“I’m a very spiritual person”
Michael Ahomka-Lindsay photographed in London by Craig Benson
hair by Alexis Day
grooming by Megan McPhilemy
Delving into your journey from medicine to theatre, how has this significant shift impacted your self-identity and personal values?
It’s hard to put into words really. I mean, it’s one of the largest self-identifying decisions I’ve ever made. I think a lot of that shift had to have happened already in order to do that. Or maybe acceptance is the word. There’s a video of me my dad loves to get out – I think I’m weeks from learning how to walk, full-on nappy-wearing baby. Adults surround me, and I stomp right in the middle of the room and start dancing for everyone. I mean all I can do is that funny baby knee bending dancing thing, but I guess the point is from as early as I could walk it was time to perform. So, all this is to say, it’s always been who I am. Across a lifetime, I’ll be “finding myself,” but this was definitely a huge step in the right direction. I feel more connected to myself as a result. I mean, just by the nature of what it is to act, I can’t hide anything from myself or others. Those moments where you feel completely connected, vulnerable, and honest – it’s like no other; it’s so freeing. So yeah, I’ve learned to value that in life, to be that in my everyday life as much as I can. You know there’s a difference there with medicine – empathy is so important, but you don’t want your doctor too clouded by emotions to help or scare you because they’re freaking out about the news they’re breaking to you. That being said, people, the human experience, and cherishing are at the center of both things. I still have the desire to understand us (like someone’s life depended on it), to contribute, to help, make a difference in someone’s life – Not all stories are healing, but all stories have an effect, even if it’s purely joy – So in that sense all that’s changed is my method.
Reflecting on your multicultural background, how do you think this unique perspective has influenced the emotional depth you bring to your characters?
Whilst I was growing up, it was a bit of a cause of conflict for me. Constantly the new kid, the culture shock of the new environment and missing old friends. It wasn’t easy. But I value it so much now. It’s a privilege to be exposed to so many ways of living. I had to adapt quickly, and so I guess I had to learn to pay attention so I could understand and assimilate. I think it’s opened my heart to difference, and though meeting all kinds of people is an endless journey, I feel like, as a result, I find certain aspects of characters feel recognizable; I’ve met that sort of person before somewhere. Empathy isn’t too far away. I mean, catch me with people from different periods of my life, and I’m a different person with each as well. It sounds like an identity crisis! But I’m really grateful to feel like my sense of self can flow from one thing to another. Sometimes, people that we perceive to be different from us, their behaviors, beliefs, etc., feel completely alien, but the human feeling behind things is completely unifying. The practice and the route towards it may be different, but the needs underneath are the same. I don’t think you need to travel across the world to feel that, but that’s what unlocked that for me. Some people go to the cinema, come to the theatre, and their T.V. screens to see someone else’s experience and unlock that, or feel seen, process themselves. So, I just try to access as much of a character’s experience as possible so as to help provide that. It’s also a blessing that everywhere I’ve moved to has had a lot of respect for the arts, the school I went to in Ghana seems to have produced a lot of creatives, it’s suspicious – not mentioning names, but I think they put something in the water.
Are you ever nervous before a performance?
Of course! When it comes to theatre, there’s basically a predictable schedule. There are the hot spot days for nerves – the first day of a project, first run-throughs, press nights – moments like that. But then, of course, there are days when you’re just not sure your body is feeling right for it, or you’re working on notes. But whatever the situation, the fear is just energy. There’s a thin line between fear and excitement – if I’m afraid, some part of me also knows it could go really, really well, and I just care about the outcome. So, I just focus the energy on the possibility of it going well.
Are you superstitious? Have you ever had a dream that came true?
Not massively; I’m a very spiritual person, but you’ll see me walking over three drains without hesitation 24/7, 365 days a year. I get very into dreams, though. I have deja vu’s all the time, but I know the last time I was in that moment was in a dream. It happens constantly. It’s like my subconscious is manifesting.
Do you have a secret crush?
I’m not very good at being secretive about this kind of thing. If I have a soft spot for you you’ll know it
Could you describe a moment during a performance that unexpectedly moved you or changed your perspective on an aspect of your life?
