Category Archives: Suzy’s 5 Questions

5 Questions with Bodelle de Ronde and Curly Fernandez

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Bodelle de Ronde

Bodelle de Ronde

Curly Fernandez: With your artistic practice are there any art movements through time you feel an affinity with or get strong inspiration from?
Bodelle de Ronde: There are certain artists who have inspired me with their images when I’ve been creating a character. For me it’s portraits that come alive and I get a strong feeling of who that person is, or landscapes/scenes that conjure up an atmosphere I can use in my work and captures my imagination. Artists like John Singer Sargent, Edvard Munch, John William Waterhouse, Marc Chagall, Sir John Everett Millais, Frida Kahlo.

What is your most exciting cultural heritage memory when you were growing up?
Realising I came from a large family of such a different culture from the one I grew up in. Whenever we had get-togethers in Bangkok I’d be surrounded by aunties and cousins all speaking in a language I learnt to pick up but didn’t quite understand but it didn’t matter because we still had so much fun together. I gained a strong sense of belonging, family and identity spending school holidays in Thailand.

Do you have any obsessive compulsive tendencies?
I’ll check the oven’s off before I go to sleep but because I live in a shared house that hasn’t been such a silly thing to do.

Five items you would take to a deserted island?
Photos. Music. A spear for catching fish (aka Cast Away!). A collection of Haruki Murakami. Pen and paper.

How does the Orpheus myth translate to modern audiences?
Hopefully a bond of love is something that audiences will always relate to. As well as his sense of displacement being in the underworld, surrounded by people whose actions seem familiar and yet ajar with normality. The struggle to fight for what you believe in and the question of how far you are willing to go for that cause is also very topical.

Curly Fernandez

Curly Fernandez

Bodelle de Ronde: What’s your most memorable moment on stage?
Curly Fernandez: I performed a one man show at La Mama many years ago. It was called The Delusionist. Famous speeches from history retold. My wife directed it, my newborn daughter crawled around the space whilst we rehearsed and teched. My sound designer was my babysitter and my SM was our best friend. It was a real family project. My mother in law came one night and led a standing ovation. It wasn’t so much for my performance but for our family. She was very proud of what Lauren and myself had done, made a life in art with our family.

What’s your biggest turn on?
Great physiques. Great coffee. Great underwear. Yes in that order.

What’s the biggest challenge for you when devising theatre?
For me personally it’s feeling ok with suggesting ideas or things that pop into your imagination that have no logical base and then seeing them fail and not being ashamed of it but honouring the idea or vision, as sometimes something exquisite arises from it.

What drew you to this project?
Michael Dean had seen me over summer and was keen to work with me, and had spoke with a friend of mine. Everyone talked highly of his devised work. Importantly in the audition it was that himself and myself were able to talk quite freely and honestly.That was the key. We also share similar heritage.

Your character, based on Persephone, is an outsider. How do you relate to this?
I’m black.

Bodelle de Ronde and Curly Fernandez are appearing in Orpheus.
Dates: 18 – 27 August, 2016
Venue: Blood Moon Theatre

5 Questions with Cheyne Fynn and Cindy Wang

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Cheyne Fynn

Cheyne Fynn

Cindy Wang: What is your ethnicity?
Cheyne Fynn: Ooh I get this question a lot I am Australian born and raised; my parents however are South African with a splash of Mauritian on my mother’s side.

How would you describe your character PJ in five words?
Five words is difficult for a character who spends most of the play pretending to be someone/something he isn’t but I’ll give it a go – anxious, boisterous, loyal, intelligent, cheap.

There are a few semi-adult scenes throughout the play. How do you feel about that?
It’s nothing compared to what goes on back stage, so it’s fine by me.

What made you decide to become an actor?
Was there a different path to choose other than acting? I don’t know if I ever chose acting. Since I was a kid, it’s all I wanted to be and all I wanted to do. I never made the conscious decision though, it just was who I was. My parents however always wanted to me get into teaching as a ‘fallback plan’… I don’t know why but the thought of being a starving actor just always had more appeal.

If you were a sales person, how would you sell the play House Of Games to a group of conservative board members?
I’d wrap it up in a hundred dollar bill and tell them there is a good night to be had!

Cindy Wang

Cindy Wang

Cheyne Fynn: Rumour has it you saw your first kiss in the House Of Games rehearsal room! How was that experience?
Cindy Wang: I am a huge prude, and like a good sheltered kid, it was really awkward watching it, but I’d like to believe I pulled myself through the experience and came out a better person!

Your character Edna is not a physical person in the original script. What have you found to be the best and most challenging part of creating a whole new character?
Perhaps it’s due to the lack of experience on my part, however, when you’re given so much freedom to do whatever you want for a character it gets a little overwhelming, it’s as if someone said, “What slice of cake do you want? And you really want to say porque no los dos?”

