Natalie Mendoza: 'It's musical theatre like no one has experienced it before'

Natalie Mendoza, who was born in Hong Kong and raised in Sydney, has enjoyed a varied acting career that has taken in Hollywood (Moulin Rouge), Broadway (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) and the BBC (Hotel Babylon). Now she is poised to make her National Theatre debut as Imelda Marcos in David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's disco musical Here Lies Love, which opens the new NT Dorfman theatre.

Here Lies Love has been described in many different ways – how do you describe it?

I think it's theatre like no one has experienced it before – and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. It breaks a lot of the rules of old school musical theatre. Alex [Timbers, director] will say to us in notes sessions, "don't get too 'musical theatre'", and we all know exactly what he means. His approach is very innovative and I think British audiences in particular will find it very different; they're going to be very involved in a way that's completely new, though there are seats for people who don't want to be in the 'mosh pit'. We use the hype of the audience to create the sort of euphoria the Philippine crowds felt during elections. It's interesting because you realise how easily people can be manipulated. So it's very clever as well as being an absolute blast.

What is it like to step into Imelda Marcos' infamous shoes?

When I first got the call I did wonder if they'd seen my shoe cupboard! She has obviously become this larger-than-life character in the collective consciousness. She is almost cartoon-like. So I did a lot of research and I realised I didn't know much about her other than this public impression. I quickly discovered that she had a very interesting life, and opinion about her is really divided in the Philippines, and not necessarily what we perceive of her in the West. It was good for me as an actor to find a more empathetic point of view, to find the human side of her and discover why she became this person. I think David Byrne [concept and lyrics] has done an amazing job of doing this. He finds an emotional truth in her, while also acknowledging her darker sides, and her very Philippine obsession with all things American. She totally bought into that, and started to believe her own myth. It's a fascinating journey – with a lot of costume changes.

Did you see the New York production?

I deliberately decided not to. As an actor I'm careful about how much I see or know about other productions. I like to approach work with a clean slate and a blank canvas. Even in rehearsal, when they ask if I want to watch videos, I don't. I love the process of discovery.

Has your British classical training helped you prepare for the role?

Absolutely. I happen to think that British training is the best in the world and I think every actor should have it. You can easily slip into a state of not being 'present' when you are weighed down by technique. And with a show such as Here Lies Love, to break those boundaries you have to be present. It's a real dance between audience and actor, which is new. This is part of a revolution in the theatre and acting worlds. I'm a big fan of the Meisner technique, and a lot of that is about bringing the actor into the present moment and being completely 'there'. To be a part of that dance with the audience, you have to be constantly aware because it changes every night.

How does it feel to be the first production in the Dorfman?

It's really exciting, a big deal. To perform at the National was always my big dream as an actor, and I loved the Cottesloe especially. What I love about the National is that it's traditional yet always cutting edge and willing to evolve. And as part of that it needs an experimental space like this [the Dorfman]. I think a lot of risky theatre will start to emerge from it and it will also allow a lot of work to transfer from America that might not have previously, with Here Lies Love being a great example. It's a bigger space [than the Cottesloe] but it retains the intimacy with the audience. You can still play with the entire room.

What prompted your acting career initially?

I come from a family of artists; my mother was a dancer and my father a jazz musician. I have six siblings and they are all artists. So it was part of our upbringing. I actually started off wanting to be a ballet dancer but then I injured my knee really badly. Then, somewhat by accident, Cameron [Mackintosh] asked me to audition for Les Mis, and I got Eponine. As a singer I have a very raw voice, and thankfully there was a trend of musicals that required that kind of voice. After moving into lead roles Baz Luhrmann came and saw me, and all of a sudden I was doing Moulin Rouge, which opened the door to the film world. I worked with both American and British actors in Hollywood, and I really took to the British actors because they really respected their craft. So I did some research and decided on Bristol Old Vic, as I wanted somewhere away from London to reinvent myself as an artist. It was life changing and one of the best moves I could have made.

In recent years you've worked on a broad range of projects, including the ill-fated Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark – how was that experience?

I was studying at an ashram in India when got a phone call saying that [director] Julie Taymor wanted me to meet her and Bono. They didn't want anyone trained in musical theatre – instead they wanted me to read a classical verse and were excited that I could do that. Then they asked if I could rock climb, and it so happens that I am a rock climber. Then they asked if I knew any Indian chants… It was so tailored to me, it almost like a joke. It was a top secret character [Arachne] that Julie had written, and apparently they'd been searching for someone for three years. But no-one ended up seeing it because I got injured, and shortly after they asked Julie to leave and the show got rewritten. So it was a bizarre and obviously devastating time. Julie is a visionary in every respect, and the character was so great, but there were problems from the beginning. You may have a roomful of geniuses but there's no guarantee that they'll gel. I also think that boundaries, in terms of scale and budget, can enforce creativity. But that project had none, it just grew too big. However, for me personally it's now come full circle because the musical director on Spiderman is now working on Here Lies Love [Kimberly Grigsby]. It's a beautiful thing to have someone in the room that has gone through something so unique with you.

How did Here Lies Love come about?

Rather similarly, this show fell into my lap at just the right time. At the time it came up I was really contemplating my career. I was enjoying teaching, and asked myself if I would ever go back to performing. But then I received an email from the National — which had actually gone to my junk mail, so it was lucky I checked there. And there couldn't have been a more specific role to me, considering my Filipino heritage. So I just said I have to go for it, and here I am.

Do you know where you might go from here?

I would love to do more stage work here, as well as continuing to do my film work, which should be possible as I have bases both here and in the States. Being an actor is such a blessing. And it's lovely as you get older, because hopefully the ego starts to break away and doesn't drive you anymore. That is why I love working with British actors; there is no room for that. It's all about doing great work.

Here Lies Love runs in the NT Dorfman until 8 January 2015