‘Motherhood has relaxed me in many ways. I have learnt to deal with crisis. I’ve become a juggler, I suppose. It’s all a big circus, and nobody who knows me believes I can manage, but sometimes I do.’ – Jane Seymour

You don’t really know what an experience is like, of course, until you have it yourself. Parenting is emotionally and intellectually draining but one of the most stunning Bond girls (Live and Let Die) is happily enjoying the role of mother and granny, at her age of 65. ‘I love my children and grandchildren because it keeps me young with them around, and I cant imagine my life without them,’ the Hollywood actress said.

In ‘The Vortex’, despite being a glamorous and flamboyant socialite, as a mother, Florence Lancaster is willing to sacrifice for her son, Nicky (Alex Spinney), realizing that Nicky is agonizing emotionally upon the discovery of her scandalous behaviour. Nicky confronts Florence Lancaster over her appalling lifestyle but she retaliates against him over his own. They fight, they scream, they cry, they abuse each other until, with both exhausted, the play reaches its climax. It is one of the greatest bits in this play.

Having raised 6 children, who better to portray the intense motherly love within Florence Lancaster than the graceful and elegant Jane Seymour?

Presented by British Theatre Playhhouse, ‘The Vortex’ is a play about sexual vanity and emotional dependency. During its 1924 premiere in London, ‘The Vortex’ created a public sensation, which also made a star out of its playwright and then lead actor, Noel Coward.

Ashlogue sat down with Jane Seymour in Swissotel to find out more about the lady herself. Read on to how amazingly proud our star lady is of her children.

Having starred as Bond girl in Live and Let Die and later the titular role in the TV series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, what inspires you to make appearance in your Asian theatre debut, The Vortex this time?

J: Oh, t’was in my 20s (she laughed) as a Bond girl! I have been in the industry for about 56 years. This show is also a platform for charity fund raising. I was at the art-for-charity gala that was held on April 29 at Raffles Hotel. In conjunction with this theatre debut, we will also be supporting Red Cross to help Syrian refugees who are desperately in need of medical aid.

Share with us a little about your role in ‘The Vortex’…

J: Florence Lancaster is set in the world of 1920s London high society and the show is now happening at Raffles Hotel Singapore. She is a narcissistic socialite yearning for her younger days, dating a man half her age. It appears that Florence refuses to grow old but hey, everyone wants to feel young. I am still young and 65 is the new 40!

You are a ballerina too! So, would you consider producing movies casting as a ballerina in near future?

J: No. When I was 13, I got a partial scholarship to an arts school and got great training in every form of the arts, which included a lot of ballet. I had also danced with the Kirov ballet at Covent Garden and was a ballerina in a film called The Only Way. If you watched the James Bond film I did, Live and Let Die, there’s a sequence where if I wasn’t a dancer, I couldn’t have been carried the way I was into the air. But I never kept up with dancing after my back was injured.

I know it is really challenging to be a mother of 6. So Jane, tell us about your children and how did you celebrate Mother’s day? 

J: Mother’s day? Be a bad mom! (She laughed again) They are great, they have very interesting professions and they are good kids. So, I am very lucky. The youngest ones (the twins!) are at 20, one of them sings Rock n’ Roll and he is a fantastic musician. The other one is playing baseball at a very high level in college. My daughter, Katherine Flynn is an actress and also a screen writer. My son, Sean M. Flynn is a great fine art photographer and videographer. He was here in Singapore and he took the most beautiful pictures here, which everybody loved. He also took pictures of us in ‘The Vortex’. He shows in gallery all of them to the world.

Throughout your life journey in the filming industry, what’s the most challenging moment and what keeps you motivated, after so many years?

J: I always try something different. I did some great roles recently in movies that were very challenging. I would say that ‘The Vortex’ has been one of the biggest challenges because I haven’t been doing live theatre for 35 years and that’s a long time. It’s a huge role, and a great one. Now it doesn’t feel so much like a challenge but rather an incredible opportunity. It makes me want to do more theatre.

And congratulations to Granny Seymour again, check out her newest grandchild Luna and her journey in Singapore!

Treat yourself to a night out at the theatre and purchase tickets before they are gone!

Love.Sex.Betrayal
THE VORTEX by Noel Coward
27 April until 14 May 2016
Raffles Hotel, Jubilee Hall Theatre
Tuesday – Friday 8pm | Saturday: 4pm & 8pm

Credits:
Photos courtesy of Shaun Tay, British Theatre Playhouse

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