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Act an Aztec!

12-year-old Alex Cottriall won an audition to play the two parts of Ohtonqui and young Nezahualcoyotl in the Royal Shakespeare Company/Compañía Nacional de Teatro de México production of ‘A Soldier in Every Son’ at the Shaw Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in July 2012. During the run Alex wrote to us having come across our website while researching the Aztecs. He shared with us some of his experiences...

The cast of ‘A Soldier in Every Son’ (Click on image to enlarge)

‘All I really knew about the Aztecs beforehand was that they were wiped out by a disease and were conquered by the Spanish. The Aztecs is not a subject really touched on in school and as I have found out from some of the Mexican actors it is not covered in detail in Mexico either.
They didn’t ask me to find anything out in advance, I just like to research my characters as I feel it helps me to provide more emotional depth to the character and I have got a copy of Nezahualcoyotl’s poems and I love reading them.
I hadn’t come across your website till we started the run and then I enjoyed your quizzes and games and I accidentally clicked on the Aztec Fiction section, read your review and Dave [Price]’s comments and thought that I would contact you not expecting a reply because I assumed with such a great website you wouldn’t be interested in my email.
I have loved learning about what I feel now as one of the most interesting periods of history and talking to the Mexican actors about modern day Mexico but unfortunately I will not find out for myself as I am not touring to Mexico with the cast!
I think what surprised me most were the three tribes and the ruthlessness to get to power within the families.

Alex Cottriall preparing for ‘A Soldier in Every Son’ (Click on image to enlarge)

‘Rehersals were quite full on but by all means fun! It was great working with the actors. Although I love most of the scenes I think as Nezahualcoyotl the scene with the death of Zilamiauh [slave girl] and all the baskets was very fun to rehearse with all the very good and experienced actors.’

We greatly enjoyed watching the production - you can read our review of A Soldier in Every Son by following the link below...

Cheers, Alex, and good luck for your future acting career!

‘A Soldier in Every Son’