If money were not an issue, what’s the one thing you would ask for (and no, world peace is not an answer, you are not trying out for Miss Universe)?
I would want to buy a country so I could tell people I own one just because I’m a materialistic prick. However, if it weren’t a want rather a need, I would probably buy a house so I wouldn’t need to worry about that in 5-10 years’ time.

Do you have any show superstitions or rituals?
No, however, sometimes, during a really late night on the weird side of the internet, I read about the strangest things and I read about it being lucky (or unlucky, depending on the internet source) if you saw 11:11 on your clock. Not too long after that, 11:11 always happens to be on my watch when I looked at it.

If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice what would it be?
I would tell myself to trust my instincts, relax, enjoy yourself, and follow the flow. However, knowing the young me, I would have said “omg… time travel exists.” Yeah, I had a short attention span.

Cheyne Fynn and Cindy Wang are appearing in House Of Games by David Mamet.
Dates: 9 August – 10 September, 2016
Venue: New Theatre

5 Questions with Ivan Donato and Rarriwuy Hick

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Ivan Donato

Ivan Donato

Rarriwuy Hick: If your character Ham was a rock star what would be his name?
Ivan Donato: ShaHam

What’s your heritage?
I was born in Santiago, Chile and my family and I moved to Australia in 1987 seeking refuge from the military coup.

Why is setting the play in Alice Springs crucial to the story? And to Australian people’s consciousness?
Setting the play in the outskirts of Alice Springs immediately invokes a sense of loneliness and harshness due to the landscape. I’m not sure we would have achieved as intense a degree of isolation had we set it in Sydney or Melbourne. Having said that, and not trying to give too much away about the production, I think all great theatre engages an audience with its ideas and arguments as opposed to its setting.

Did you do any research about the play or your character before rehearsals commenced and what were they?
Obviously read the play first and then broke down all the lines that Ham speaks in the play to get a sense of character journey. One of the most challenging things about the play was learning the lines. The learning process was essentially memorising a series of non sequitur.

What’s your favourite line from the play?
It’s not a specific line in the play but I’m very fond of the section where Ash and Ham are getting to know each other for the first time.

Rarriwuy Hick

Rarriwuy Hick

You work extensively in both film/television and stage, what do you think are the main differences between performing for the stage and performing on film/tv?
The difference would be how big your performance needs to be on stage to how subtle it is for screen.
What’s great about working on Broken with Shannon Murphy is that we’re exploring the idea of making a theatre show slightly cinematic.

What is your heritage?
My Father is from Plymouth, England. My Mother is Yolngu from North-East Arnhem Land.

The play Broken deals with people either following their heart or their brain. Which one would you say you follow and listen to the most?
I definitely follow my heart. I live by that rule.

What do you think is the most challenging thing about being an actor?
Being away from all of my family.

As a young female, what advice would you give other young females considering a career in the arts?
Just be yourself and don’t be afraid to be opinionated. Being intelligent and passionate is admirable.

Ivan Donato and Rarriwuy Hick are appearing in Broken by Mary Anne Butler.
Dates: 29 July – 28 August, 2016
Venue: Eternity Playhouse

5 Questions with Lucy Clements and Brandon McClelland

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Lucy Clements

Lucy Clements

Brandon McClelland: As a writer, which piece of literature or drama do you most wish could have had your name in place of the author’s? Conversely, which are you most glad your name is absent from?
Lucy Clements: To have my name on: Hamilton, Wicked or My Fair Lady. I’m such a fan girl for the great musicals. I’d get writing on my own, but my ridiculous lack of music knowledge and taste makes me nervous to try… but hey, why make excuses, I should get writing! And absent from… I’ll go Mao’s Little Red Book. Pretty glad my name’s not on that.

If you could travel in time, but only in one direction and with no possibility of return, when would you travel to and why?
I’d definitely go forward, I think the unknown is so much more exciting than all the stuff we already know about from the past. But probably only one century max… as too much more and I’ll probably find myself in a global warming destroyed world and be consumed by man eating plants that have taken over the planet. And only if I could take you with me!

Fracture is a piece that has gone through extensive development, transformation and is a completely different iteration than its original Perth production. Since the first draft of Fracture to now, what has been the most significant change in your own life?
Meeting you of course! Because of our relationship I have moved out from my family home in Perth and am now living with you in the midst of the vibrant art scene of Sydney, I’m debuting my first work with you as my lead actor and co-producer… and I will soon be following to you to New York on your Broadway tour of STC’s The Present! If someone had told me that all of this was going to happen three years ago I never would have believed them.

