“I really hope the audience gets the same feeling when they join us in our space as they would when they step into their local pub”: Matthew Woodyatt on The Fair Maid of the West at the Swan Theatre

This Christmas season, the Royal Shakespeare Company treats its audience to a pub-set adaptation of Thomas Heywood’s classic play The Fair Maiden of the West. It’s currently running at the Swan Theatre and has a little bit of a twist, courtesy of director Isobel McArthur. McArthur is an actor and director known for her West End adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which was awarded Best Comedy in the 2022 Olivier Awards. The Fair Maid of the West follows landlady Liz Bridges – played by Amber James – and is filled with contemporary songs, and celebrates community, compromise and compassion. Most importantly, RSC collaborated with The Dirty Duck to recycle old furniture and turn them into parts of the pub set.

Among the actors involved is Matthew Woodyatt who has been acting on stage for about 20 years. The Fair Lady of the West is his RSC debut and he, along with the rest of the cast, plays an assortment of different characters throughout the production. He initially took part in a workshop to read the new text by McArthur, before being asked to be part of the company. Originally from Wales, Woodyatt now lives in London and is also a vocal coach helping others with their auditions. The Upcoming caught up with him and talked about differences between Heywood’s original play and McArthur’s text, the use of the pub setting for this type of performance, and his favourite remade pop song featured in the play.

Can you give us a brief introduction to yourself, RSC’s The Fair Maid of the West and your specific character within it?

I’m Matthew Woodyatt, and I’ve been an actor for 20 years – mainly on stage in a variety of plays and musicals. This is my debut season at the RSC and I’m thrilled to be making it in The Fair Maid of the West. The truly ensemble nature of The Fair Maid of the West means we all play a huge array of characters. But I suppose my most prominent personality is Bardolf: a gentle, sometimes timid, divorcee who is struggling to come to terms with his feelings and the world. That doesn’t sound like the kind of character that usually appears in a rip-roaring romp but humans can be infinitely surprising.

How did you audition and why did you want to be part of this production?

I didn’t audition for the production as such. In July, I was asked to take part in a workshop to read, discuss and play with chunks of the new text that Isobel had written. Between us, we read a huge variety of characters –some of whom had not made it to the stage – and I was lucky enough to be asked to be part of the company a few weeks later. Although not a traditional audition, I suppose it was a two-day tryout and a chance to play with a little less pressure!

Have you read the original material by Thomas Heywood? And what do you think of Isobel McArthur’s creative adaptation of it?

As part of that workshop, we read both Isobel’s version of Plymouth and the equivalent ‘Act of the Heywood’ to be able to compare characters and motives and to discuss important or irrelevant plot and character beats. When I was asked to do the production, I did attempt to read the rest of the original to get an idea of what might be coming our way. But I already knew that Isobel’s extraordinarily brilliant version was using Heywood’s and its themes as a theatrical touchstone rather than as the basis for a more slavish adaptation.

What do you think of McArthur’s work as a director? Is she very specific with the vision she wants for the production or do you have room to be creative and improvise?

Isobel is wonderful to work for and with. I think, like many directors I have worked with who are or have been actors, their understanding of both sides of the process is invaluable. On this project, Isobel had a very strong vision of the rhythm and symphonic structure of the piece and ultimately, as it resembles a traditional farce, those rhythms and tempi make it much easier to play. Within that structure though, we were allowed to explore how our approach to the characters would breathe within Isobel’s world and very often and brilliantly, scenes and moments were moulded to fit what we were bringing to the work. As a result, performing each night feels like wearing the best and finest made-to-measure clothing and that allows you to be the best you can be.

What do you think of the pub setting specifically? How do you like the immersive set as a performer? And is it weird to be performing all these contemporary songs in such an antique design?

Pubs are shared spaces where dramas happen so it’s the perfect backdrop for a play. Most of us have had some experience of all kinds of pubs, maybe a brief visit or you’re a fixture in your local. Either way, it’s an environment that can be understood and recognised. I really hope the audience gets the same feeling when they join us in our space as they would when they step into their local pub. The design isn’t quite as antique as it first appears. There are lots of design Easter eggs that nod to creeping modernity – well, 1970s – so the audience should keep their eyes peeled for surprises!

The set is made possible because of the upcycled old furniture from The Dirty Duck after their recent refurbishment. What do you think of this collaboration and what do you think it adds to the quality of this specific production?

It’s an amazing collaboration; anyone who thinks of the RSC probably thinks of The Dirty Duck pretty swiftly afterwards. On a fundamental level, the RSC are really conscious of their green credentials and work very hard to have as little environmental impact as possible, so the up-cycling of furniture is a perfect way to do that. More magically though, in a play about community and shared values, it is amazing to have this particular furniture in the Swan. It doesn’t take much to imagine who from the RSC’s rich theatrical past may have sat on these stools and chatted, moaned or made exciting decisions at these tables!

Among the remade pop songs for The Fair Maid of the West, which do you personally like best in the play’s version?

I mean, I love the number I get to sing – no spoilers though! But I think my real favourite is our opening to Act 2, Peace, Love & Understanding. It’s amazingly led by David Rankine, beautifully arranged by Michael John McCarthy and Tarek Merchant, and it feels like the perfect anthem for our show but also the wider, trickier times we are all living through.

What do you think is it about the Christmas season that inspires pantomime-like performances or modern remakes of classic tales?

Well, it’s dark and cold and so staging these kinds of works at this time of year means you can bring some comforting warmth, light and joy to people. Also, it’s the perfect time of year to open our doors wide to groups of people: families, colleagues and schools. By giving them something uplifting and heartfelt, we can really welcome them and show how powerful theatre can be for our community. Hopefully, it means everyone feels they can come back time and again because they have a sense of ownership and joy in the building.

As you’re performing most of December, did you find it difficult to Christmas shop?

It has proved a little tricky but the internet and very understanding stage door staff have meant that I think I’m done. Wrapping it all in time may prove rather more difficult though!

And you’re from South Wales. What sparked the decision to move to London?

Quite typically, I think, I left South Wales to train. I went to Rose Bruford then in Deptford and never really had the chance to move back. I’ve worked in Wales a fair bit over the years since. But now that I’ve got a family and a son at secondary school, I’m firmly rooted in South East London and my new community.

You’re a vocal coach and you help other people with their auditions. Do you ever give advice that makes a lot of sense in theory but is difficult even for yourself to do in practice?

I think I always try to give advice that’s practical and applicable, although I can never guarantee I make complete sense all the time! I feel my job is to help unlock a song from within and use the material on the page to inform any decisions we are making. Composers and librettists have crafted these numbers so carefully that everything you need – thought, intention, conflict – is in the archaeology of the number and just waiting to be excavated. I like to think that I provide lots of spades, trowels and brushes to do that. Hopefully, some of those tools allow them to bring the song to life as truthfully as they can.

Mae Trumata
Image: Ali Wright

The Fair Maid of the West is at the Swan Theatre from 2^nd December until 14^th January 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.