Rebecca Trehearn talks to VIVA about upcoming show Rags the Musical

Local Jewish artists are being celebrated in the Hope Mill Theatre next month with Rags the musical.

Rags the musical tells the story of Rebecca, Played by the Olivier Award-winning actress Rebecca Trehearn (Les Miserables, Sweet Charity), a young Russian and Jewish immigrant who flees to New York to create a better life for herself and her son.

The production will be accompanied by Children of the Wind ,an exhibition created by local Jewish artists celebrating the themes of ‘relocation’, ‘Identity’ and ‘Manchester’. This mix of art forms will open hopefully open peopls eyes to the issues immigrants face on a day to day life.

Rebecca Trehearn, who will be playing the shows lead, chats to VIVA about why these themes and issues are still important in today’s society.

In your own words, can you tell the readers of VIVA what Rags is?

Rags tells the story of the immigrant’s experience travelling to America, in our case in 1910. We are primarily telling the story of a group of Russian immigrants, several of them are literally fresh off the boat in the beginning of our story including myself, my son David and a girl called Bella who we met on the ship. Through circumstance we all end up in an apartment with extended family, so it just becomes a melting pot of all these immigrants trying to get along and figure each other out. And the trial and tribulations they face, the racism they endure as well for being immigrants. Which is very pertinent today unfortunately

Do you think it will resonate with an audience today?

There’s just no way it can’t. It’s quite depressing actually
to be working on it and thinking how little has been learnt. It’s exactly what
is happening today. People are making a really dangerous journey overseas to a
country that refuses to welcome them.

Why do you think it will relate to a Mancunian audience?

Manchester is an area that had a great deal of immigration
itself around the period that we are dealing with. There’s a big Jewish
community there, as I understand it, and most of the characters that we deal work
in the agricultural trade as well. So to be putting on a production in something
that used to be a working mill couldn’t be more perfect in a way.

I think there will be plenty of audience members that will recognise
these character’s experiences in their own family history.

Another important part of the show is that the immigrants try to fit in. Why is this still important today?

Again, it’s something that immigrants today will face trying
to integrate and it’s the tug between the old and the new is suppose. The
culture and tradition that they always grew up in will not always be in the
communities they’re joining. It’s how you reconcile your own beliefs and own
cultural background with the world that you are entering.

How do you connect with the character you are playing?

Its my job essentially. It’s my job to put myself in other people’s
shoes and we’ve all done plenty of research about the period. I suppose there
are always things that you can find in common.

Obviously I’ve never lived through anything like the character
I’m playing has lived through but there are experience that I can connect those
experiences and concerns too in my own life and hopefully come up with
something truthful along the way.

How does this role compare to your other roles, for example charity?

It’s a world away from Charity in every possible way. Charity is about as extraverted as they come and Rebecca is the opposite really she’s quite controlled and strong in a quiet way I suppose.

Is it difficult to switch between those opposites?

I wouldn’t say so no. I mean every character brings its own challenge
but that the fun of the job. That’s what attracted me to it in the first place.
The opportunity to explore all these different time and places that all part of
the fun of it.

What excites you the most of bringing Rags alive?

What’s lovely about Rags is it’s a show that’s still in production in a way. Its been through so many different versions since it was originally staged and some of the original writing team have unfortunately passed on. We are very fortunate that we are will have Steven Shorts with us from this weekend who was the original lyricist on the show and has written some new music for the most recent production. It’s still changing we are still getting new songs and bits and pieces everyday and that is sort of exciting.

Why should people come and see Rags?

Ultimately come for a great night out. It’s terrific, it has
a great score we have lots of musical style too which is reflective of all the different
cultures that were existing at the time.

There’re all sorts. It’s a great show, it’s heart-breaking but it’s very funny at the same time. I would hope that audiences perhaps leave with a little more empathy for people who are facing the same challenges as our characters are. If they do, then I think it’s a job well done.

Rags will run from the 2nd of March until the 6th of April.

To buy tickets click here.