Do you believe a playwright’s voice should be neutral (non-partisanal, apolitical, objective) or should they have a singular opinion that they back unreservedly? In relation to this, which of these do you think dominates the Australian theatrical landscape?
I don’t believe there is a “right” or “wrong”. There are many successful opinionated and neutral-voiced plays. My personal taste goes towards a voice that gives you both perspectives and lets you decide… so, a neutral voice. I recently read Night of January 16th by Ayn Rand. Although Rand is quite well known for her opinionated works, this particular play, set in a courtroom where the audience becomes the jury, plays on our own personal biases and how this can manipulate our judgment. The play does nothing to prove who is “good” or “bad”, but presents both sides of the story and challenges audiences to cast from this our own opinions. I loved this play. I find it much more challenging to have to find my own opinion with all the facts presented to me, rather than having one side of the story drummed into me as opinionated pieces can do. I believe Fracture has a neutral voice. It simply tells a story, and lets audiences decide what is good and what is truth within it. I think we’ve got both sides pretty covered in Australia, particularly with 44% of our programing being international scripts (which is also a very saddening statistic!).

You originally planned to be a nurse, so do you believe your earlier career aspirations have had an effect on who you are as a writer/artist?
Definitely! I’ve always been quite an empathetic person – hence my drive to become a nurse. I think all the characters I write are created from the same drive. In Fracture, my leading character (who you are playing) has abandoned his life partner without a goodbye or word of warning. But why do people make these choices? What’s going on inside them that from the outside can make them seem cowardly or cruel? Was it even in their control? What perspective can I tell this story from that could make audience’s understand, to question other people’s circumstances one more time before casting judgement? These are all the questions that Fracture interrogates – which are the questions that drive all of my plays.

Brandon McClelland

Brandon McClelland

Lucy Clements: Here’s a million bucks to put on a production in Sydney next year. What play, which venue, and do you have anyone in mind to direct and/or co-staring beside you?
Brandon McClelland: Well, a million dollars is a ridiculous amount of money. I’d most likely split it up and try to program a full season of independent shows from a range of different young writers and directors. Although if, like Highlander, there can be only one, then I would love to put that money towards a production of The Weir by Connor McPherson in a smaller theatre. I don’t know who’d direct it. Maybe I’d hold auditions just to turn the tables.

What’s the best and worst thing about dating your director?
Best thing is that we already have a shorthand in regards to communication and we can talk about the play pretty much round the clock. The worst thing is that there’s no excuses when it comes to doing my ‘homework’ as it were. You know everything about me. Example: I didn’t read the new addition to the scene because I was watching Mythbusters again.

What excites you most about realising Fracture?
It’s a show I’ve followed since its premiere in Perth. Being involved in the development and progression of the play over the past year it’s clear that it is a completely different beast and I think it’s an exciting project. The conversation it enables regarding mental health is particularly poignant and personally relevant. I’m fascinated to discover how audiences will react.

This is your second time taking on the dual role of producer and performer. What draws you to this combination?
I’m a sucker for punishment. I don’t know really. It’s a tough ask to take on both roles and I think you have to be a very special kind of mind to successfully operate and fulfil your duties equally. I don’t know how I’d do it without you. I really don’t.

You’re elected as Prime Minister of Australia. What’s your first call of action?
Treaty with the Indigenous, First Peoples with full recognition in the constitution. No hesitation.

Lucy Clements and Brandon McClelland are co-founders of New Ghosts Theatre Company, presenting Fracture in Sydney after a successful season in Perth last year.
Dates: 2 – 12 August, 2016
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

5 Questions with Jacqueline Marriott and Nicholas Starte

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Jacqueline Marriott

Jacqueline Marriott

Nicholas Starte: If you could be a student at Hogwarts, would you still want to be an actor?
Jacqueline Marriott: Yes but only because I’m a strange human and am not crazy about HP… bad muggle.

2 chickens meet at a bar, one says to the other “I hear you’re in a play call Resolution, why should I come along?” What about the show would convince an alcoholic chicken to come along?
Oh so tough… maybe I’d tell the alcoholic chicken that there are five very charming chooks to check out on the stage. Chicks dig alliteration.

What is your character’s spirit animal?
A swan. Super graceful and has everything together… above the waterline.

Do you have a favourite pre-show ritual?
Yes, two – painting my nails in the colour suited to my character and binding my script with a ribbon that I am only allowed to choose once the show is up and running (actually it usually happens around closing for me)… I make sure the size, colour and texture of the ribbon matches the colour/feel of the show I’ve just finished. I am growing an ever colourful library of much loved, cried upon, yelled at and ultimately bound scripts. At a glance I only see the ribbons but I recognise each one as the gamut of experience it holds tight. The ribbon decision also is definitely only allowed to be made well into (after) the process too because the choice changes so wildly throughout. I think in colours. I am a dag. I also gave you a pre and a post ritual because I’m a colourful dag.

When do your super powered acting skills come in handy in every day life?
In my other job as a Captain Starlight – lots and lots of super powers employed there!

Nicholas Starte

Nicholas Starte

Jacqueline Marriott: If you could sit opposite yourself as a child of 7, what is the most important question you would ask yourself?
Nicholas Starte: Why don’t we hang out more?

When was the last time you cried?
I don’t cry, my heart is made of stone… I’m currently receiving treatment.

