She came to her current role after playing Cleopatra opposite Christopher Plummer at the Stratford Festival in Canada; she also played Juliet in a non-traditionally cast production of Romeo and Juliet.
James said that while there is a greater expectation placed on an actor for a classical role that has been done many times before, the two experiences are similar because "soliloquies are exactly like doing songs. You are sort of speaking to yourself, but you're not, and you get to use all the notes in your voice."
