I have been cast as Edna Turnblad in an upcoming production of HAIRSPRAY. It’s my first female character (and also about the closest I’ve ever come or am ever likely to come to a romantic role, but I digress). I’ve got my bra (special ordered- J cups) and tukas and requested to get my boobage asap so I can accustomed to the feel/the weight/etc., since aside from some very moderate he-hooters I’m not accustomed to anything that “points” down there. My voice is naturally deep but it’s been surprisingly easy taking it up a bit- Edna’s not supposed to be a girly-girl so her voice is deep for a woman’s anyway.
What I’m most curious about is any pointers anybody has on what most helps suspend disbelief for a cross gender performance. I don’t want to go camp (there’s some natural camp to any light comedy that cast a man as a woman, but it’s not an actual drag role- she’s a woman, not a drag queen, and I want to play her as straight as possible) but I would like to add some feminine/subtract some masculine gestures of the sort that might be taken for granted,
or some body language that might be instinctive for a woman of major girth but less so for a man of girth. I’m looking very forward to the role, but the closest I’ve ever come to women’s clothing was getting my toenails painted a couple of times, or maybe when I’ve worn kilts, so it’s terra incognita. (I am in flats, not heels- that was my one deal breaker.)
Anybody with stage experience have any pointers on dos and don’ts in pulling such a switch?
For playing women in general: connect with your hips. Men don’t use their hips as much when walking. That’s your biggest ‘tell’ and the best single physical change you can make if you are trying to play it straight.
For ‘large’ women, especially for that particular character, it’s all about trying to minimize the space you take up; visually and physically. So lots of sideways posturing, sitting on things gingerly instead of full-on, standing hip-shot or turned slightly away from whoever you’re talking to (or the audience).
Sounds very fun; good luck with it!!
In his autobiography, Tony Curtis talks about playing Josephine in Some Like It Hot. He says the key is in the walk: put one foot directly in front of the other, directly below your center of gravity. As he says, “No **man **walks like that!” (My emphasis.)
If you need a visual reference, watch how Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe) walks alongside the parked train before it vents steam on her. :o
Yup. That’s exactly the way I did it when I played Lady Bracknell.