Kerri-Anne Kennerley on Studio 10 exit, role in Pippin the Musical

Following her very public ousting from Studio 10, Kerri-Anne Kennerley is putting blood, sweat and tears into her next role - literally.

I’m not the kind of person who looks back and dwells on the past. There’s no point to it. So I have a pretty pragmatic view about being let go from morning TV show Studio 10 earlier this year – it just is what it is. I miss seeing my fellow co-hosts every day and having a laugh.

Having done live TV for 34 years, and after a strange 2020, I wanted to take a few risks and do something completely out of my element. So when the opportunity came up for me to join the circus and learn a new skill, I thought, “Why not?”

OK, my decision-making process wasn’t quite as flippant as that. Being cast in the musical Pippin is a unique challenge and I took a bit of time to consider fully what it would mean.

“It just is what it is.” (Picture: Tim Hunter)

It’s full-on physically and stage-wise I don’t think I could have picked anything harder, to be quite frank.

The role of Berthe could have been written for me. I’m having so much fun. It’s absolutely, completely, 180-degrees different to television. But it’s equally as driven, focused and energy-consuming.

My character has got one fab song and it’s very funny, but it also requires trapeze work. It’s particularly more physical and I can tell you I’m sore, sorry, bruised and battered. There’s been blood on the floor and unfortunately it was mine.

You’ve got to get really strong core work to do this, and I didn’t realise there were so many cruel exercises to strengthen your core. I’ve been doing them all.

It can be scary when you actually get on the trapeze, but you don’t have time to get scared. You’ve just got to remember to put your feet and your hands to the exact specification, otherwise you can do yourself undone. That’s been the biggest challenge so far.

“I’m sore, sorry, bruised and battered.” (Picture: Supplied)

Luckily, even from two weeks ago, I know I’m a lot stronger. But I’ve got so far to go. The back of my legs from literally hanging upside-down on the trapeze are killing me today. And I’m starving right now.

We’ve worked all morning and I’m starving! We sometimes work 10am till 6pm and I get home and jump in a hot shower – the heat helps – and just relax. And then have a glass of wine, of course.

My aim is to have everything second nature so that when you do get nervous, when the audience is full of people staring back at you and there are lights, action and everything on stage, you’re almost on automatic pilot.

Because if it’s not, you can trip yourself up. You forget a line because you get distracted. I’ve been doing quite a lot of that in rehearsals, but I just make sure I go back and redo it.

The COVID protocols at the theatre are strictly and rigidly in place. The rule is that if we’re on stage, singing and doing acrobatic stuff, we don’t have to wear a mask. But as soon as you walk off stage, you have to wear a mask everywhere. And we all have to have a COVID test weekly.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley features in this Sunday’s Stellar.

They just don’t want a mistake, especially as this will be the first theatre production back [since COVID shut down the industry]. I’m really looking forward to opening night. My whole family will be there so that will be great.

Even with all the crazy things in the TV shows I’ve done – and, remember, I did abseil out of three choppers – I have to say that I’m having the time of my life.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley stars in Pippin at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from Tuesday, pippinthemusical.com.au.

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Originally published as Kerri-Anne Kennerley on Studio 10 exit, role in Pippin the Musical