Brand new musical Franz & Marie is giving Georg Büchner’s classic German tragedy Woyzeck a modern twist with an indie folk score. We spoke to Brenock O’Connor, who stars as traumatised soldier Franz Woyzeck, to find out more.
Can you tell us about the character of Franz’s journey throughout the show?
We join Franz in an already diminished state. He’s three months into a government mandated cost-cutting hunger experiment, he’s living with severe PTSD episodes and in an environment that couldn’t care less if he lives or dies. He has two roots in his life that he clings to; his friend Schmitty and his partner and mother of his child, Marie. The show takes us through the destruction of those anchors in his mind through continued manipulation and torture from the bourgeoisie, leaving him in a new and vulnerable reality.
What sort of music does Franz & Marie use, and do you have a favourite song to perform?
All the music is performed live by the incredible company. I’m sadly not playing anything myself, despite how much I’d love to. Folk music is my home and it’s agony not having any fingers on strings for such beautiful music. I’d have to say my favourite number is ‘The Ruby Necklace’ because… well, come see and find out.
How do you prepare for each performance?
Get as much sleep as I can squeeze into an eight show week. It’s an exhausting piece of theatre for the body and the mind. Get to the theatre early so I can have a natter with the cast before we all throw ourselves into the work again. Stretch and warm the voice up, have a puff or two on my nebuliser and pray I’ve got the show in me that day.
What do you think audiences will be discussing when they leave Franz & Marie?
I’ve had a lot of people ask me if I’m ok, which I’m taking as a compliment. I am, just to reassure you too! Clearly people are affected by the trauma we present them with. If I were an audience member, I think I’d walk asking myself this: if conflict and war is always actioned at the cost of the ordinary people, which it is, why do we, the ordinary people, still allow it to be that way? And how has so little changed in terms of power structures and consequences in 200 years?
