Category Archives: Suzy’s 5 Questions

5 Questions with Georgia Woodward and Bob Deacon

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Georgia Woodward

Georgia Woodward

Bob Deacon: Would you rather have two mouths or four hands and why?
Georgia Woodward: Definitely four hands. There are many occasions in my life where I wish I was able to carry more.

Rove McManus is just about to interview you on Rove Live. He would tell the audience as your introduction “My next guest…”
If fresh off the plane from the US where she was working on the New NBC TV Show “The Waiting Room” with co-star, Amy Poehler.

What’s the best piece of acting or life advice you have received? (please use rhyming couplets where possible)
To define what success means to you. That’s how you will get through. Being true to you.
Don’t change to fit the game. Then if you don’t get the part, you have only yourself to blame.
Kidding.
Accept that the industry is tough and won’t stroke your hair and tell you your good enough.
Accept that you are an actor, with no money, but you are surrounded by art (I want more money) and that’s good enough.

If your co-star, your director and yourself were starving escaped convicts in the Tasmanian wilderness, who would you eat first and why?
I would like them both to eat me first. One, because I would not survive in those conditions and two, they’re better people.

What will the audience enjoy most about this show?
I think the audience will love watching these characters sit in their living room and solve all world problems. Spoiler alert! Alex and I do get pretty down and dirty. We may sing and plan for our future.

Bob Deacon

Bob Deacon

Georgia Woodward: What’s the rehearsal process for Last Drinks been like so far?
Bob Deacon: We have been holding our rehearsals in a pub which is very inspiring for a play set in a pub. We sometimes drink beer in the pub after rehearsals, usually a local draft beer. Sometimes we eat some pub grub. Our director Luke has been strong in resisting urges to turn the play into a pub rock musical. The other actors are Chris whose hobbies include entertaining/creeping us out with his The Joker monologues, and Steve who unfortunately had his script stolen after the first rehearsal.

Who is your character in the show and what qualities do you like about him?
As an acrostic poem… sure!
Daniel runs his suburban family pub ‘The Avalon’
Ask him how it’s going?
No good, he’d probably say
It’s only customers are his two larrikin mates
Everything he does is for those mates and his old man
Last drinks may be called soon

Brave New Word is a theatre company dedicated to new writing, how are you finding working with them?
The team is super! They are very supportive of emerging artists and committed to putting on truthful and thought-provoking local productions. I feel very lucky to be working with them and expect to see big things from them in the future. Before I started working with Brave New Word I used to sit in my room for hours listening to ABBA songs, but since then I haven’t listened to one ABBA song. That’s because working with them is as good as an ABBA song. It’s as good as “Dancing Queen” (please watch Muriel’s Wedding if you missed this reference).

What do you eat for breakfast?
I am ridiculously rigid in my eating habits. Breakfast is two pieces of toast heavily spread with Australia’s favourite yeast extract. If I have no bread in the house, I duck up to the local convenience store and scoff into a blueberry muffin. Breakfast during special occasions like Christmas and birthdays is always enough chocolate to make me feel ill and regret my actions.

Why should we come and see the show?
Audience member 1: “Remember that time we went and watched a double bill of new Australian plays, and one was about a pub that was actually set in a pub, in a pub? Like, literally, the theatre was in a pub?”

Audience member 2: “Yeah that was mad! I loved it! The acting, the story, the whole production… all of it was fantastic!”

Audience member 1: “And remember I found $50 in that bush on the way home?”

Audience member 2: “Yeah, good times!”

Georgia Woodward and Bob Deacon will be appearing in Last Drinks & Two Mouths Four Hands, with Brave New Word Theatre Company.
Dates: 17 – 26 November, 2015
Venue: Exchange Hotel Balmain

5 Questions with Michelle De Rosa and Carlos Sivalingam

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Michelle De Rosa

Michelle De Rosa

Carlos Sivalingam: What is your experience of working with Contemporarian and with Shai Alexander and Toby B. Styling in particular?
Michelle De Rosa: I was instantly drawn to the project due to the fresh approach Contemporarian has to theatre. Shai’s focus is theatre and Toby’s is film so together, Contemporarian expertly blends both mediums to create a fantastic experience which is why as audiences, we come to see theatre! Both Shai and Toby are very dedicated. We work hard as an ensemble but that’s what all actors want, to work!