I’m constantly being moved or taught about myself and aspects of life in working on these stories. To pick the most recent one – It was particularly moving, performing in a show about the decline into fascism on a day when there were to be 100 far-right riots happening across the UK. The experience of the show was all too real in everyone’s eyes. A particular scene at the end of Act 1 brought some of the company to tears on the stage. I remember looking into Sally Ann-Triplet’s eyes as she asked me “What would you do?” And the panic that always arises after that question felt so potent that day because I didn’t have an answer myself for the current real-life situation.
When preparing for roles that require a deep emotional investment, such as in Choir Boy, how do you protect your mental health while accessing necessary emotions?
Every show has this distinct sort of texture or sensation in my memory. With Choir Boy, it’s this warm, soft, safe, but energized feeling. We had incredible well-being support on Choir Boy. We were such a supportive family, and we treated the material with such respect and almost reverence really that doing the show felt like a ritual that we stepped into. Which sort of set us up to naturally step out of that, too. Throughout the process, we were always incredibly open about how we were feeling. Nancy Medina, our beautiful leader, created space for us to check in and check out with each other. Aside from all the clear benefits that we had – we were always intimately in touch with our emotions, feelings, and thoughts. I think the free-flowing nature this created protected us; there was no tension in the relationship with ourselves and what feelings/emotional responses were being brought up during the process or even outside the room. I think this is not only protective but creates an environment where you’re allowing yourself to process. Our drama therapist on the job, Samantha, firmly believed that theatre could be healing for those participating in it, and I totally agree. I walked away from that experience in a better place, mental health-wise than I joined it! And with some lifelong friends.
How do you reconcile the vulnerability required in acting with the public persona you must maintain as a rising star in theatre?
Audiences are such an important part of what we do, and I always respect that aspect. However, some level of separation is also important.Understanding that whilst vulnerability is an essential aspect, that soft personal place you opened up isn’t necessarily directly related to the response to it. It’s going through the filter of the perspective of each individual audience member, and they’re processing it in whatever unique way they will, and as they should do—so they can personally connect and interact with it. So, in a way, that personal response has nothing to do with me and everything to do with how they are choosing to experience the art.
Do whatever you will with it! I guess it’s like when a painter paints something, a bunch of people walk up to it in a gallery and talk about how they see this or that within it – that may be at complete odds with what the painter was creating. But that’s sort of not always the point. Sometimes, the vulnerability was just needed to make something meaningful, deep enough that others could search for something in it and stimulate conclusions for themselves. In another sense, too, the vulnerability I put into the story or maybe moments like answering questions like this I try to accept is enough. There are aspects of my life I keep for myself and my loved ones!
Discuss the psychological process of embodying a character from a drastically different era or background—what methods do you use to ensure authenticity while maintaining personal detachment?
I’m not sure I aim to maintain personal detachment. Especially if the character is from a drastically different context to me; if anything, I’d like to get closer. You know, if a character in a story got a fresh pair of shoes – it’s the 1920s, so maybe it’s a sharp pair of brogues, which, to be honest, would probably excite me now, too, but it’s no different from me buying a fresh pair of white Air Force 1’s. I’m stepping out feeling good. I enjoy relating; I want to get closer.
As an actor, how do you navigate the fine line between your personal beliefs and the messages conveyed through your performances?
I try my best not to judge the characters I play. It’s not often my job to judge them; it’s the opposite, really. As much as I can, I do make an intentional effort in what projects I get involved in and what message they are delivering – and that’s largely the extent of it. There are certain situations where maybe we’re workshopping something, so it’s part of my role in the room to scrutinize it in that way, or we’re making artistic choices, and then there’s room for that. But even in those scenarios, it’s more about what a true representation of who is being created or what is being attempted is, as opposed to just creating narratives that are in complete alignment with my worldview. Most of the time, characters are put in positions where their beliefs are challenged.
Looking into the future, what kind of roles are you seeking that would challenge not just your acting skills but also provoke personal growth?
I’ve felt so much personal growth in being involved in projects different from the last, being on that knife’s edge. If I gently wish for anything in the future, I’d love to continue being challenged as an actor and a person through projects. I’d love to get on a set and be immersed in the environment of the story and maneuver the different technical challenges involved! In the not-so-distant future, I’m very excited to delve into Matthew Lopez’s world in his play Reverberation; it’s full of things I’ve never done before. I have no idea what it’ll be, and I think that’s fun.
