Interview: Eva Ramirez, "Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again."

Eva Ramirez is a third-year theatre major from Decatur, GA. She is Actor #5 in Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.

Previously with UGA Theatre, you were in Machinal, another devised and experimental piece. How is this experience different from the rest? Or is the process the same as always?

Yes, I loved working on Machinal. In some ways, the process has been incredibly similar- my monologue in scene 1.4 is uninterrupted, and we’ve devised movement by building from the text. However, in ensemble work in Machinal, we often were devising within a certain realm of instructions (contact improv with a scene partner, different movements in a hospital setting, etc.). Machinal was all about the suffocating structures with which we surround women. Revolt is all about breaking those, so there’s an element of chaos there. The devising in Revolt comes from a very organic, natural place, based more off human interaction, as you’ll probably see in Act 3. It is really nice working with Elise again, I’ve worked with her every year I’ve been at UGA (Thalian Blackfriars’ production of The Effect last year). This will be our third show together, and I really treasure the creative relationship we’ve developed. There’s a certain familiarity in terms of the exercises we use to delve into the scenes, so the rehearsal space very much carries the feeling of a home in theatre to me. It is a really amazing base to have especially when the topics we’re delving into can be difficult.  

What can you tell me about who you are in the show?

The show doesn’t exactly have characters, or set, linear ones. It’s been an incredible experience to be a part of the ensemble, feeling like each person has gotten a space and time to explore their character and their cause. My part in the show deals a lot with the aspect of sexuality of the female (or of the revolt?).

Why do you think this show is important to today? What makes it relevant?

I think the show is ridiculously important. I’m sure many other people are angered at the political climate, particularly as it deals with women’s rights. It’s upsetting and angering and I get angry. It’s important to have a space where the absurdity of anger is okay. Our scene in Act One discusses the availability of the sexuality of a female body. You just have to look at the news to see discussions where people pick apart a woman’s body, choices, and experiences as if we’re inanimate objects.

Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. opens on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Get your tickets here.