The highlight of her collaboration with actress Charlie Chan Dagelet? For director Daria Bukvić, who cast her as Desdemona in the successful performance Othello (2020), that was a video on Instagram. Dagelet had stolen a creepy wig with a white-blonde flowerpot haircut from the production, making her a strange kind of albino version of Heino. In that disguise – including red and black Christmas sweater – she mimes Tony Holidays Tanze samba with mir (“Du bist so heiss wie ein Vulkan”), complete with the woodenly cheerful motor skills of a German pop star from the 1970s. Bukvić: ‘I broke down. Really, I couldn’t get over, so hilarious.’
Of course, emphasizes Bukvić, Dagelet played in Othello a very beautiful, powerful Desdemona. “When I auditioned, I immediately fell in love with her. She is technically very good, and at the same time very charming and engaging.’ But she just wants to say that Dagelet also has other unexpected qualities. “I really hope to see her again in a big comedic role.”
Change
Charlie Chan Dagelet (35) has been around as an actress for a while. She was already seen in the series as a 17-year-old Mountains Insideand the movies The passion fruit and Silent Night† Since the Amsterdam drama school, where she graduated in 2010, she has written a long series of roles in TV series, from Line 32, Bluff and A’dam – EVA until more recently High Flyers, Commandos and Mocro Mafia† And yet, says director Daria Bukvic, it seemed for a long time that she was not being offered the really interesting roles. Something has changed in that regard for a few years, culminating in the beautiful title role in the performance Laura H. van Toneelgroep Oostpool, last season – a performance that earned her a nomination for the important theater prize Theo d’Or.
And now another special leading role follows: that of Medea in Mama Medea at Theatergroep Suburbia. Then she plays a woman on revenge in the stage version of Django Unchained† Later this year, Dagelet can also be seen in the new Dutch Netflix series Dirty Lines†
Actress and best friend Hannah Hoekstra heaves a sigh. “That’s so fair.” And although the recognition may have taken a while, it is not ‘late’, she believes. ‘Peaking early is overrated in this profession. No, it’s just right on time.’
They know each other from the first year of drama school. Hoekstra: ‘It was love at first sight. For me then. Because at first I thought: that one is way too cool for me. Out of my league† Fortunately that turned out not to be the case.’ It was a difficult start, their whole class had to repeat the year. That had a big effect on Charlie, says Hoekstra. “Then she goes into her shell.”
Dagelet: ‘I was afraid to make mistakes and I was very upset. At school this was confused with disinterest or arrogance. No, that wasn’t the best time. I totally imploded, thought it was scary, didn’t dare. I feel like I only learned the trade in practice.’
Artist family
Daria Bukvić suspects that this fear of failure is related to the family from which Dagelet comes. Her mother is viola player Esther Apituley, her father is actor Hans Dagelet. Half-sisters Tatum and Dokus and brothers Mingus and Monk all have careers in the theatre, media or music world. Bukvic: ‘This may seem like an advantage at drama school, but the downside is that some teachers and fellow students cannot see past it. Then you end up in a certain box or your own, unique talent is not recognised.’
In her youth there were only two career options, says Dagelet: becoming an actor or a musician. She plays the cello at a fairly high level, but felt unsuitable for the conservatory. ‘I couldn’t and didn’t want to muster that discipline.’ Her dedication to the cello gives her a musicality in her playing and handling of the text that is without exception praised by colleagues. Because she became an actor, just like her father. With all the expectations that entails.
Dagelet: ‘Almost every teacher at drama school said to me: ‘I’m still dating your father…’ So I felt I had to do everything right right away. I had to search for my own taste, tone and colour.’
And then there are also prejudices attached to such an artist family, says Bukvić. ‘For example, one expects caps in advance. But Charlie really shows zero point zero diva behavior.”
Laura H.
