Acting graduate stars in new Edinburgh Fringe show
14 August 2024
Acting BA graduate Piers MacKenzie began his run portraying Daniel Radcliffe in Joshua Kaplan’s TERF earlier this month.
The show, which drew some controversy in the weeks leading up to its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe, runs until Sunday 25 August. It imagines the intervention of Harry Potter actors with author J.K. Rowling, over Rowling's statements regarding trans people.
Now two weeks into the show's run, we caught up with Piers to discuss what piqued his interest in the script and how the show is going.
What drew you to the role in TERF?
Piers: It’s a fiercely contemporary script, and I really want to be involved in projects that resonate with what’s happening in the world right now. The conversation around J.K. Rowling and her views on gender is one of those topics. Playing several characters in the play also drew me to the challenge – I like that act of transformation. As an actor, when you receive a script and think, "Yeah, this is too hard, I’m never going to be able to do this," those are exactly the ones you should take on.
How does it feel to be involved in a play that’s drawn some controversy?
Getting this kind of attention, especially at the Edinburgh Fringe where everyone is fighting tooth and nail to promote their shows, is rare, so I consider it quite fortunate! But my job isn’t to focus on what the media is saying; my job is to step on stage for 80 minutes and deliver the best performance I can.
What do you look for generally in a script?
Humour is big for me; I struggle with plays that are just consistently bleak. Really good scripts tend to haunt you, and even if you try, you can’t stop thinking about them.
What's your proudest moment so far? Do you have a favourite role you’ve played?
One of my proudest moments was acting in the film Little Hearts. Seeing my face magnified on the big screen was mostly a horrific experience—I feel like a lot of actors dread watching themselves back—but receiving feedback and support from people who watched it in cinemas around the world was really rewarding!
My favourite role was playing Dorian in an immersive production of The Picture of Dorian Gray with Midnight Circle Productions; it made me fall completely in love with Oscar Wilde’s writing. Playing a character with such a dramatic arc from sweet and innocent to terrifying and corrupt was great fun.
How did your course at Falmouth prepare you for life as an actor?
Falmouth provided a safe environment where I could take risks and not be scared to fail. Being able to experiment in rehearsal spaces has been crucial for me; that constant pursuit of finding something fresh and truthful is exactly why I love acting so much.
Falmouth also encourages actors to create their own work instead of waiting for opportunities to come to them. I worked on a project with Agnieszka Blonska in my third year that I have since turned into a solo theatre show, which I took to The Blue Room Theatre in Perth, Australia. Falmouth really encouraged me to be proactive as a creator and to make things happen!
Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?
Knowing that acting is a process of discovery and allowing myself to be nervous has been very helpful. You don't have to feel confident to take risks; if I only acted when I felt confident, I would hardly ever act. It’s important to find a balance between taking the work seriously but not taking yourself too seriously. For me, that’s when I’m at my most playful as an actor.
"As an actor, when you receive a script and think, 'Yeah, this is too hard, I’m never going to be able to do this'. Those are exactly the ones you should take on."
- Piers MacKenzie
You also get to learn from some of the best practitioners in the UK, who are still actively working in the field. Soak up everything you can from them. It’s a continuous process of finding what works for you.
Are there any other projects on the horizon you can talk about?
I’m currently re-writing my solo show Courier into a 60-minute production, which I’m hoping to tour next year!
Piers's performance in TERF has also received strong initial release reviews, including All Edinburgh Theatre: “The performances behind the Golden Trio are phenomenal, Piers Mackenzie (Daniel) embodying the quirky, snappish, sibling-like relationship. MacKenzie also plays several figures from Jo’s past, including her editor, ex-husband, and father, flitting from one character to the next with precision.”
External links
There are further reviews of TERF on Sky News, Hollywood Reporter and New York Times
More from Piers:
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