Talent can win games, but an individual commitment to a project is what makes teamwork and people successful because teamwork and intelligence are the ability to work together toward a common vision.
The Imo state born and University of Port Harcourt thespian, Francis Duru is a team player, professionally trained theatre practitioner, actor, master of ceremony, model, director and a true visionary leader who has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He did not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent as a good communicator committed to his passion for honesty and integrity.
In this interview Perekeme Odon, Francis highlighted his job as the Senior Medical Officer on Ola Rotimi's Hopes Of The Living Dead concert, produced and directed by Ovunda Ihunwo on October 1, 2021, at The Arena, Tombia Street, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt.
 | |||||
| Francis Duru |
PO: When you were younger, did you dream of going on to work in the entertainment industry as an actor?
Francis Duru: No
PO: Can you tell me what inspired you to pursue acting as a career?
Francis Duru: It was a chance/ opportunity waiting for the JAMB result in 1989/90.
PO: How long have you been performing as an actor?
Francis Duru: Since 1989
PO: Where did you get your start?
Francis Duru: Port Harcourt: Sette Productions (Pa Paul Worika) and Wizi Travelling Theatre (Professor Innocent Ohiri).
PO: What was the first stage/theatre production experience like?
Francis Duru: Awesome, tough but joyful.
PO: What initially drew you to pursuing a career in acting?
Francis Duru: Academics: Got trained academically and got inspired to embark on it professionally.
PO: You're in the cast of the play Hopes of the Living Dead. A drama of struggle, which figuratively depicts the diversity of our society as the play's Senior Medical Officer, how well prepared are you?
Francis Duru: As ready as now.
 |
| Franicis Duru & Charles Inojie |
PO: Diction refers to both word choice and vocal expression or enunciation, and sentence structure is an important linguistic component of the playwright's style. It is through this element that a writer's thoughts, sentiments, and emotions are communicated to his audience. How do you intend to accomplish this in a play set in the pre-independence years of 1928-1932, depicting the characters' battle for the right to exist and live in dignity in society?
Francis Duru: The actor prepares psychologically, emotionally, physically. The director is a guide, the playwright has given tremendous insight into character delineation, the actor puts all that into place to birth the character. It is an ensemble, collaborative endeavour. Diction, language is a medium through which all these manifest. In-depth collaboration with the director in line with his character mould for the character can place the character within a geographical, socio-cultural context, status, etc. Which determine character portrayal? Diction/speech remains but the logical calculation of the thought of the character is expressed in intelligible language flavoured to suit the status, socio-cultural dimensions of the character. The director and the actors work towards this for the common good of the production.
PO: Do you think Ikoli Harcourt Whyte would have realized his potential and been cured if the lepers had not been brought to Uzoakoli?
Francis Duru: Multiple dimensions to that, and left to the audience to deduce.
PO: What methods would you employ to build a credible character for the Senior Medical Officer of 1928 as a well-trained theatre artist with years of experience and familiarity with the Konstantin Stanislavski acting theory? Are you, on the other hand, learning a brand-new acting method specifically for this project?
Francis Duru: Theories are but a guide, there is an unconscious pathway the actor goes through, it does not follow any theoretical framework. As the actor garners more experience, he becomes knowledgeable in character interpretation- thus he remains the chief interpreter and sometimes the tools he uses are wrapped in the mystery of the creative process. Until he deliberately studies his thought processes towards moulding character, he may not decipher which theory he is using, has used, or may use. The ultimate aim for the actor is to mould a believable character and to achieve emotional reality. If all actors deliberately study their thought processes, we will have theories greater than the Stanislavskis, Messners, you name them and many other great minds. Every acting book is a cumulative documented piece of an actors experience, thus every actor is an acting book that has not been written. Acting is a deep psychological process wrapped in a mystery like Shakespeare would say {“ There is no art to know the minds reconstruction”}.
PO: The drama shows what we face on a daily basis. Do you understand that no government has ever kept every promise it has made?
Francis Duru: It’s a known fact. Ola Rotimi was a prophet of his time, maybe his bespectacled nature made him see the future with graphic details as in “hopes of the living dead”(On a lighter note).
PO: Since Lee Strasberg's method of acting, which draws personal connections from the actor's feelings and experiences to create lifelike and realistic portrayals of the characters by using sensory memory, may not be present in your role in Hopes of the Living Dead, how do you improve your acting skills by using various acting techniques like Meisner's truth-based techniques and Chekhov's psycho-physical techniques?
Francis Duru: Study. Every actor is an acting book, every movie an acting class. Evaluating and having critical overviews on actors’ performances local or international, remains a learning process, it also helps me to be a better actor especially as I learn from them.
PO: When working with other actors, actors are required to play roles with precision, flexibility, and strong personal interpretational abilities. What role and actor are you most looking forward to seeing in this play?
