LILIT LESSER, they/he (pronouns) are a brilliant actor that has shone in Film, Theatre, TV and Cabaret. Lilit is perhaps best known for playing Princess Mary in BBC’s last instalment of Wolf Hall, as well as We Were the Lucky Ones and Vanity Fair.
On stage the versatile actor has performed in a wide array of roles in productions as diverse as Macbeth, The Confessions and Angry Bitches Anonymous.
Lilit is now back treading the boards in WHO IS CLAUDE CAHUN? at the Southwark Playhouse from the 18th of June to 12th of July.
Over the Shoulder was lucky enough to sit down with the talented Lilit to discuss their new project, their rituals before going on stage, as well as tree surgery and history!
So, lets explore the world of Lilit Lesser.
Congratulations on your role Claude Cahun in Who is Claude Cahun? coming to Southwark Playhouse from the 18 June – 12 July. Can you tell me about playing Claude and what the play is about?
It is about Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore who are so much less known than they really should be.
These two incredible artists and people were born at the end of the nineteenth century and became very active in the interwar years in Paris in the lesbian scene. They were part of the surrealist art movement, although they very much did their own thing too.
The play follows their relationship and their resistance during the occupation of Jersey by the Nazis.
What drew you to this project and have you always been a history fan?
I love doing projects that shine a light on history. It’s interesting because ‘The Mirror and The Light’ (the life of Thomas Cromwell during the reign of Henry the 8th) was a very different and unique retelling of a part of history that we all know very well, and yet this project is different in that it’s an untold story of history. So, it’s been useful to highlight these characters story as I think it is one that should be more widely known.
That was a big draw for me in being part of it. To spread this message as it is an inspiring story of queer, love and realism.
I’ve always been a huge history nerd. Different times really capture my interest in different ways. I’ve always found the cold war era very interesting but then also medieval times and ancient Jewish history. I’m Jewish, so all parts of Jewish history and the Jewish diaspora are interesting to me.
I don’t think there’s a part of history that doesn’t fascinate me to be honest.
How are rehearsals going and are there any scenes that are tricky to rehearse?
It’s been quite an interesting structure because we’ve just had one week of rehearsal and then doing a tour of workshops where we present three scenes that are unfinished. It’s quite strange to be presenting them to little audiences in this workshop setting.
However, it has been interesting and beautiful to get people’s feedback.
There are some scenes that I find quite tricky because they deal with the misogyny, transphobia and antisemitism that Claude faced. It’s quite emotional having to access that place and go through that. I’m hoping that we will find a way to subvert that and honour the immense power, courage and strength that Claude had despite of those challenges.
Do you have any rituals that you go through before you set foot on stage?
I’m always super curious about people’s rituals, in the theatre especially. I love how specific some of them are.
Mine will often change. I make sure I warm up nicely. I find that very helpful, just really getting into my body or sometimes shake quite a lot.
I really like having matcha (green tea), although I developed a bad habit of having soft mints when I was working at the National last year!
I just love soft mints. I would sometimes get such a passion for them that I would eat so many that my jaw would be too tired to act. I wouldn’t recommend it!
Are there any words that director David Furlong has said to you to help you get into the character?
Not particularly as he is very trusting of what emerges. He’s very interested in the connection between the actors and the relationships that come out.
He said something about “earthiness” that really resonated with me which makes a lot of sense. It’s so hard to pin down Claude’s character because they are so in their nature of moving between identities and not able to be pinned down as one particular thing.
So, it’s a real challenge as an actor to approach that empathy and not to make assumptions or let my modern ideas impose anything on them.
I want to honour the paradox of wanting to honour who they are, but that being said the biggest question is that like them, perhaps I don’t know who I am, or I could be so many different things.
You trained at Ecole International theatre and National Youth theatre. Did you enjoy it there and was drama school important to your later success?
I never really wanted to train in one place for a long time. I was with National Youth Theatre for years and they shaped me so much. They were the most formative years as a young person and I’m so grateful to that institution and the people I met through that.
Later, I was torn, and I went to Ecole for just a very brief time. I wanted to learn on the job which I was lucky enough to be able to do.
I also wanted to learn from a multitude of different places and people. I felt going to another country was important to me.
I really love languages and gained another perspective in doing Shakespeare or improvisation in a language that wasn’t my first. It was really freeing. I always wondered what it would be like if I’d stayed in one institution for a long time.
For me, it was just the right mixture.
Would you ever want to do a theatre show or TV or film in a different language such as French or Spanish?
That would be my absolute dream.
How important is it to be telling this story which is a vital chapter of trans and queer history, as it isn’t talked about enough?
It feels like the most important thing to be telling these stories, particularly now with the far-right on the rise in every sphere and the threat of being sanctioned. This is more a non-binary and transmasculine story, but it makes you aware of how hostile our country is, particularly to trans women now. I think stories like these are so important, now more than ever.
It was special to deliver the workshop the other day. We had such a range of people in the workshop from young children to school-age kids, some of whom were trans and that was really moving for me to sort of see myself in them. I was thinking about what it was like for me at that age as a queer person and I felt I’ve got everything to learn from them as a new generation.
Also, older queer people have turned to me and said, “thank you so much, we are not represented enough.”
From the little bits that we showed of the play, they said they felt seen. They were very moved, and that just meant the world.
You have been lucky enough to work in Theatre, Film and TV, do you have a favourite medium?
It’s a tough one. I love screen and theatre for such similar and different reasons.
I love theatre because of how transporting it is and how immediate and embodied that world is. You can really lose yourself in the story. The process of being in a rehearsal room, which you don’t get so much of on screen is so special. To be with a group of people and to just go so deeply into something and play with improvising and creating things in the room is wonderful.
Then there is the strange alchemy of sharing something live.
But then I also love screen because I love how completely present the feeling of worlds blending into each other is. You can’t escape, there’s two realities happening at the same time.
You’re so completely in the Tudor Court and at the same time somewhere in Dorset with a huge crew of people. Everyone’s doing their own amazing highly specialized thing all around you, and it’s just chaos. I love that these two realities can be butting into one another at the same time. I find that special and bizarre in the best way.
I love both. I do find the issue with theatre a little bit knackering but in in the loveliest way. I just want to do all of it.
Who would you want to play you in a movie or play?
Oh my gosh. That’s a hard question. I’m not sure I know enough about myself to be able to answer!
If you weren’t an actor, what profession would of you liked to of done?
I think maybe something in nature. I’ve always really loved nature.
When I was in a bit of a quarter-life crisis, I looked up what it would take to be a tree surgeon. I got disappointed because I wanted it to be about taking care and nurturing trees, but really, it’s more about cutting them down for the safety of humans.
I have nothing against humans, but I wanted it to be a bit more about the trees! I don’t want to cut trees down to make way for roads, I want to care for them.
The first job I ever remember wanting to do was to oversee the giraffes in a zoo or a nature reserve. Also, maybe translating which I’ve done a bit of, but would love to do more.
After, ‘Who is Claude Cahun?’ what’s next? Is it movies or theatre?
I can’t talk about it yet, possibly some more theatre which would be wonderful.
Lilit Lesser is an inspiration to all those facing discrimination, not only through their truthful and human portrayals on stage and screen, but as an advocate for inclusivity and tolerance in society.
Over the Shoulder is proud to have had the chance to gain some insight into Lilit’s life and career and will be in the front row when ‘Who Is Claude Cahun’ opens.
Can’t wait.