What is your one favourite line of the whole play? Can be your own, can be another character’s…
Easiest question ever. It’s a tie between all of Rosie’s lines about balls.

Why acting? Succinct answer please!
Because I refuse to grow up and stop playing make believe.

If not acting, then what?
A lion!

Jacqueline Marriott and Nicholas Starte are appearing in Resolution by Luke Holmes.
Dates: 26 July – 6 August, 2016
Venue: The Actor’s Pulse

5 Questions with Tasha O’Brien and Lucy Quill

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Tasha O'Brien

Tasha O’Brien

Lucy Quill: If you chose to retreat from the world and the people in your life as Cristina in Cristina In The Cupboard does, where would you go and why?
If I wanted to go on a holiday anywhere in the world I might pick some place exotic like Brazil, somewhere romantic like Paris or somewhere with an amazing arts industry like Berlin. I suppose however if I truly wanted to retreat, to get away from everything and everyone, I’d pick some place secluded where I could gather my thoughts and not be distracted by everything the world throws in our way. Some place like Fowler’s Gap which is past Broken Hill in rural NSW. I went there for a week last year and was overcome by the sense of freedom due to the complete isolation. No technology. No stress. Just the stars – the real stars – above you and untouched nature surrounding you.

What’s your favourite trait of your character Belinda and why?
Belinda’s confidence and resilience. Others might see it as cockiness, and contextually it might often be the case, but to her credit she truly believes in what she says and she’ll fight with you until you agree with her. She always makes the best out of the worst situations. If there’s a way she can come out as the hero she will! She might be a bit of a one-upper but I think deep down it’s just a coping mechanism she uses to feel connected to everyone, anyone.

What message have you personally taken away from exploring the Cristina In The Cupboard script?
There are a lot of messages I’ve taken from this script and I mean that sincerely. Cristina In The Cupboard is such a universal story about human connection and the similarities within our differences. For me one of the big messages is that even if you give up on the world and yourself, there will always be people in your life that never give up on you and that might frustrate you as it does Cristina, but you can’t help the way other people feel about you. Another message is that life sucks – but that’s ok! It may be clichéd but you have to take the bad with the good because without it you just can’t appreciate how good it really is. With ups there are downs, but with fear comes joy.

What’s your favourite holiday memory?
My first trip overseas. I went to visit my friend who had moved to New Zealand. I was welcomed by his family into their home and they were so excited about making sure I had the best time! We did a mini road-trip around the South Island, we did the touristy things like Milford Sound, but we also would just drive and randomly stop to see the hidden gems like when we got up early, drove in our pjs and ate breakfast at some lookout where some bikies asked us to take their photo. We stayed at great hostels, we stayed at awful hostels, and it just made the trip more memorable.

What is one of the most bizarre things you’ve experienced?
Bizarre…that’s a tricky one. Probably the looks on people’s faces when a bunch of us were trying to do deep and meaningful acting exercises as part of a uni excursion in the middle of Taronga Zoo. Especially when it was often silent and we were just using facial expressions. We must’ve looked like the biggest bunch of weirdos. I definitely saw some parents physically holding their kids back.

Lucy Quill

Lucy Quill

Tasha O’Brien: What do you think makes Cristina In The Cupboard unique so that people shouldn’t miss out on seeing it?
Lucy Quill: Cristina In The Cupboard is such a unique piece of work because it’s creating a magical world that is Cristina’s mind, where time, thoughts and memories are all skewed, yet there’s something extremely real and relatable about her projections. The experiences and feelings that Cristina is projecting in her mind are things that we’ve all gone through as humans, and it lets you feel like you’re actually normal and like you have a place in the world because you’re clearly not the only one who has had these experiences, and that’s what makes this play so enthralling and hilarious.

What are the similarities between yourself and your character Erica?
Oh geez I hope I’m not TOO similar to Erica! She means well, bless her, but she’d be quite taxing to be around! In saying that, I love her for her faults, which no doubt she sees as extremely endearing qualities. Erica genuinely feels she knows what’s best for everyone in every situation. She’s got an answer for everything and relates to anything you’ve ever been through. If you’re going through a break up, she totally gets it because she broke up with a boy when she was 14 and she felt sad too, probably a bit sadder than you actually. If you have a cold, she has the flu etc., etc… I think we all have a tendency to do that. We want to relate to people and their experiences and we want to be heard and validated, sometimes as the cost of hearing someone else and validating them! I know that if someone is telling a cool story, I’m trying to think of a similar experience that I’ve had so I can jump in when they finish and say ‘That’s like the time I…’. I think it’s human nature to do this and while Erica demonstrates this in an extreme way, this is where I can empathise with her and relate to her the most.

This is your first theatre performance in two years, has the role been what you were hoping for?
Yes, it has been. It’s been such a blast playing Erica, and it’s also been a massive challenge and learning experience. Portraying Erica in the hyperbolic way that she’s been written, whilst still capturing her authenticity has been a challenge that I didn’t initially expect I would come across. I was a little surprised by how complex it’s been to play a comedic role, but it’s something that I’ve loved tackling. I set out to challenge myself when I auditioned for Cristina In The Cupboard, so I’m extremely grateful that this role has given me the opportunity to do that as I’ve learnt so much and feel like I’ve achieved a lot.