Francis Duru: I have built myself to act without inhibitions. Acting is a collaborative art. Professor Emaselu likens it to “ A relay race baton technique” exemplified in the philosophy of the frog in Ola Rotimis Kurumi. “Bumi-Mbuo” “Mbuo- Bumi” “ Give me I take, I take I give you” (paraphrasing). I’m always ready to work with all, irrespective of status, sociological ties, adding value to all. It is a symbiotically- tied experience.
PO: Can you tell us about your personal interactions with Prof. Ola Rotimi, the playwright?
Francis Duru: He berated me for a big blunder on stage, which bothers on safety for the actor, I took a stupid risk all in the name of improvisation on stage. I cut myself while on stage in the play, (Spokesman for the Oracle Directed by Professor Barclays Ayakoroma Uniport Theatre) he noticed and sent for me at the end of the play, he literally flogged me, I was driven to his house and he gave me a meal of yam and stew with beef and told me something which remains my biggest award as an actor, I have held that and kept it so close to my chest- it has become a guiding principle till today.
PO: Talent or training, in your opinion, is more significant for an actor?
Francis Duru: Training, training.
 |
| Rehearsal Session |
PO: As a professional in both fields, how does acting in a film vary from acting in a theatre/stage play?
Francis Duru: Define the medium of expression. On stage the medium is manual raw vocals. On Set, vocals are electronically amplified. Theatre requires more physicality, set requires less in delivery and expression, the camera makes it easier for the actor, stage calls for psychological immediacy.
PO: How do you rehearse a scene if the other actors with whom you need to engage are not available?
Francis Duru: Rehearsals come in different modes, understanding your script, finding the subtext, creating various contextual climes that surround the character and learning your lines are part of the rehearsals. Exchange in dialogue can always be done with standbys, double cast or anyone as may be available it does not pose any problem but there must be that one rehearsal which brings the actors concerned together.
PO: How do you respond when you receive a negative performance review?
Francis Duru: I look into criticism with objectivity and keep sentiments apart. Probe the criticism and you will find gold in it. Criticism is all part of the mix, I mean constructive criticism, no work of art functions without it, it is in line with ethics and practice.
PO: To be successful as an actor, one must have a thorough understanding of the character they are portraying in great detail. What actions do you take to thoroughly comprehend the significance of your character to the story??
Francis Duru: Character interpretation is a complex, spontaneous, psychological activity, critical thinking is key, and spontaneity is a constant. I do not have laid down techniques. As the thought process is on course, the memory bank is at work, aspects of imagination, observation, exploration of one’s innermost resources are at play. Critical thinking is on course, when critical thinking is on course, one can now boldly say that critical thinking remains a paradigm for character building and interpretation. (On a lighter note, at least naa this one fit be my own theory. Francis Duru theory on a lighter note aka lol)
 |
| Francis Duru |
PO: Can you tell me about your most recent stage experience?
Francis Duru: “Tony wants to Marry” Drive In Theatre, seamless, cool and enjoyable.
PO: How do you combine your professional and personal lives, because I see you living both lives at the same time?
Francis Duru: It’s a call to action to do all and apportion appropriate priority to all without hurting the other. Multitasking experience.
PO: How do you deal with squabbles between yourself and the directors?
Francis Duru: Talk it over, it’s not an ego thing. Diplomacy is key, keep shoulders down, listen to each other, do not talk to show you know or trying to impress, just express towards the concerns of the play. Superior wisdom rules, no one is the sole repository of knowledge. Nothing in life is conclusive.
PO: Describe your most difficult theatrical role to date.
Francis Duru: 84 years old German, the right part of his body stroke ridden, tobacco-smoking academician, Dr Karl Abrahamzick. I was in my certificate course in Theatre Arts then, a new undergraduate student doing final year directing project for Dr Dike Nwachukwu with Prof Femi Osofisan as external examiner. Second one is Dr Guinea Byrd; Directed by Dr Carrol Dawes, pray she is still alive, written by Gwyneth Dawes, play titled Guinea Byrd, 1989/90. They all required in-depth characterization that till today, I still can’t fathom how that happened. Then “Sizwe Banzi Is Dead” by Athol Fugard directed by Nwafor Friday.
PO: Whom do you regard to be your acting role model, and why do you want to emulate their career?
Francis Duru: I do not emulate, I learn from them a lot. Denzel Washington & Alfredo James Pacino are my role models. Joke Silva & RMD - They inspire me and remain human institutions of learning in acting.
PO: What was your longest-running stage role?
Francis Duru: Dr. Byrd, 3 hours on transverse stage.
PO: A message to you fans on what to experience on the performance of the play, Hopes Of The Living Dead.
Francis Duru: Have a date with this beautiful piece from the master, it’s a time to cherish, bring the family. Theatre is life, come and have a wonderful experience.
This is profound
ReplyDelete