Former Immanuel College student on stage in the West End
Shira Abkin is an understudy in Olivier-nominated The Years
Louisa Walters is Features Editor at the Jewish News and specialises in food and travel writing
Former Immanuel College pupil Shira Abkin is performing as understudy in The Years at at the Harold Pinter theatre.
Based on Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux’s masterpiece Les Années and adapted for the stage by Eline Arbo, The Years follows Annie, a woman shaped by her rapidly-changing world. We see her as a child, a student, and activist, a wife, a mother, a lover and a grandmother. Each version is portrayed through a series of snapshots and she is portrayed by five actresses. Shira will be standing in for Anjli Mohindra on 16 and 17 April and all five understudies performed a run through in front of an invited audience last month.
Shira, 29, who lives in Belsize Park, studied law and worked in PR before becoming an actress. This is the first time she has been an understudy. “One should never underestimate the challenge of the understudy role,” she says, adding that she was thrilled to have the opportunity to perform.
The Years has come under scrutiny as during many performances the performance had to be halted momentarily as audience members have taken ill during a graphic abortion scene and had to be escorted from the theatre. Rumours have been swirling that this was staged but Shira explained that each incident has been a genuine reaction.
The play has been nominated for three Olivier Awards.
The Years is at Harold Pinter Theatre until 19 April. haroldpintertheatre.co.uk
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