How old were you when you had your first kiss?
I was 13 and it was at an underage rage that we all used to go to every Friday night called ‘Redz’. I was wearing low-ride, bootleg jeans with a classic Supré slogan tee that let everyone know that I was a ‘Hustler’, in case they hadn’t realised already. I was cutting shapes on the dance floor to ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem and a boy called Greg started dancing with me. He was from another school so I didn’t know him that well but when he leaned down to kiss me I took the opportunity because my friend Abbie had already kissed like three guys in her lifetime. It wasn’t romantic and it was totally gross but I was so happy to have had my first kiss.

Have you travelled to any out of the way places and/or have any interesting travel stories?
I was on an island in the Caribbean with my family and we were doing a bus tour with about 20 other people. The tour guide drove us up to the top a cliff so we could see the point where the Caribbean Sea meets the North Atlantic Ocean. He pulled up and hopped out of the bus and we followed. My sister and my dad had gotten out of the bus, but mum and I were still in there when the bus started rolling back towards the edge of the cliff because the tour guide forgot to put the handbrake on! Just a minor oversight! We all started screaming and pushing each other towards the door and luckily the driver managed to jump in and pull the handbrake in time to save us from going A over T over the cliff. #gratefultobealive

Tasha O’Brien and Lucy Quill are appearing in Cristina In The Cupboard by Paul Gilchrist.
Dates: 13 – 30 July, 2016
Venue: The Depot Theatre

5 Questions with Geraldine Hakewill and Amy Ingram

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Geraldine Hakewill

Geraldine Hakewill

Amy Ingram: This play explores the friendships and relationships of women and how they view each other and themselves. Do you recognise yourself in any of the women or the relationships they share?
Geraldine Hakewill: I recognise myself in all three women, and I’ve definitely experienced the sorts of relationships they share: the jealousy, the awkwardness, the passive-aggressive conversations, the solidarity, the depth of love and affection, the fragility, the dangerous unpredictability and the profound trust. I think most women will recognise it all too. That is the brilliance of this play and why it still works. I really get Mary’s over-analysis and anger at the world. I completely identify with Jo’s self-loathing coupled with positivity. And Celia is basically me, on crack. Not really. (But really).

Feminism seems to be making its way back into the forefront of social media, how do you think this play looks at feminism in today’s current political climate?
I think what is fascinating about us doing this play right now is that so little has changed since Claire McIntyre wrote it back in 1989. That’s very frightening. Beauty is still the strongest currency in this world, and women are still afraid when we walk down the street at night because we might get attacked, simply for being female. This isn’t OK. What has changed is that it feels like social media has been taken up as a tool to unite feminists around the world, be they male or female, and allow people to have a voice in order to educate and to argue and to discuss. I think that’s brilliant. As much as the anonymity of Twitter and Facebook allows for trolling and abuse, it also allows people who aren’t public figures and who never thought they could participate in a public discussion, to share their stories and create awareness. This production has been updated by Justin (Martin, our director) so that we are referencing this shift. We aren’t changing Claire’s words, but we are bring her text into this era of modern technology and we’re trying to explore how media and technology has changed feminism and the discussion around it- for better and for worse. It feels more immediate and relevant than almost any other play I’ve ever done.

Your character is very particular about her routine and products. If you could take one of those products and make it do anything in the world what would it do?
Well, what if my ocean fresh exfoliating shower gel could somehow make me invisible? I think that’d be pretty amazing. I’m such a secret snoop, and I’ve always loved the idea of being a spy. This would be really helpful. Even if it was just 45 minutes worth of invisibility. Plenty of time for spy-stuffs. And well worth the $5.99.

If you met Celia out at a bar what do you think she would be doing? What would you two get up to in the course of the night?
I think she’d be waiting for a Tinder date. She’d be looking pretty hot. She’d be nervous-sweating but she would have worn extra strong antiperspirant and so she’d still smell fresh. She’d be sitting alone at the bar. I’d be with a group of friends at a booth after a day of rehearsals. I use hippy deodorant so I would not be as fresh as her. Her date is two hours late but she’s stubborn. She waits. She’d look forlornly over to our group as we laughed too loudly at some private ‘actor’ joke that no one else will ever find funny. I’d go to buy a round of drinks and she’d comment on my jeans. They fit well. Thanks, I’d say. It’s really hard to find the perfect jean. She’d agree. By the end of the night we are singing Celine Dion karaoke together at 4am and promising to be best friends for life. We never see each other again. But, I’ll always be impressed that she knew all the words to “It’s All Coming Back To Me.”

If your life was a midday movie what would the title be?
“It’s All Coming Back to Me.” It’d just be a series of musical flashbacks and dream ballet sequences. You can be in it Amy, if you like. We can do a pas de deux.