Who is your character on the show?
My character is Elena, an 18 year old foreign student from a small Swiss town on the border with Italy. She is purity and playfulness personified. A very trusting soul who is taking her first independent steps in life on the other side of the world from her home! Craig, our hero, is instantly attracted to her. I don’t want to give anything else away!

Would you say that the process challenged you and that you improved as a performer during the ongoing rehearsal period?
Absolutely! I have had the pleasure of working two shows at once and I have grown phenomenally as an actor. The ongoing rehearsal period for Duck Hunting has given us time as an ensemble to really explore our characters, the play and our work together as a group. Such a rarity and such a gift!

How different is the rehearsal process for Duck Hunting by Contemporarian from anything else you ever worked on?
I love working outside in, on stage; starting with the physical and letting that inform my choices, my character. We have worked this way on Duck Hunting; finding the story on the floor. Again, we come to the theatre for an experience and working this way ensures we create that. Also, having a long rehearsal period give us time for precision: of movement, of voice, of clarity.

Why should we come and see this show?
You still need more convincing after all my previous answers? Duck Hunting is where passion and hard work come together in a sensational symphony! A tantalising transferral of energy if you will, between actors and audience honouring a timeless piece of work. Do come and let us perform for you!

Carlos Sivalingam

Carlos Sivalingam

Michelle De Rosa: What attracted you to work with Contemporarian Theatre Company on their original adaptation of the Russian classic Duck Hunting?
Carlos Sivalingam: As soon as I realised that Shai Alexander was a Russian trained actor, I wanted to be a part of this project. That was even before I read the play. Few Australians realise, when watching English speaking films, that most of the techniques employed by the actors, have their origins in Russia. For an experienced actor like me who never had a formal training, every rehearsal with Shai is a windfall.

Who is your character on the show?
I have two roles in the production. I am the stage manager and I also have a small role as a courier. The courier’s seemingly mundane job takes quite a turn when he realises that he has delivered a sympathy wreath for the funeral of a man, who is still “…alive and well…”.

How long was the rehearsal process?
I think the rehearsal period will total about 14 weeks. What’s been different though, is the number of hours spent each week on rehearsal. This show far exceeds any independent production that I have been in, for the number of hours of rehearsal. Coming from Russia, where a play like this would be rehearsed for a year before it is performed, Shai seems to have a limitless supply of information and skills, to share with his performers at each rehearsal.

How is this production different from anything else you ever worked on?
As mentioned, the rehearsal period is much longer and more intense, than previous, independent productions that I have been a part of. The show also employs different performance techniques to the “realism” that has dominated film, stage, and TV productions in the English speaking world. This, in particular, is new to me.

Why should we come and see this show?
It’s a Russian classic, virtually unknown to Australian audiences. As I said earlier, some of the performance techniques are also different. Many of these departures from the norm though, will only work on stage. So don’t watch a screen version or something downloaded to your laptop. You really need get down to the King Street theatre.

Michelle De Rosa and Carlos Sivalingam will be appearing in Contemporarian Theatre Company’s Duck Hunting, by Aleksandr Vampilov.
Dates: 4 – 29 November, 2015
Venue: King Street Theatre

5 Questions with Rosie Lockhart and Ben Prendergast

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Rosie Lockhart

Rosie Lockhart

Ben Prendergast: What is your earliest memory of performing?
Rosie Lockhart: I have a vague recollection of playing the Virgin Mary at my preschool Christmas concert. I think I was about 2? Or maybe I just remember the photos? I think I was wearing an old blue sheet on my head. Indie theatre needs more funding people!

