Embodying Krem
We spoke with Tom Koch, lead actor and sole live performer in Nighttime Stories: A Doomed Village, Fire on the Moon’s most recent immersive experience that was staged at The Gene Frankel Theatre in New York City from January 14 through January 22. He shared insight into his unique connection to his character, other industry professionals that influence and inspire him, and some of the challenges he experienced while working within the medium of immersive theater. Read on for highlights from the interview.
What drew you to this production?
I think what drew me to this production was the fact that I had never done an Immersive Show before. I’ve always wanted to know if I could do it, get out of my comfort zone and do something new! It was also the first time that I was going to be the only live actor in a performance. It was a challenge. I feel like it’s a different kind of control over the story and the audience, there’s a sense of responsibility that excited me. I also fell in love with Krem. When Astrid told me about this character, I immediately saw the resemblance between Krem’s loneliness in the cabin and one’s loneliness during lockdown in 2020, where we don’t know who to trust anymore. Paranoia kicks in and we wonder who’s the crazy one.
How did you prepare for the role of Krem?
During rehearsal with Nicolle Márquez, we explored Krem’s physicality in extremes, using different scales, like moving very fast, very slow. Until we found a middle ground that could explain the fact that Krem had been living in complete isolation, hadn’t seen a single soul in months. The character doesn’t sleep much, maybe twenty minutes here and there. He doesn’t eat properly, has weak bones, a weak system; that affected the whole self and after embodying it, the voice and breath just fell into place. I also listened to the soundtrack many, many times. It helped me focus, and discover new things.
What was challenging about bringing this character and this script to life?
I think the biggest challenge was not having anyone to respond to. Obviously now the audience members become the missing pieces of the puzzle, but during rehearsal it was just a black box and a body, Krem. I only had my imagination to create shapes and forms and try to solve the puzzle.
As an actor, who do you look up to? From whom do you draw inspiration?
Honestly, a lot of people! This art always feels like an exchange, we take a little bit from each performance we see. I often say Helena Bonham Carter because her range is like nothing else. I’m always amazed by her characters, she can play anything and make you feel so much. More on the topic of the play, I saw a performance of Simon McBurney’s ‘The Encounter’ that really changed my relationship to theater and how to immerse an audience into a piece. I believe it’s still available online to watch, it is truly mind-blowing what he achieved.
Without giving anything away, what’s your favorite line of dialogue from A Doomed Village?
I love the first word of the play: Welcome. I love saying it multiple times. I look at the audience and depending on what I see, are they excited, scared, compassionate, confused… I want to welcome them in different ways, so they can start to enjoy and trust the story. It creates this first bond between Krem and the travelers.