Meet the Actor: A Theatre33 Interview with Irina Lazutkina

Tell us about yourself.

I am from Sankt Petersburg, engineer by training. Since childhood, I have loved theater. I performed in amateur productions at school and in college, but the professional actor has always remained a mystery to me. It’s not just a person who “acts.” It is both a mirror and a guide—someone who lives other lives in order to convey something important to the audience. That is what I want to learn, and this is why I joined Scarlet Sails. Working on a role with our team partners is incredibly exciting when a dry script can come to life, how much can be expressed without words, and how stepping onto the stage can become either a revelation or a failure. Theater is not just a stage, sets, and roles. It is a living moment where everything is real, even if it is imagined.

What is your earliest memory of wanting to be an actor?

I remember my very first role as a little girl, in a homemade performance at my grandmother’s house when I was six. I was full of wonder, completely alive in that moment, and for the first time I dreamed of becoming an actress—while my family saw a different path for me.

Which actor—past or present—do you most admire, and why?

I like a number of actors Russian, American, Israeli and French. It is hard for me to pick one, Audrey Hepburn comes to mind as an actress who can be naturally anybody as she can feel the character and live in it.  

What’s the most challenging role you’ve played, and what did you learn from it?

Miss Gluck in Tennessee Williams “Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur” – she is lonely and depressed. Everybody sees her as a crazy person, but she has her feelings and hopes. It was hard to get into this role. I learned that actress has to get deep inside the character, see herself in her body and mind.

How do you approach developing a character?

Read about time and place where the character lives, what specifics of the character, whom she is interacting. What push her to make the choice or miss it.

What’s your process for preparing for a role, from first read to opening night?

Read the script, think and work on developing the character, lot’s of practice at home and rehearsals. Working with the team and trust our producer and teacher. Opening night is always a nervous time, but we are the team and we support each other.

Do you have any pre-show rituals or superstitions?

Yes, we have. It’s our little secret.

How do you handle stage nerves or performance anxiety?

I am part of the team and I can not let my team down, I have to do what needs to be done.

How do you memorize lines and stay in character throughout a performance?

Yes.

Have you ever had a major on-stage mishap? How did you recover?

Not major, but ones I forgot a few lines. It was not very important, just funny. My partner continues and looked at me as it never happened. It was helping a lot.

What’s the most unforgettable moment you’ve experienced on stage?

Spectators reactions, when they appreciated the play.

What’s a dream role you’d love to play one day?

Agatha Christie's Miss Maple.

What’s the biggest lesson theatre has taught you?

You have to live in the character body, be that person. Theatre is life even imaginary, but real when you get in the stage.

How do you balance rehearsals, performances, and the rest of your life?

This is not easy, but I have very supportive family.

What advice would you give to someone new to acting?

Listen, trust your producer and work with the team.