If you had to karaoke for your life, which song would you choose and why?
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. The Wizard Of Oz was one of those films (like Annie, Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music) I used to watch over and over but fast forwarding through the “scary bit with the monkeys”. As a teen I sang the Judy Garland song at a Tamworth Eisteddfod. I can’t remember but if I won or not. Then at Sydney Uni, I sang the Eva Cassidy version at an inter-college music competition. I came second that year, bummer. I guess you could say that it’s been with me through the ages…

What’s the most memorable piece of advice a parent/mentor has left you with?
“Do what you love. If you stop loving it, do the thing you love.” My parents have always encouraged my creativity and to pursue a life of an artist. They’ve held my hand a lot of the way but I wouldn’t be living this artist life if it wasn’t for them. Legends.

If you could dine with any person living or dead, who would it be and why?
Ooh hard one. Probably Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren. They seem like the kind of woman who’d be up for “pot luck/bring whatever/whoever and a bottle of wine” kinda vibe. No fuss. No expectations. Good chat.

What’s Sydney’s most underrated feature?
Rosso Pomodoro. Ssh it’s Sydney’s best kept secret. A family owned pizzeria down on the docks in White Bay, just next to Rozelle. It’s the only restaurant at the base of an apartment block, BYO, no corkage, no half half toppings, genuine Italian fare. My brother and I inhaled many a margarita (each) when we lived in Lilyfield during my Sydney Uni days. Best. It’s my favourite place to visit whenever I’m in town.

Ben Prendergast

Ben Prendergast

Rosie Lockhart: Would you rather be a) renovating your house b) making personally scented soy candles c) designing websites & software d) acting?
Ben Prendergast: The notion of making personally scented candles appeals, for example you could have a Kanye West or Cathy Freeman or Ryan Gosling and really move some units, but it could be fraught, so I guess I’ll just stick with d) personally scented acting.

What are you reading at the moment?
I have about 20 books on the go at once, piled next to my bed. The one on the top of that pile at the moment is the Laurence Olivier biography by Philip Ziegler, and I’ve also just started The Moth by Catherine Burns; 50 true stories captured from the famous storytelling event where guests from Bill Clinton to the Sultan of Brunei’s concubine give an impromptu speech.

What do you love about being in the Red Stitch ensemble?
For as long as I can remember I’ve been a creative fella, and being creative sucks in a vacuum (see what I did there?), so it really feels for the first time that I’ve found a group of creatives who are all as driven as I am to make something and shine a light on things that matter. So whether we’re slugging it out on a Tuesday night to decide which of the 50 plays we’ve read should make it into next season, or we’re cutting a rug together during a launch event, or sharing anecdotes of an audience member touched by one or our shows, it’s like a family. A big, incestuous, somewhat creepy, but ultimately good looking and wholesome acting family.

What excites you most about Sydney?
An unexpected vista of the water, the shiny people, not so shiny bridge, colonial flashes, the one way streets. Any city I’ve ever spent time in I’ve always brought my runners and explored. We’re staying with a friend who lucked out buying a Penthouse Bondi apartment a number of years ago, so we’re living large. So I have a month to explore the city by day, and put up a wonderful show at night. Maybe we shouldn’t leave?

If you could invite 5 people to dinner, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
I was going to say the Beatles and George Martin, but then I realised that I’d be missing a huge opportunity to understand something about everything. So firstly I’d like to stipulate that each of these guests must be alive (you could get me on a technicality and then I’m having dinner with four dead people and the Dalai Lama), but they would be: John Lennon, Albert Einstein, The Dalai Lama, Adolf Hitler, and My Nanna Betty. Music, science, religion, and stupidity, and my Nanna Betty (who would hold her own).

Rosie Lockhart will be appearing in Dead Centre by Tom Holloway and Ben Prendergast in Sea Wall by Simon Stephens, a double bill presentation by Red Stitch Actors Theatre.
Dates: 20 October – 14 November, 2015
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

5 Questions with Zac McKay and Steve Vincent

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Zac McKay

Zac McKay

Steve Vincent: What’s your most important/meaningful/memorable theatre experience?
Zac McKay: Definitely the first. Chinchilla with STC at the Drama Theatre Opera house. Directed by Rodney Fisher, designed by Brian Thompson. The set was completely white using the entire stage area, with a ballet bar running along the back wall. Stunning. The play itself about Nijinski Diaghilev, and the Ballet Russes. Coming straight from drama school to work with such a great bunch of actors including, Peter Carroll, John Gadden and Linda Cropper in such an iconic building was truly a blast.

