An Ode to Kate Kraay, The Queen of Hearts
Photos by Bruce Tom
Or, a Lesson in the Serious Business of Buffoonery
By Erin Brindley, Nordo Artistic Director
After more than two years of watching Kate Kraay develop her iconic Queen of Hearts, Erin wanted to share what an honor it was to collaborate with this master of comedy, and wrote the following blog post. But before we released it, Kate needed to miss a weekend and Erin stepped into her very big shoes. (Not literally. The costume shoes were too small.) Read what Erin had to say before she went on stage to cover her role. 'I just played Kate. She had already made all the best choices'.
It’s not the triumph in her bellowing, near orgasmic “Off With Her Head!” that makes Kate Kraay’s Queen of Hearts particularly special. Nor the lick-your-lips delight with which she implores the White Rabbit to skip the part about a verdict and move directly to the sentencing phase of Alice’s trial.
If you’re looking closely (and it’s almost impossible not to,) it’s the fleeting moments of confusion that drift across her face that make Kate’s Queen an exquisite work of art. She’s a cross between Donald Trump and King Lear; desperate for respect with an ever more tenuous grasp on reality.
The difference between Kate’s Queen and these titans of narcissism is that she is hysterically funny. Every look, intonation, and gesture is that of a comedy craftsperson at the height of her power.
Kate has performed The Queen of Hearts since October 28th 2021. She originated the role with Nordo’s 2021 Curiouser and Curiouser where she played both the Queen, and the White Knight, and then resumed performances on April 2nd 2022. She is the only actor in the cast who has appeared in all 70 performances to date.* And still each time I watch her I see something new. She hits her marks perfectly, every time, and makes every flick of her fingernail funny. Laugh out loud funny. “How did she do that?” funny.
Acting is a hard profession, and in many ways a young person’s game. Working with Kate, the rare seasoned performer who has spent decades honing her craft like Japanese steel, has taught me so much as a director. In the hands of a great actor, a cartoon-ish villain can become a masterclass in the balletic mastery of clowning.
I have truly treasured every moment of working with her, and her performance is, in a word, unmissable.
Kate Kraay is the Queen of Hearts in Nordo’s Down the Rabbit Hole, playing in the Knife Room through November.
KATE KRAAY Q&A
Get to Know the Queen of Hearts, actor Kate Kraay!
What is your pre-show ritual?
At around 2pm on a show day, I start putting my hair in foam rollers. It makes the most perfect cascading locks for Her Majesty, without having to scorch my hair with a hot iron. If I have time, I do a vocal warm-up at home, and if I'm rushed I have one I sing along to in the car. It's a great sight! Me in my rollers warming up with a singing straw for all the tourists on the waterfront to gape at.
What is your favorite course from Down the Rabbit Hole?
Quack quack! It's all about that duck confit for me! View the menu of Down the Rabbit Hole.
What moment comes alive for you, night after night?
Everything with QoH is about specificity. She is hyper aware of maintaining control every second. Because of that, there is an aliveness that comes naturally in this role that I revel in, so the show is full of these moments. Many of them are with the White Rabbit, who actually runs the show, so there is a constant power play between us. One moment is when he corrects me during the trial, in front of everyone, which sends me into an identity crisis, another is at the end of Maneater, when I have also briefly let go, but when WR grabs my thighs, I come back to myself with furious indignation. It's always a joy to play a Bad Bitch.
What other projects are you involved in?
For any performers reading this, I would love for them to join me at the end of August in a workshop with my mentor, international director and teacher David Glass. He is a pioneer of devised work, and I'm thrilled to be hosting him, along with Umo Ensemble, Base Experimental Arts and West of Lenin Theatre. Here is the link to the Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/1FTARvqk6
I will also be working with the David Glass Ensemble, performing in The Brides this winter, in Europe. I’m pretty stoked about that.
