We sat down with Rex Ryan, whose newest show Men’s Business comes to Finborough Theatre from 18th March – 12th April.
- Victor is described as a man with rigid rules, a tough exterior, and a reluctance toward emotional vulnerability. How did you approach embodying such a complex and seemingly guarded character?
I tried to find the contradictions in him. He is rigid with rules—why? Maybe because he sees them as the scaffolding that keeps him from falling apart. He has fixed theories about life—perhaps because, on the inside, he is spinning. Maybe he is afraid of the unknown. I thought about these qualities in myself, then about people from my past, and I married the two.
- Simon Stephens’ adaptation of Franz Xaver Kroetz’s play brings a contemporary energy to the story. Did you find yourself making any adjustments in your performance to match the new translation’s tone?
I just tried to live in the world we found in rehearsal and with Simon. You’re searching for a kind of truth that exists within the unreal little world you’ve created.
- The play is set in the back room of a butcher’s shop, which is quite a distinctive and intimate setting. How does this physical space impact your performance and interactions with your co-star Lauren Farrell?
The space and context matter. The claustrophobia intensifies the intimacy, and the need to connect and disconnect. We are surrounded by dead meat, dead things: blood, flesh, gore. It’s all about the dark, bloody, fleshy truth of the human and animal machine. At Glass Mask Theatre in Dublin, a venue known for daring, boundary-pushing shows that spill off the stage, this setup worked well. It should transfer well at the Finborough.
- You’ve played a variety of intense roles throughout your career, from Hamlet to The Motherfucker With The Hat. How does Victor in Men’s Business compare to your past characters, and did you find any challenges in portraying him?
I have played a long list of criminals and killers, gang members and turn of the century old western brothel photographers … You just try to find yourself in them all – What would I do if I was him, there, in that situation? Victor is difficult because he does everything opposite to what I would do… almost So I use my imagination and people I knew in the past and I just try and believe it.
- With Men’s Business marking Glass Mask Theatre’s London debut, what does this production mean for you personally, both as an actor and as the company’s Artistic Director?
The Glass Mask has become a new writing force in Ireland – through a group of absolute soldiers of the stage and I could not be happier with that.
I started it with my wife – and my sister did the set for the first show – along with operating! now we are an arts council funded new writing theatre in two years … it’s all good. Coming to London to show our work is a great pleasure for me. Maybe we’ll keep doing it.
- You’ve been nominated multiple times for Best Actor awards. Looking ahead, what kind of roles or projects excite you the most, and do you see yourself leaning more towards acting or directing in the future?
I’ll be playing Gerry “The Monk” Hutch in Ireland this June at Glass Mask Theatre, with talks of a TV show in the works. As artistic director at Glass Mask, I’ll also be directing there. Meanwhile, I’m working on directing a feature film, which I’ll also be acting in.