Amy Ingram

Amy Ingram

What was so special about this role that made you want to come down from Brisbane to do it?
First off it was more about working with Kate as I had not seen her in ages and always thought it would be great to work with her. She seemed so excited about the project I was immediately intrigued. Then I read the script and laughed out load at so many points I knew that was a good sign. I am extremely interested in roles where women are the central focus and their character journey is more than a supporting role for some 40 year old dudes mid life crisis. The fact that this show also looks how we view ourselves in the world meant I was basically hooked! On a side not it is always exciting to work with new people, in new places and venues – I think it makes you a better artist.

The play was written and is set in the 80s in England. Do you think we’re managing to do a good job of setting it in 2016 in Australia? And how?
Unfortunately most of the conversations we have now about equality and how women are objectified to the point of violence are exactly the same. All that has changed is the context and medium or lens used. The rise of social media and the fact that more and more women are moving into higher positions of power (HURRAHHHH!) means that we are some cases seeing the extent to sexism in a much clearer light. So basically – Yes – I think we are doing a good job of it because the world is often doing a shit job of shutting sexism down. When I first read the script I was surprised at how old it was and I think you can’t help but put a contemporary context on it because we are living here and now and our lives and experiences fuel our choices on stage

What do you think the title, Low Level Panic refers to?
Welcome to the everyday world people. We are in a constant fret about our appearance , what people think about us, what we think of ourselves. This is not exclusive to women. But you add onto that the fear some women face everyday in their own homes. The simple choice of trying not to walk home when it is dark. Asking yourself if the dress you are wearing is going to invite negative attention, crossing the road when you run because because you don’t want to get heckled . And I know some people reading this will say I’m blowing it out of proportion and #notallmen. And that’s true. It’s absolutely true . But then why does what I mention still happen more frequently than you’d think and why do we still feel this way?

What’s your favourite thing about being Amy Ingram?
Now why would I give away that info for free? Come to the show and have a drink with me afterwards and find out for yourself…

You really don’t like wearing pants, but if you had to wear pants every day of your life, describe your ideal pair. They can be magical.
Pants that make me fly. Or time travel. Pants that can take me to some tropical island whenever I wish. Now those are pants I can get around. Also pants that whenever I reach into the pockets there are wads of money inside. I’d bloody never take them off.

Geraldine Hakewill and Amy Ingram can both be seen in Low Level Panic by Clare McIntyre.
Dates: 12 July – 12 August, 2016
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

5 Questions with Helen Dallimore and Lucy Durack

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Helen Dallimore

Helen Dallimore

Lucy Durack: What did you enjoy most about playing Glinda in the original London production of Wicked and do you ever miss it?
Helen Dallimore: Going on stage in front of two thousand people a night, in a show you know they will love, in a role you love to play. It doesn’t get much better than that.

If the Sydney Symphony Orchestra let you sing one non-witch related song, any song in the universe, just for fun, in a karaoke-with-a-symphony-orchestra kind of way, what would it be?
Actually, we are doing my number one karaoke song in the show! What are the chances? I won’t ruin the surprise…

Of all the iconic witches out there, who is your favourite and why?
I love Elphaba. She’s so strong, yet vulnerable and fierce and loving. A brilliant role model for aspiring witches.

If you were given the option of flying or travelling by bubble as your preferred mode of transport in real life, what would you choose?
Look, the bubble has that element of theatricality about it, which to a showgirl is very appealing. But sometimes you just want to pop down to Coles in your trackies and not necessarily have to put on the whole crown and gown scenario. It’s a lot of pressure. Flying allows for a more casual look, you can dress it up or down – it’s a bit more versatile.

Do you think you might bring some of those amazing tube cakes you are so famous for making to rehearsals? Asking for a friend.
Ah yes, the caneles. Tell your “friend” I think I can rustle some up. Don’t forget to remind her about the bespoke gowns we have to fit into though.

Lucy Durack

Lucy Durack

Helen Dallimore: What is the difference in your process as a performer when approaching a concert rather than role in a show?
Lucy Durack: Preparing for a role in a show for me means getting in the head of that character, figuring out their voice, their walk, what they want, how they go about getting (or not getting) what they want and mapping out their character arc within the story of the show whilst trying to make it all as truthful as possible. In a concert, while you are sort of playing a heightened version of yourself, you also have to ask those questions and figure out those thoughts separately for each song as often the songs are all sung by different characters and then work out how to put them all together in the one show. On top of that, seeing as you are being a version of yourself, it’s about figuring out the ratio of how much ‘you’ you bring to the piece and how much ‘character’ from wherever the song is originally from and that will most probably differ from song to song. For both a concert and a show, I like to start by learning all my words and harmonies as much as possible before the first rehearsal so I can really play in the rehearsal room, in the hope that the playing helps me find some of the answers to the above questions that I haven’t figured out yet.

