Having made his name playing Romeo in The Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) production of Romeo and Juliet in 2018, Gill told Eastern Eye he is glad to be back on stage with The Harmony Test, which plays Hampstead Theatre until 22 June.

In The Harmony Test, he plays one of the lead roles alongside Pearl Chanda (The House of Bernarda Alba, National Theatre; Sea Creatures, Hampstead Theatre); Jemima Rooper (One Man, Two Guvnors, National Theatre; Little Shop of Horrors, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Milo Twomey (Winter Solstice, Orange Tree Theatre) and Sandro Rosta who is making his professional debut.

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The play’s title comes from the harmony test, a non-invasive prenatal screening that checks for conditions such Down Syndrome. It also alludes to the struggles of the two couples to keep harmony in their relationships.

“This a young couple are trying to conceive, and we explore the complications of what starting a new family can ensue. And that is then juxtaposed with another couple who have been married 20 plus years; they have a daughter who’s gone to university and the demise of that relationship.

“There is a real juxtaposition of a relationship that starts with wanting to have a child and then one that’s had the child and fallen out of love with each other and everything that goes with the breakup of a connection and relationship.

“It’s all done in a very comedic, but also heartwarming and touching way of telling the story about these people in London.”

Gill revealed that he could relate to what his character Kash is going through as he is in a similar position in his own life.

“When I read it, it was so recognisable. The character Kash is an actor, so he’s going through the same sort of thing I am going through as a young actor, the same age, same part of my life where my partner and I in real life have had those conversations about kids, how can I do that being in this industry? What does that look like? The pressures that are put upon us – it really struck a chord with me.

“It changes your life (having a child). You’re not looking after yourself anymore or your partner, it’s actually another being and you have to give away a part of yourself, your ego and whatever you have for this other being who is now your responsibility pretty much until you die.

“I am always constantly asking people in this industry about having children, because we go away to do film and TV projects, it’s never really in the same spot. That’s something that’s interesting to me, as in, how do we balance that.”

Read Eastern Eye’s full interview with Bally Gill through the link below

 

The Harmony Test plays Hampstead Downstairs until 22 June.

 

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

BOOK THE HARMONY TEST HERE