Pacharo Mzembe, actor, The Tragedy of King Richard III
Our duty of care to each other must never be forgotten – you don’t have to be larger than life to make a contribution. You’ve just gotta make a stand!
Breaking into acting is a tough task for any dramatic aspirant, but if you ask Pacharo Mzembe, acting might not even crack his top five toughest experiences. Arriving in Australia as a political refugee at age 5 from Zimbabwe in 1993, Pacharo faced numerous challenges from an early age but after leaving high school with an interest in acting, Pacharo earned a spot at the Australian Acting Acadmeny, which was followed by entry to the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) at the age of 17. Since completing his education, Pacharo has scored roles in Underbelly Razor, Queensland Theatre Company’s The Mountaintop and La Boite’s hit production of Prize Fighter. Just as his career was blossoming, Pacharo took time out to traverse Australia on a 70-day Run Of Awareness – spotlighting the plight of educational equality in Australia and around the world. It almost goes without saying that Pacharo is an exceptionally dedicated individual, setting him apart from his peers and one to watch at all times. Pacharo is performing with La Boite Theatre Company in The Tragedy of King Richard III this month, so we jumped at the chance to ask him about his choice to become and actor, what we can expect from his current role and what drives and inspires him to achieve greatness.
I’d love to know what first sparked your interest in acting! Where did you first encounter the dramatic arts and what was it that hooked you?
My acting journey started at Ipswich Boys Grammar school, with a successful audition to join the AAA (Australia Acting Academy) scholarship program. This all happened in Year 12 which led to me auditioning for, and gaining entry to NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Arts). What hooked me was the power of storytelling – most of the way I looked at the world was based on the films and actors who had had a positive influence on me as a kid. I wanted to be someone else’s Denzel Washington or Sidney Poitier – both positive influences on me.
Do you remember your first performance in front of an audience?
My first performance in front of a crowd was at NIDA in an exercise called ‘Rock Star’. All first year students had to select a rock star – living or dead and study everything about them. Walk, talk and perform a hit single of that rock star in front of faculty and students. I selected Ray Charles and performed ‘This Little Girl of Mine’. From that moment I knew I could act in front of many people and not just hope to do film. The theatre bug bit me!
Based on your current success I’d assume you’d have taken to acting like a duck to water – was that the case?
Thank you for the compliment! But no, I didn’t take to it like a duck to water. I’ve always had trouble with the English language. I avoided reading as a result and opted for films and documentaries to keep up with my education. I also avoided voicing my opinions in classes as I was easily misunderstood with my choices of words. I read a lot now – drama school gave me that. Overall, I stick to my simple rule in acting which I have used from the very start, ‘commit’.
Tell us about The Tragedy of King Richard III – what drew you to this production and the character you play?
The production was not released to the actors before the audition. It is very important to note it is not an adaptation but a new work from Marcel Dorney and Dan Evans. My attraction to the production was more about intrigue and also having the opportunity to work in an ensemble with great performers in Helen Howard, Amy Ingram, Naomi Price and artistic director Todd Macdonald. I also wanted to extend more on the chats I had with the director Dan Evans on the confusing legacy of ‘Richard’.
The show is based on the iconic play by William Shakespeare – what direction has the ensemble taken to make it new and exciting in this rendition?
I won’t disclose too much as it is a work that needs to be seen! It’s exciting, intelligent and I think ‘blockbuster’-worthy with some sequences that have been woven in.
What do you think people will enjoy about the production as a whole, and what do you hope they take away from the experience?
I think people will enjoy the fact that it is not just an adaptation and that a lot of work has gone on historically both in Shakespeare’s Richard III and the real man – England’s ‘Last Warrior King’. Never stop digging for your own truth in a story. Always question popular belief even if it’s true.
Over the past five years you’ve had some incredible roles and numerous achievements, but what would you consider to be your career highlight so far?
My career highlight as an actor was performing in La Boite Theatre’s Prize Fighter. It was a great story from Future D. Fidel and I had the opportunity of sharing the stage with my brother. As an non-actor the Run Of Awareness is easily my career highlight. It changed the way I look at the world.
You took some time away from acting in 2012 to raise awareness of inequality in educational opportunities in Australia and around the world with the Run Of Awareness. Can you tell us what inspired you to start the project and how it went?
We’ve only got a limited amount of time in life. And in every moment there’s a lot less of it. So the words, “you either stand for something or your going to fall for anything” rang truer in my life at the inception of the Run Of Awareness than ever before. It was inspired by my father’s story and the need to assist him in the completion of secondary school in our home country of Malawi. The Run Of Awareness was my stand against ignorance. It was a fight to bring to light the power of education and the importance of ensuring every child in the world is at least given the opportunity of receiving a quality education. The stand was intended to remind us all of the capacity we each possess to inspire each other through our own acts of courage. Our duty of care to each other must never be forgotten – you don’t have to be larger than life to make a contribution. You’ve just gotta make a stand!
Are you still active in the fight for education equality? Do you have any more plans for more awareness campaigns (maybe another gigantic run) in the future?
Yes I am, in a different way. I am now a self-taught coder in HTML 5, PHP, JQUERY, CSS and Javascript. I am constantly networking with my developer friends and am in the process of creating an app merging all my passions of acting, business and advocacy. The app will be hosted at pacharomzembe.com and will offer solutions and ideas for most of what me and my friends feel we can offer to the next generation.
What is one role you’d love to tackle in the future?
I would love to play my own father in a feature film, which tells the story of why the Run Of Awareness took place. The film is a biographical telling of my father’s life underground as a freedom fighter for Malawi as the 70-day Run Of Awareness journey plays out across the Australian desert.
What inspires you in life? Do you have any words of wisdom to share?
People inspire me in life. Most of my inspiration comes from inspirational stories and achievements. My words of wisdom would be – “Be Unafraid. Live your unafraid lifestyle”. Life is too short to be fearful!
You can purchase tickets to The Tragedy of King Richard III now through the La Boite website. The production will be staged from May 21 to June 11.