“I hate auditions so much, I’m horrific at them”, states singer Camille O Sullivan matter of factly.
It’s just as well then that Elizabeth Freestone, director of The Rape of Lucrece, Camille’s latest production spotted the singer onstage in Edinburgh a few years ago and thought her perfect to interpret the Shakespeare poem.
In fact, O Sullivan tells The Green Room there are only two auditions she has done that she’s proud of. One of them was for Stephen Frear’s film ‘Mrs Henderson Presents’ with Judi Dench
“When I got the audition I couldn’t believe it. I was trembling so much. They joked,‘do you want a water?’
I said ‘I need a whiskey’. They said later ‘you got the part on that alone’”
Camille has already taken The Rape Of Lucrece to Australia and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before bringing it to Dublin as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.
Reviews internationally have been glowing, not that the Cork born singer would know. She never reads reviews of her own work.
“I never read the reviews, I just can’t”.
The production which is 50% spoken 50% sung has opened up more potential avenues for the artist.
“It’s really excited me. Now I’m thinking what about Beckett, how could we interpret his work?”
“It’s opened up a new world for me. I used to be embarrassed, I’m not a singer songwriter from Ireland but now it has made me understand that what I do is always to interpret work.
Listen here for the full interview with Camille O Sullivan on The Green Room with Orla Barry
Camille O Sullivan appears in The Rape Of Lucrece at the O Reilly Theatre in Dublin between October 10th-12th 2013 as part of Dublin Theatre Festival
The Green Room now airs at the new time of 9pm-11pm on Saturday evenings