Who would play you in the film “Zach McKay: It’s not OKay!!”
Nana Mouskouri. It’s a glasses thing.

Two Parter: In Ghosts you play Jacob Engstrand. a)What does Engstrand do on a Wednesday night? And b)What’s his spirit animal?
Gets pissed, falls unconscious in a gutter. Budgerigar.

In Ghosts, the only time we share the stage is in one scene where I enter but then you leave almost immediately!! What’s that about? Was it something I said?
You don’t say anything! However, you’re taller than me, younger than me, better looking than me, more talented than me, your have an agent a wife a car…. need I go on? I weep with despair every time I see you, and you ask about sharing the stage.

Any weird or wonderful pre or post show rituals?
No.

Steve Vincent

Steve Vincent

Zac McKay: What drew you to acting?
Steve Vincent: I was pursuing a career as a professional footballer when I met a beautiful young woman whose grace, confidence and worldliness struck me like a thunderbolt and woke me up out of my one track football mind! She was studying classical music at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and her influence on me is huge, I started to see there was a lot more to life than football and I felt I needed to find a way to try and explore and learn every inch of life. Acting was the answer.

What Shakespearean character would you like to play?
Without a second thought or doubt… Shylock! I’ve loved and felt for him from the moment I read The Merchant Of Venice and would love a hit out at him. I came to the works of Bill late and Shylock was the first character I met and I keep returning to him over and over. I’m also a big Pacino fan and he brought a tenderness and humanity to a character many thought to be evil. I already know all his lines, all I need is to age a bit and I’m set!

How do you learn all those lines?
Repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition! It’s the old fashion way, but it’s the only way for me. Apps and recordings never lets it sink. I just repeat and repeat and as they sink I try to form images to associate and then recreate those “mind paintings” each time I repeat. The blocking helps, and then I take them for walks all over the city and try to make them conversations.

What pertinence does Ghosts have to a contemporary audience?
Ibsen’s works aren’t classics just because they are old. They’re classics because the themes he writes about are universal and transcend time or period or culture. I relate to my character Olswald because I can understand his issues with his world, his family, culture, his art and himself. As I too have gone through one or two of the same issues. The world gets older but the issues for people stay the same. It’s kinda sad when you think about it. But, if you’re a mum, dad, son, daughter, have hopes and dreams, strong ideals, have been lied to or have lied to someone, in love or out of love or been born… Then you’ll find something in Ghosts.

If you could achieve anything, having no limitations whatsoever, what would that be?
It’s going to sound corny but I’ve recently learned limitations are what you put on yourself. We live in a great country where we can set out to achieve anything! I’m the son of migrants, they had limitations due to a Franco ruled Spain. Their choice to move to Australia has resulted in a lifestyle for me where I can achieve anything! I owe it to them to do so. I’d also like to have a long lunch with Marlon Brando!

Zac McKay and Steve Vincent can be seen in Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen.
Dates: 7 – 24 Oct, 2015
Venue: The Depot Theatre

5 Questions with Elizabeth MacGregor and Dominique Nesbitt

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Elizabeth MacGregor

Elizabeth MacGregor

Dominique Nesbitt: Chekhov is renowned for his honest and well-rounded depictions of women. I think his Three Sisters is a perfect example of the depth and substance he gives to his female characters. What drew you to the character of Olga?
Elizabeth MacGregor: My instant response would be to describe Olga as ‘the sensible one’ – but in reality, that doesn’t do her justice at all. Olga is the pillar of the family, as the eldest sister, she’s assumed the role of care-taker and comforter to her three younger siblings after the death of their mother and father, and has forgone her own ambitions in order to keep the family together. When I first approached this role, I wondered why Olga didn’t seem to be resentful at having to take care of the others, but I really believe that she genuinely cares for her siblings (and the greater ‘family’ of friends and servants) and gains a strong sense of identity and emotional fulfillment through nurturing the others. I think ultimately what drew me to the character of Olga is her emotional strength and her resilience.

