BWW Interviews: GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS's Eric Peterson and Kevin Bundy

Soulpepper's critically acclaimed and sold-out production of Glengarry Glen Ross returns to the Toronto stage April 22nd with the complete original cast reprising the roles that they performed so well last season.

David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize winning play about the cut-throat world of real estate and a group a group of salesmen who are scrambling to lie, cheat and steal their way to the top was a hit with Toronto audiences, with the Globe and Mail proclaiming it "electric" and the National Post stating that it's "So funny, so scary, so convincing"

The full original cast returns in this ferocious and unforgettable production. Eric Peterson reprises his role as the desperate, at-the-end-of his rope Shelley Levene and Albert Schultz returns as the reptilian Ricky Roma along with Kevin Bundy as James Lingk , Peter Donaldson as Dave Moss, Stephen Guy-McGrath as Baylen, Jordan Pettle as John Williamson, Soulpepper Founding Member William Webster as George Aaranow. Glengarry GLen Ross is directed by David Storch.

BWW had the chance to speak with both Eric Peterson and Kevin Bundy about the show and their respective roles in an exclusive interview that takes us inside Soulpepper's take on Glengarry GLen Ross:

You play Shelley Levene, who was played by Jack Lemmon in the now famous movie and who has basically become an archetypal character in popular culture. With so many interpretations and so much popularity attached to the role, how do you take it and truly make it your own?

Eric Peterson (EP): I can't help but ‘make it my own', I certainly can't make it anybody else's...I work as hard as I can to understand the world of this play that Mamet has so brilliantly written; what Shelley Levene says, why he says what he says, what he wants to achieve by saying what he says, and what he doesn't achieve etc., Over the course of the rehearsal I make choices based on these cogitations and how I play Shelley begins to emerge. My interpretation, if you will. No two actors will ever play the same part the same.

What is your take on your character's relationship with Roma? Do you think that Lingk is potentially aware that he is being manipulated, or truly clueless?

Kevin Bundy (KB): No character is ever completely black or white so Lingk is a little of both. By the second act he's aware that he's being manipulated but he can't help himself because he actually really likes Ricky Roma and thinks he's found a friend which is why he apologizes at the end and even begs for forgiveness. A lot of what Ricky says in the first act to Lingk really hits home for him even though he doesn't completely understand it. I think Lingk feels a little like he's met Buddha which just further illustrates what a slick manipulative salesman Ricky really is.

With this being a re-mount of last year's production, do you have plans to change your portrayal at all or will you be keeping things the same?

KB: The character remains basically the same but the director and I have been looking at ways of giving the scenes more depth. This means giving the character of Roma more to work against so we can see just how manipulative he is and how this translates into making the character of Lingk a little stronger and a little less of a milksop.

EP: No, but the show will be more deeply experienced by the cast because of our longer contact with the production. We've all had a long run at it, sometime off to let it percolate in those dark recesses of the brain, and another good rehearsal period.

Do you have a favourite part or a scene that you look forward to each night?

KB: I love listening to Roma's monologue in the first act because every night I hear something different. I think it's just such a brilliant piece of writing. Some nights Lingk thinks "yeah, I know exactly what you mean", and other nights he thinks "I have no idea what you just said but I'm with you".

EP: I look forward every night to saying to Jordon Pettle, "You are a shithead Williamson."

Soulpepper is offering a special discount to encourage young people to come out and see these productions, what would you say to a younger audience to encourage them to come out and give something like this a try?

KB: In the play, Mamet writes "Always be closing". To a younger audience I would say "Always be open". There are so many different forms of entertainment and cultural events in this city and in the world. I think theatre is one of the more enriching ones and that young people should get to experience that.

EP: What I would say to anyone: it's a wonderful production of a great play, with lots of bad language and - it's short, you'll be home before ten

If you could give one piece of advice to young people interested in getting involved in theatre, what would it be?

KB: I would always recommend anyone interested in going into theatre to get some training and to check out the different schools and training programs in the country

EP: Just get involved. If no theatre will have you, start your own. Like most things if you want it go and get it.

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When and Where?
Glengarry GLen Ross
Young Centre for the Performing Arts
55 Mill Street, Building 49 in the Distillery Historic District

Performance Schedule:
April 22nd - June 5th

Tickets range from $29 -70 and are available in person at the box office, by phone at 416-866-8666 for online at ww.soulpepper.ca

$20 tickets are available for 21-30 year olds at www.stageplay.ca StagePlay is sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group

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