CG: Elsa is a complex woman indeed, and I have really only scratched the surface of who she is at this point. But certain things feel clear to me. She is headstrong, fi ercely intelligent, has a strong passion for equality, and is willing to fi ght for it. She is completely lost within herself as a woman in this particular moment in her life. She is having a crisis of conscience when we fi nd her in The Road to Mecca. She is grappling with who she is, who Helen is, and what she’s invested in who she wants Helen to be. What she does know is that she wants to fi ght for freedom: hers, Helen’s, and that of the black people of South Africa.


TS: What do you think the play is about?


CG: This play seems to me to be an exploration of personal and spiritual freedom, the challenges that come with that, and the courage required to continue on that path. And how terrifying a person who truly commits to that path can be to those who have been taught there is one way to know God.


TS: Can you talk about the relationship between Elsa and Miss Helen?


CG: I’m still exploring this, but Elsa and Miss Helen seem to have unleashed something in each other that hadn’t been touched prior to their meeting. Helen is perhaps the mother that Elsa wishes she had, or the person she hopes to become. The free woman who turns her back on the expectations of others and lives her life, whatever that may mean. And to Helen, Elsa is the fi rst person to actually walk into her Mecca and love it; to celebrate it and be in awe of its magic, as opposed to being afraid of it. This is why, when Helen is willing to throw herself under the bus and go to the old age home, Elsa is infuriated. Because, as human beings tend to do, she has attached such meaning to Helen’s freedom. And if Helen isn’t truly free, how can Elsa be? I think Elsa has also owned the role of protector to Helen, as she believes no on else truly has Helen’s best interests in mind.


TS: How do you collaborate with a director?


CG: Working with different directors makes for vastly different experiences each time, which I love. Gordon and I have worked on another play together, and I know that Athol feels that


Gordon is so akin to his vision, that I am thrilled to begin this process.


TS: Where did you get your training? Did you have any great teachers who infl uenced you?


CG: I began acting professionally when I was 13 years old. I’ve studied with many different teachers along the way, all of whom I have learned many skills from, but I would I have to say I have learned the most from actually working. I am constantly learning new things as I see the world through the lens of each character I play and collaborate with my fellow actors, writers, and directors.


TS: Public school students will read this interview and will want to know what it takes to be a very successful actress -- what advice can you give young people who want to act?


CG: First and foremost, as the business can be pretty brutal, you must be truly compelled to do it. No matter how successful an actor is, and I know many very successful actors, you will probably hear “no” more than “yes.” To live a long and successful life as an actor, not only do you have to be patient but remain supremely focused on what lights your creative fi re and not what people think of you: “you’re this type, that type...etc.” And, on a practical note, if it is what you love, just start doing it, however you can. In your living room, classroom, local theater—wherever you can. Focus on honing your skills and stretching your limits so you will be at the ready when an opportunity arises. There has been no time in history that has been as conducive to creating your own projects, fi lming them, and getting your work out there.


UPSTAGE THE ROAD TO MECCA 13


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