Chekhov is also renowned for writing texts that are universal in both theme and tone. We are keeping our production set in the period in which it was written. I was wondering whether this has changed the way you have prepared for the role, or whether its universality has meant that you have easily tapped into the mindset of a woman living in 1900s Russia?
It has been a welcome challenge to prepare for this role – and it is a mixture of both. It’s very important to understand the context of the time and place in which the play is set, so I’ve been reading and researching as much as possible about Russia, the politics of the time and the lives and expectations of a woman in Russia in 1900. Women in 1900 carried themselves very differently from the way we do now – so I’m also thinking a lot about movement, gestures and posture. The themes are universal though – so I feel able to tap into the emotional experience of Olga – but it’s important to be expressing that in the context of the time in which the play is set.

During the play, Masha’s husband Kulygin confesses that he perhaps should have married Olga instead. Have you created a backstory in order to give that scene added gravitas?
As much as possible, I’ve created a backstory using the information provided in the script. It’s important not to give too much of the backstory away though – I wouldn’t want to dissipate the energy of the ‘secret’.

You have just been approached to play the lead in a production of your choosing. What would it be and Why? (You may also want to cast some of the other characters as well!).
I would dearly love the opportunity to play the role of Desiree Armfeldt in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. The musical explores the themes of love, desire, opportunities, and more importantly, missed opportunities, and the passing of time. Desiree sings the well-known song, ‘Send in the Clowns’ – and when I first learned to sing that song as a naive, unworldly 14 year old, I really didn’t understand the song at all and thought that I was ‘way too cool’ to be having to sing about clowns. Well, when I finally saw the musical about 10 years ago, I heard the song and was completely mesmerized and quite emotional and I just knew then – ‘I really want to sing that song, I really understand it now’. I am completely in awe of Sondheim’s ability to portray intricate themes and complex human emotions with beautiful music and incredibly clever lyrics.

In Act 1, Olga proudly declares that she has prepared supper for Irina’s name-day celebration. During rehearsals, we have all had the absolute pleasure of sampling some of your own delicious creations. What would be on the menu at a dinner party hosted by Elizabeth?
Oh, that’s easy – but how do I narrow it down to just a few dishes! For entrée, I have a wonderful German recipe for a warm potato salad served with cured salmon; followed by duck confit with du puy lentils, and for dessert, lemon tart. There’s no chocolate in the dessert, so I’d simply have to make some truffles to have afterwards, because you can’t possibly have a dinner party without chocolate!

Dominique Nesbitt

Dominique Nesbitt

Elizabeth MacGregor: What drew you to the role of Irina? What do you like about her?
Dominique Nesbitt: I’ve always been drawn to stories that deal with the passage of time. In Chekhov’s Three Sisters we are given the opportunity to track the lives of these three women (and others) across four years. If nothing else, we learn that a lot can happen in that considerably short space of time! When we first meet Irina, she is 20 years old and full of life and promise. I think it was that youthful determination and spirit that first drew me to her. She has dreams and aspirations that are delivered with such vigour and passion that you just hope she can see them fulfilled. It is clear from the outset that those dreams have outgrown her provincial surroundings. She yearns to go home to Moscow and it is that unrelenting desire for the city which sees her through the next couple years spent working in menial jobs. There is something in her story that we can all relate to, I think. She is a fiercely independent and free-thinking young woman who strives for more than a life in the country can offer her. Being the youngest of the family, Irina seeks out the guidance and counsel of her older sisters – particularly Olga – whom she admires and respects. By 23, she has experienced tragedy and faced challenges the likes of which most of us will hopefully never experience in our lives. Her resolve and maturity at the end of the play is startling and it remains one of the things I admire most about her.

How have you approached preparing for your role, bearing in mind the era in which the play is set?
Despite it being set in Russia in the 1900s, I think the characters have been written in such a way that they are as relatable and approachable to modern audiences as they were to audiences 100 years ago. In terms of my own preparation, I have done a little extra research to ensure that my movements and gestures are in keeping with the period. I have also had a look at important historical events that framed this period in Russia because I think it is particularly crucial to setting the mood and tone of the play. In terms of characterisation, I think I have approached Irina as I would any other character. As I said earlier, I think the sentiments she expresses are timeless in that they speak to that youthful determination we all have to carve out a meaningful existence in whatever we choose to undertake. I just hope I can do that justice!

