What drew you to this role?
I have a deep admiration for Sondheim. This role in particular is interesting to me because Bobby’s issues are very real and exist in every male, albeit to differing degrees. It’s a constant battle between settling down and freedom.
Would you personally rather be single or attached?
I’m pretty much a nester. I like making a home and being able to share it with someone.
Share a funny event that happened during rehearsal.
Well, there’s a pretty intimate scene where my co-star is looking really seductive lying in bed and I’m on top of her. She has to sit up to deliver her next line. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite master the timing of it, so she sat up before I could move, and what was supposed to be a romantic scene fast became a scene where I had a bruised eye, she had a bruised head and everyone else had bruised ribs from laughing!
What’s the most challenging part of this production?
I’ve had to examine a lot of my own beliefs and convictions when looking at this role. That can be a very scary thing. I also had to draw upon my own personal experiences, which is always a daunting.
What would you like audiences to take away from this performance?
To allow ourselves to love and to be loved: truly, deeply and with sincerity.
Peter Ong performs in Company on November 1-11, 8pm at The Drama Centre, National Library.