The good collaboration with Bukvić and her reputation as a ‘zero comma zero diva’ meant that Dagelet came into the picture with director Nina Spijkers for the role of Laura H., which she shared with Jade Olieberg in a unique corona construction. Spijkers: ‘That could have been a recipe for drama. But Charlie is a very sober, straight forward someone. There is no hidden agenda, no noise or hassle. Delicious.’
Spijkers was looking for someone who could play ‘twenty different people’ for the role, because she presented so many perspectives on the young, troubled Syrian traveler. Charlie can do that. She is a contrasting person, which is interesting to watch. At first glance she looks like a girl, but she really is a grown woman: she is very strong and strong-willed. And perhaps that contrast has become even stronger now that she is a bit older. As an actor she is not immediately understandable, I like that. You have to make a little effort with her to get close. That keeps you on the edge of your seat as a spectator.’
That is how it was stated in the jury report for the Theo d’Or nomination: ‘The attention of the spectator never wanes.’ The jury praised her ‘exciting, whimsical playing: at the same time thoughtful and expressive.’
Daria Bukvić: ‘I can’t say it was the part of her life, because I hope she will play many more of these kinds of roles. But it was unique. A completely convincing and overwhelming combination of sincerity, relaxation and emotionality. Charlie has a kind realness on stage, she doesn’t force anything, but lets the spectator come to her. From that relaxation she can tap into great emotions.’
Hannah Hoekstra: ‘How fat was that. When I Laura H. I realized once again what could happen if she gets more interesting roles.’
more confident
Because something has really changed, Hoekstra sees. “Charlie is more open and she’s much more confident. She dares to experiment more and also to fail: close your eyes and let yourself fall backwards. I’ve seen her grow really big.’
‘I have more shit now’, Dagelet sums up succinctly.
How come such a thing? Time, age? Doubtless. “Plus the fact that I’ve had two children. I feel more autonomous, stronger and more confident than five years ago. I know better what I do and don’t want, I am freer and more shameless.’
Bukvić: ‘She is the type of actor who only gets better with time.’
Director Olivier Diepenhorst of Mama Medea had had Dagelet in mind for some time, but after Laura H. quite sure that he wanted to cast her as Medea, the mythical infanticide from Greek tragedies. ‘Medea is often seen as the big star role for middle-aged actresses, while originally it is a young mother. So I was looking for someone who has both that youthfulness and depth, and that’s exactly what Charlie is. She is still young but already has two children; she has a jumpy yet elusive underlayer, and she can switch between the two at lightning speed.’
Because of that combination of disarming and elusive, Dagelet sometimes reminds him of actress Juliette Lewis, he says. ‘She has that same unusual character, with a certain naivety on the surface, but always with deep grounds underneath. And with enormous power in it. When it comes loose, that’s fantastic to see.’
Hannah Hoekstra: ‘Charlie has an idiotic fire in her.’
goosebumps
Nina Spijkers remembers a goosebump moment at the performance Laura H† ‘As if the role was running away with her, as if it suddenly happened on its own. It was, for lack of a better word, as if she was taking off a little.’ Dagelet is a very skilled actor, says Spijkers: ‘She is well prepared, does her homework, she really studies, and that is very pleasant. But with such actors it sometimes happens that technique dominates. Bee Laura H. she became completely free of that, and her playing became erratic and free in a phenomenal way. That was very exciting to see.’
Spijkers also grants Dagelet a nice big leading role in the future that was written for a man, Hamlet for instance. ‘Because unfortunately those are often the more interesting, fuller roles.’
Hoekstra is sure, from now on those roles will come in large numbers, in the theater, but also on film and TV. ‘She already had a Theo d’Or nomination. Now let those Calves come too.’
But when asked if Dagelet shares the feeling that ‘something big’ is about to happen to her, she laughs. “God, I hope not. That sounds very scary.’
Mama Medea at Theatergroep Suburbia. 25/2 to 22/4. Premiere 5/3. Including: theatergroepsuburbia.nl