months ago when it was showing in London. I went with Erika and I'm ashamed to say we were two of only a handful of normally dressed people there. Everyone in the audience was dressed in costume. I thought the show itself was a little bit too tame and glossy. It was a bit like Top of the Pops meets Sfida in drag. During the curtain call Richard O'Brien (the guy who wrote it) went up on stage and danced the Time Warp with the rest of the cast. He had played Riff Raff in the original version.
How did you come to be cast in this particular production?
Long story. The short version is: Tony Bezzina of Masquerade had mentioned this to me ages ago. Finally, he asked me if I'd be interested in playing Riff Raff. I said yes and arranged to meet Andy Reiss. However, he was on tour with his show and I was stuck in London doing my own show so it was very difficult to meet up. I finally managed to meet in a theatre somewhere in the northwest of London. We found an old piano in a draughty corridor behind the stalls and I sang for him there. When I came to Malta this Christmas, I met with Tony and he very kindly arranged a rehearsal schedule that fits in with my London work commitments, and that was it.
The word "professional" is much abused, when it comes to theatre. How would you define the word in this context and what will it take before our theatre here can call itself professional?
These questions have become really difficult since I moved away. My personal definition of the word "professional" goes something like this: I believe being a professional actor consists of two parts. A professional actor is someone who acts for a living. However, their conduct must also be professional. By that, I mean they must have discipline, respect for the text, writer, director, fellow actors and audience members among other things. I'll give an example. I recently did a play in London in which the lead actor, for some reason, refused to learn his lines. Every night was a mini-adventure for us, wondering what fantastic stream of verbal diarrhea was going to spout from his mouth. We hated it and so did the audience.
This man completely ignored the director's pleas to get his act together, he ignored our pleas and when the reviews came out (not many critics enjoyed his performance) he blamed the audience for not laughing enough. When confronted, he threatened to walk out of the show. I don't know a single Maltese actor that would behave like that. The only reason Maltese actors are not called professional is because they do it part-time. In every other respect, they are just as (if not more) professional than many actors in London I have met.
Ten years down the road, where would Chris Dingli like to be and what would you like to be doing?
Playing the villain in a James Bond movie! Who wants to sit in a shower with Eva Green when you can pretend to cry blood?