Do you have a bucket list role that you haven’t yet played?
It would be very lovely to voice some awesome character in a Disney Pixar film or any great animated film, if it was a musical that would be a bonus.

Who is your idol and why?
Ok, there are a few. My mum and dad are in so many ways, they are great, fun, hard working people that always keep our family and our family values at the core of everything they do. Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope are also great influences in my life, they work so hard and make intelligent, hilarious, uplifting, poignant television and films that I love and they manage to always do everything with such kindness and humour. They never make anyone working with them feel excluded and have a real focus on gender equality. I have never met Amy Poehler or Tina Fey but they are also my idols, they are so funny, smart and seem to be people with their heart in the right place. If I could have a dinner party with all 6 people that would be really, really awesome.

If you were a real witch, what would be your signature spell?
I would love to have a spell to be able to make people feel peaceful, happy and contented, not in a ‘block your feelings’ way but to speed up times of depression, anxiety, grief and sadness to get to that lovely fulfilling feeling where you have worked through it all and come out the other side and can appreciate life and laugh about things again.

Who do you think would win in a fight between the four of us witches?
It depends what it was over, if was over the last salted caramel macaroon in the world, I think it would play out like this: Amanda would be a contender, she only has to think about arm muscles to get them, but I feel she would tire of the idea fastest, just get bored with it and really she prefers savoury food. Physically Jemma is probably the strongest, she runs many kilometres a day and she has a sporting mentality, but I feel she is too peaceful and again, has less of a sweet tooth and an iron will to stay that way. I think you Helen, have the core and inner strength as well as unequalled old fashioned gumption to really seal the deal but I possibly have the strongest sweet tooth of all so it would be down to the two of us. I think Amanda and Jemma would have gone home by now and you and I would have decided not to fight but rather share the last macaron whilst getting our nails done and dreaming up a fun new show for us all to star in.

Helen Dallimore and Lucy Durack can both be seen in Witches, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Dates: 15 – 16 July, 2016
Venue: Sydney Opera House

5 Questions with Danielle Baynes and Pip Dracakis

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Danielle Baynes

Danielle Baynes

Pip Dracakis: What are the similarities between Lady and Danielle?
Danielle Baynes: I’m similar to who the Lady becomes at the end of the play. At the beginning I share her curious, romantic and cautious side. She’s very naïve though, I’m much more cynical. After a certain experience she has in the middle of the show we definitely become kindred spirits. She’s more talented than me but we’re both hilarious. We sort of look the same, except her face is much bigger.

What do you enjoy most about performing in live theater?
If it can only be one thing, then I’d say the audience. The shared experience, the instant feedback, the mixture of being completely in control and totally out of control at the same time. Nothing compares.

What is the most ridiculous thing a director has asked you to do in rehearsal?
Look I won’t name and shame, BUT Michael Dean once had a group of us running around a dodgy, empty car park late at night in Parramatta yelling “red alert”.

Who inspired you in the creation of the mysterious male character in Bicycle?
Oh Pip, the question you’ve been dying to ask all this time… I won’t go into detail about the personal inspiration, but I was inspired by an author named Bram, and a little bit inspired by Mads Mikkelson.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
At the moment it’s binge watching crime shows in bed until 3am. I also indulge in too much soft cheese. But Nigella Lawson said, “I don’t feel guilty about any pleasure. I think you should only feel guilty if you don’t feel pleasure”, and I try to take on that attitude as well.

Pip Dracakis

Pip Dracakis

Danielle Baynes: If you and I were musical instruments, what would we be?
Pip Dracakis: You would be a Steinway and I would be a Stradivarius.

You are a brilliant Actor Musician, what’s unique about this type of performer and how did you approach your role in Bicycle?
I see my role in Bicycle as a storyteller and try to serve the story and text in all my musical and physical choices. It’s great to be able to work on a show where you can think as an actor and communicate through music.

What’s the strangest thing someone has said to you after a performance (any performance)?
During one of our post-show Q&A’s for Merchant of Venice with Sport for Jove, we were asked how we all knew each other. The kid was in year 7. I think he was struggling with all the other questions about dealing with a racist play in the 21st century.

What was the process in creating the score for Bicycle?
I listened to a lot of different repertoire but most of my musical ideas were inspired by the text and born out of the organic rehearsal process. Lots of trial and error, seeing what enhanced the script and what moments were best left without any musical underscoring. In some scenes, the music is totally improvised and in others, there are prescribed excerpts by Bach or Bartok, for example.

And finally, if someone was to make a movie of your life, who would play me?
Fran Fine.

Danielle Baynes and Pip Dracakis can both be seen in Bicycle.
Dates: 21 June – 2 July, 2016
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

5 Questions with Karina Bracken and Jace Pickard

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Karina Bracken

Karina Bracken

Jace Pickard: Why should people come and see Flame Trees?
Karina Bracken: For the uncommon, yet most excellent, combination of free parking AND being a champion of independent theatre.

