Drew Stroud is all set to take Edinburgh Fringe audiences on “a tilt-a-whirl trip through the mind and letters of Vincent Van Gogh”. I have caught up with him before the festival begins.
How do you deal with stage nerves?
I believe that nerves are half the reason we do this thing called acting! I can’t imagine not having that jolt before I perform as it would just take out part of the joy of creation. I have learned not to try to fight the nerves, but instead to lean in and use them in my performance. Nerves are just my excitement and passion represented by anxiety and fear. So, I acknowledge what I am feeling and let it guide me through the first moments of the show until my fear has been replaced by passion.
Favourite and worst thing about performing?
Performing for me, especially with the nature of this random/chaotic show, is all about discovering the moments as they happen. I am a very improvisational theatre-forward actor wherein the base concept is to always be present in the moment (which is obviously not a foreign concept with acting either). All that said: I love discovering new moments in shows. When not doing a solo show, I love truly connecting with a scene partner and observing a slight change in their body language or delivery and finding those moments of play. In solo work this exists as well, as you tell your stories and find how the world affects you differently. There’s just something refreshing about a piece being alive and breathing that is so rewarding.
The worse thing about any solo show is the vocal and physical pressure it puts on your body. Delivering 55 minutes of a constant monologue is demanding. Repeat that every day for a month, it is definitely a toll on the body. It’s worth it in the long run but definitely something to mark and monitor to ensure I’m delivering the best performance I can.
In one sentence why should someone come to see your show?
Van Gogh’s beautiful genius emerged from chaos in his life, his mind, and his relationships—this show’s intentional lack of structure lets you experience a glimpse of his all-consuming madness.
Name one other show that you plan on seeing at the Fringe.
There are four different Van Gogh themed shows at the Festival this August. I’d like to see all of them, just to experience other artists interpretation of his journey. The Van Gogh Shogh, Vagabond Skies: The Van Gogh Musical, Vincent: His Quest to Love and Be Loved and of course, Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh.
What’s next?
After the Festival, I’ll return to the States to do another run of the production with a local theatre company in our city of New Orleans. I am sure there will be other plans in the future, but that is the most immediate one.
Exhausted Paint: The Death of Van Gogh by Justin Maxwell
By Justin Maxwell Featuring Drew Stroud Aug 1-23 (no Sundays, no Aug. 6 or 13)
thespace@Sugeons’ Hall Haldane Theatre
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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