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SPOTLIGHT: Jenny Stead on luck, vulnerability, and the dark and twisted MRS. MITCHELL COMES TO TOWN
- Maria Kearns
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Maria Kearns
The opening week of Louis Viljoen’s new play MRS. MITCHELL COMES TO TOWN seemed like a suitable time to get to know leading lady (and veteran of stage and screen) Jenny Stead.
Busy schedules precluded a cosy sit-down over a cup of tea, but reading Jenny’s answers to my emailed questions made me feel like I was getting a real glimpse of the woman (one suspects) behind the character Mrs. Mitchell... It is a Louis Viljoen play after all, so one never knows what twists and turns await.
Q: How’s the Mrs. Mitchell experience been? What can audiences look forward to?
A: The experience has been a bit of a whirlwind. I was rehearsing and performing My Children, My Africa at the same time as we were rehearsing this, so Aidan [Scott], Louis and I were grabbing rehearsal days wherever we could. It was a bitty process and we didn't have a lot of time, but I think we've managed to put together something very dark and twisted and interesting and really fun. Audiences should expect to be thrilled, seduced, horrified and hopefully very entertained.
Q: You've worked with many different directors and actors. Do you adapt the way you collaborate with each new team, or do you have a set routine where you approach each play in the same way?
A: I feel very fortunate to have worked with a wide variety of directors. Obviously, I have my favourites, but you learn so much from each one, so the more diverse, the more you grow as an artist. Adaptation is inevitable, but it's the ability to bring authenticity to every experience that means the most.
Q: How do you modulate your performances according to the type of play you're in? A big musical like Rocky Horror, an experimental prestige project like The Promise, an intimate drama like My Children, My Africa... Are there techniques you employ according to the vastly different stories you've had to tell?
A: I would love to be able to give a profound or technical answer about how I completely transform myself and morph into different characters, but honestly the writing dictates the character and then I try to connect as much of myself and my lived experience to that character. Then, I marry that with the vision of my director. I'm a firm believer that the more honest you can be, the more interesting you are to watch—regardless of how broad and regardless of the tone or genre.
Q: You bring a wealth of experience to Mrs. Mitchell Comes to Town. Does seniority (in terms of the amount of stage work) make for a smoother process?
A: Again, I would love to say that it did, but the truth is that I'm often insecure, and this was no different. It's an interesting thing that I've found with many artists: even if they are incredibly seasoned, there's still a deep need to please and receive approval. I think generally, as creatives, we tend to walk this fine line between being emotionally accessible but also having a tough enough skin to deal with a fair amount of rejection. Obviously, I'm less afraid to speak my mind and to suggest things, to draw lines if I feel unsafe or uncomfortable and be braver and push my own boundaries. I do have a sense of trusting my instincts: that is something I've learned through time. I'm very lucky to be working with Aidan Scott, who is not only incredibly talented but has a steady surety, a playfulness, and a genuine kindness, which is a dream in an acting partner. Between him and Louis and Natalie [Fraser], our assistant stage designer, all being so invested and collaborative, the process has been really fun.
Q: Louis Viljoen has spoken about how fond he is of including genre elements in his plays and how he uses genre tropes to tell a particular story. How did you tap into the erotic thriller and noir elements of Mrs. Mitchell Comes to Town?
A: I'm not sure that anyone has watched more films (or theatre) than Louis Viljoen. He brings a lifetime of devotion and a genuine love to every piece he writes. I don't want to give too much away but I will say that he referenced multiple films and performances and sent through images for a feel of the aesthetic and tone that he was hoping to create. As part of the process, I rewatched one or two classics, including The Silence of the Lambs, Basic Instinct, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Misery, to name a few. I also spent some time looking at a few clips of old Noir films. Obviously, the costumes and set design help with the Noir feel, from the colour scheme and set design (put together by the always brilliant Kieran McGregor) to the fact that we tried to make it as timeless as possible without any real suggestion of period or place. Honestly, though, with a Viljoen play, it all hangs on the mastery of his words.
Q: Do you have a preferred genre or medium? What do you think brings out your best performances (in terms of genre/medium or directorial approach)?
A: I don't think I have a favourite genre. There are obviously certain productions and certain directors that have taught me so much and mean more to me and have a very special place in my heart. But when you get to be challenged, you know, when David Kramer calls and asks if you can play the guitar and sing and do a Dutch accent or Sylvaine Strike asks you to work physically in a way that you are not sure you can, or Abrahamse and Meyer ask you to convince a room full of teenagers that you're 18, or when Louis Viljoen hands you a play that scares you a little… The idea of getting the chance to spit out the words that he has written is too good to pass on; it's all overwhelmingly exciting, and it doesn’t get better than that. I still pinch myself at the wild, beautiful ride of it all. I’m a lucky lady.
Q: Independent theatre is tougher than people realise. How do you steel yourself to handle the lack of funding and support that comes with it?
A: I haven't been involved in independent theatre for a hot minute, and it was an interesting thing to step back into. I'm very pleased that I could participate in Mrs. Mitchell Comes to Town, because I think Louis is a superb talent. I'm also very grateful for spaces like the Masambe and The Wave and Theatre Arts where new work can be performed. I don't think audiences always realise the difference between independent theatre and the shows that have producers with deep pockets. Ultimately, it's the audiences that need to be enthralled enough that they want to come and see the work. I hope that people do come and support this play because it is a bit of a passion project that we have scraped together ourselves. There's also something very exciting about that, building a set together and collaborating on costumes and props: it allows you to explore creativity in a broader way. We are so lucky to have a vibrant art scene in Cape Town, that's something that people always say, so hopefully they back that thought up with attendance—and not just to the big, well-known musicals (that are brought back in cycles every three years) but to new independent work by brilliant, hard-working dreamers too.
Q: On that note, what are your thoughts on how the Cape Town theatre industry's doing at the moment?
A: I think the Cape Town theatre community is deeply grateful for the fact that we managed to claw our way back after covid. That was a frightening time. This country is full of so much talent and so many stories and voices. It's honestly wonderful to see packed houses at big shows in the Opera House at Artscape and ushers bringing in more chairs to the Market and The Baxter drawing audiences for important works like Isidlamlilo and Kafka’s Ape, and Black Coffee [at Theatre on the Bay] was sold out before its last two weeks! In Cape Town! That's crazy. There's something very special about live performance and the opportunity to experience it with an audience. I'm constantly encouraged by the enthusiasm I see for our industry: long may it last.
MRS. MITCHELL COMES TO TOWN stars Jenny Stead and Aidan Scott and was written and directed by Louis Viljoen. The play can be seen at the Baxter’s Masambe Theatre from the 24th of April to the 10th of May 2025, and tickets are available through Webtickets. No under-18s. For more information you can visist www.mrsmitchell.co.za .
