We sat down for an exclusive interview with Amy Dunn who plays Evi Travers in War of the Worlds.
Using miniature environments, model worlds, camera tricks and projection,ning the award win imitating the dog mix the live and the recorded, the animate and the inanimate to create a thrilling, audacious and timely retelling of H. G. Wells’s classic novel.
War of the Worlds will be at The Lowry from 25-28 Feb and then tour till 2 May. For all tour dates and tickets visit https://www.imitatingthedog.co.uk/project/war-of-the-worlds/
How did playing Evi Travers challenge or change your own understanding of survival when order breaks down?
Before playing Evi, I’d always imagined I’d be good in a crisis. But seeing how pragmatically she responds made me realise I’m not sure I’d be that practical….
What I love even more about Evie is that, in a post-apocalyptic world, she holds onto her kindness. While others slip into pure survival mode, she remains willing to help.
How did the production’s use of miniature worlds and live/recorded elements affect the way you built Evi’s emotional reality?
Working with live cameras made me want to start by focusing on keeping everything grounded and truthful. Cameras can catch the smallest shift in thought, so I wanted to start by building a clear inner life for Evie.
At the same time, we’re still in a theatre, sharing the space with an audience, so the challenge has been balancing something intimate and filmic with something that still feels alive in the room and watchable on stage. It’s a balance I’m really enjoying — and one I know I’ll keep discovering more about as the run continues.
In a world driven by fear and moral compromise, what inner logic guided Evi’s choices?
When we first meet Evie, she’s completely frozen by fear, so her choices have been about keeping herself safe. As she moves further from home and meets people along the way we see her compassion and sense of what’s right guide her decisions, even when it would be easier to just look after herself. Not only that but she challenges others when she feels they are making the wrong choice.
Was there a moment in the process where the question of how far you’d go to protect others felt uncomfortably real?
Without wanting to give too much away, this wasn’t something we explored during the rehearsal process. Instead, I think the question that stuck with me was when do we use the idea of an external or existential threat to justify beliefs and behaviour we otherwise might not be proud of?
How does placing War of the Worlds in a contemporary British context alter our connection to Evi’s story?
Setting our production in Britain in 1968 highlights the expectations and stereotypes around women at the time and I think that makes Evie’s bravery and directness feel even more striking.
What freedoms or constraints did imitating the dog’s blend of the animate and inanimate bring to your performance?
The great thing about working with imitating the dog is the blending of different mediums – it’s been a really exciting challenge as an actor. It’s not always been easy, there’s a steep learning curve with the cameras and multitasking as a performer, but it’s taught me to be more playful and less precious as an actor. When you’re balancing a camera on your hip to frame a shot, whilst stepping into another shot and playing the scene you quickly learn you just have to jump in, trust yourself and your cast mates, and enjoy the chaos!