Family provides a rich vein of drama for a young actress 'on-stage and off, writes Sharu Delilkan
It would appear Laurel Devenie's career fate was sealed by default. Her dad is Stuart Devenie, a national theatre treasure.
"I was dragged into dressing rooms with half-naked people," Laurel recalls. "I basically grew up
in the theatre environment. The thing that attracted me most was the community aspect of belonging to the theatre scene."
Playing one of the three siblings in Anton Chekhov's play Three Sisters, Laurel says she definitely was not pushed into acting by her father.
"In fact, I don't think Stuart was particularly happy when I opted to go to drama school," she says.
The 25-year-old, who lives in Grey Lynn, says she's really enjoyed researching Russia in the early 1900s, which is the era in which the Three Sisters story unfolds.
"I still like going to the library where I do most of my research. I find the internet useful, and I use it a lot, but it feels very much in the ether. It's not as solid as a book."
In addition to acting Laurel says she enjoys "nutting out what it means to be human. I really love the process of making theatre. It gives me the biggest joy and satisfaction."
She says it was a little strange at first knowing that all her teachers at drama school were her dad's colleagues.
"But I got over it pretty quickly because I really wanted to be there."
Nevertheless, there's a lot to learn from her father. "I am in complete awe of him." She even recently played the part of Stuart's daughter in The Tempest, which she says was "totally wonderful and felt completely natural".
"I don't ask Stuart for advice often but, when I do, his feedback is always very useful. I'm basically saving it up for when I start to direct."
Laurel has found her character, Olga, challenging and interesting. The school teacher is confined by conventional roles that have been forced on her by the head of her family and her school's headmistress.
An only child , Laurel says playing the eldest sibling has been "an eye-opener to appreciate the tension and layers that are part of sibling rivalry 'something I have never experienced".
Three Sisters, The Birdcage, 133 Franklin Rd, until Aug 30, 7.30pm Tickets: ph 970 9700 or see www.ticketmaster.co.nz