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?
When I was 11 years old (also intuited by Psychic Elizabeth years later).

What are your interests outside of acting?
Conducting extensive independent studies on Chocolate Cafes, daydreaming, discreetly changing the ringtone on other people’s mobile phones (always amusing when people realise that that quacking duck is actually an incoming call – everyone should try it), tap dancing, talking to myself with a different accent (currently it’s Indian with an English influence) and recycling.

You are playing a police officer in Flame Trees, would you want to be one in real life?
No.

There’s been a lot of talk about diversity in the arts, what’s your take?
Oh man! Why would you ask me this? It’s because I’m black, isn’t it?!

What I can say is that I am grateful for those people involved in the casting process who are not attached to a particular type or look, but are open to the idea that a character could be portrayed by a variety of physical appearances.

And I guess my thinking is influenced by my own family which has a little diversity of its own going on – my Indian born cousin is married to a Japanese woman, my brother’s wife is Polish, my Indian born mother has fair skin (and has been asked if she’s Italian) and my sister (who is the same colour as me) gave birth to a fair haired, blue eyed boy.

Also, I really dig the idea of subverting audience expectations. I personally would love for the opportunity to play a character with an Irish accent and not have it explained.

Jace Pickard

Jace Pickard

Karina Bracken: What is Flame Trees all about?
Jace Pickard: Ten years ago, a girl named Tess confesses to lighting a bush fire in her home town that killed her best friend and sent her to prison. Cut to the present day and Tess has now returned to redeem herself and make peace with those she has betrayed and left behind including her brother, her Aunty and her ex-boyfriend.

What makes you laugh?
Oh God, I laugh at most things. Even when no one has even said anything, I may just burst out laughing because I’ll be thinking of something in my head. I swear the cast think I’m insane. I can safely say that if you quote something from The Simpsons, I’ll be on the floor in laughter. I think when it comes to doing gritty drama like this production, you need to have comedy in the room and not take everything so seriously or you will just crash and burn. I am so thankful that I can have a laugh with this cast. There is so much positive energy in that room, you could never feel drained or upset when leaving a rehearsal.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I’m hoping in ten years to be doing various projects nationally and internationally within the industry. Acting is very much my passion and I love doing it but I also love to write and produce. I have produced two feature films now (Lead Me Astray and Remember Redfield) and have recently finished writing a feature I hope to put into production early next year. Heck, I might even direct this time around. I have a great team behind me and we will continue to make films and entertain an audience. I’m sure within ten years time, you’ll be able to find those films (and hopefully many more) on DVD shelves or on Netflix/Stan/Presto etc. Honestly, I just hope I am still doing what I love and that is working in this amazing industry.

What is like working with the cast of Flame Trees?
What I love about working on a project is how much of a family you become with your cast and crew over the few months you spend together: Isabel Dickson (Tess) and I bonded over the fact that we both went to the same acting school when we were at callbacks and when I was auditioning with her, I knew she had the part. She is very professional and natural and it has been amazing working with her. Karina Bracken (Monica) is my other partner in crime. Both Tess and Monica play a big part in Andy’s story and it has been so much fun to work off one another in tackling very dramatic scene. There was one scene that both Karina and I did recently where all I wanted to do was run up and hug her because it was so intense. Rebecca Clay (Val) leaves me in awe every time I watch her do a scene. When working on group scenes where all the cast are together, she just gives me so much to work with when our characters are playing off one another. I am so jealous I don’t have a one on one scene with her because she is astonishing. I love pouring Ryan Bown (Matt) a fake beer every time we do a scene and I do love all my scenes with Ryan. Matt is Andy’s bro and it is so easy to treat Ryan like a brother on stage and off because he is so easygoing and lovely. Simeon Yialeloglou is our brilliant director who is so on the ball with staging this entire production. What I love about Simeon is that you can clearly see he has put the work in to making something beautiful and I really hope we are doing a great job at helping him achieve his vision.

I have saved the best for last: Wayne Tunks, the writer and producer of Flame Trees, who is also playing Nathan, Tess’s older brother. I had seen casting calls for Wayne’s previous shows in the past and I had very much wanted to work with him so I was very stoked when I landed the role of Andy in his production. He is such a nice and inspiring person to work alongside and I swear to God, you need to try his cakes. They are mouth-watering. We recently did a scene where Nathan hugs Andy and I am not supposed to respond to it, which took all my might not to hug him back because man, he gives the best hugs! Haha.

I don’t have one bad thing to say about these group of people. I am very honoured to be working with such amazing talent.

Tell us a joke… I like really dumb jokes.
I read these ones online recently: How do fish get high? Seaweed. A man was hit in the face by a can of Coke. Lucky it was a soft drink. How can you get four suits for a dollar? Buy a deck of cards.

Karina Bracken and Jace Pickard are appearing in Flame Trees by Wayne Tunks.
Dates: 15 June – 2 July, 2016
Venue: The Depot Theatre