If you, Dominique, could give Irina one piece of advice, what would it be? Are there any other characters in the play to whom you would give advice, and what would that be?
Being 24 myself, I don’t really know what words of wisdom I can impart given that Irina and I are very close in age but I guess I would tell her to place a greater value on patience. There are several moments in the play where she lacks the patience to see that there is great beauty in the path that leads us to our destination. There isn’t one specific character to whom I would seek to advise but I would instead remind everyone that happiness is not overrated and they should seek it out and hold onto it as best they can.

Live theatre is dynamic – no two performances (of the same production) are exactly the same. What is the most unexpected (or funny) thing that has happened to you in a play, and how did you respond?
How true it is! I played Glinda, the Good Witch, in my High School’s production of The Wizard Of Oz and during one performance, I slipped and fell mid-song on the train of my voluminous skirt. Whilst I was unable to mask the fact that I had clearly fallen, I attempted to rally the munchkins around me in the hope that together we could make it through the rest of the song without further incident. It was incredibly embarrassing at the time but I do look back now and laugh.

You clearly have an eye for design and style, given the beautiful and distinctive clothes that you wear every day to rehearsals. Are you inspired by costumes? Is there a particular era or style of costume/clothing that you would like to design?
That is such a lovely compliment. Thank you! I have always been very interested in fashion and costuming, because I think you can glean a great deal about a period just by examining the different silhouettes and range of fabrics used to make garments. That may be why I collect vintage clothes because I love the idea of wearing garments that have a backstory. As an actor, trying on the costumes of your character can be a rather transformative experience. As silly as it sounds, I do believe that your costumes can help you to feel and move as your character. There is no one particular style or era that I would specifically like to design because I would probably pull ideas from several different eras. In saying that, my favourite silhouette is probably the 1950’s ‘New Look.’ If I were to design the costumes for a production, I would love to use that silhouette as a base. I’m also drawn to novelty patterns and rich floral prints. But then I also love Hungarian Folk embroidery, which was popular in the 1930’s and the drop-waist dresses of the 1920’s. It’s far too difficult for me to choose! The common thread is I’m drawn to clothing that signified a shift in the mindset and/or social circumstances of an era. I hope that answers the question.

Elizabeth MacGregor and Dominique Nesbitt will be appearing in Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, translated by Brian Friel.
Dates: 17 Oct – 14 Nov, 2015
Venue: Genesian Theatre

5 Questions with Rowan Davie and Stacey Duckworth

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Stacey Duckworth

Stacey Duckworth

Rowan Davie: So this play I’ve written, that I’ve cast you in, is it like, Tennessee-Williams-good? Basically, is it in your top 5?
Stacey Duckworth: Oh. Yeah. Goes without saying! For suresies. Its probably not fair, though, to compare it to all the other plays… Outside that though, its a hard list to compile, although it seems to have come down to roles I’d love to perform, or plays that hold particular poignancy from my life. Hedda Gabler, Macbeth, The Importance of Being Earnest, Undermilk Wood, Once – technically a musical, but I saw it in NYC, a life changing trip and truly inspiring performances.

Two parter: You play a film producer, Moët. a) What does Moët do on a quiet Wednesday night once she’s left the studio? b) What/who is her spirit animal?
a) its straight into silk pyjamas, a lean cuisine, a glass of chardonnay and The Bachelor on catch up. b) hummingbird. She’s in constant motion, high pitched, delicate and loves flowers.

Stacey, you played Ophelia to my Hamlet all last year and your singing stole the show. Are you planning to steal Infinity Taster as well? And what acting techniques will you use to go about that?
Well, there’s nothing you can do about talent, but I have taken a leaf out of Paul’s book and slipped a few re-writes into the script. You’ll have to wait til opening night to see the whole spectacular but theres a strong chance of glitter and snap pants.

When it’s all done and dusted, what does the Stacey Duckworth tombstone read?
But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.

Why, seriously, why bother coming to this show?
It’s fun, it’s silly, it’s short, and you can drink in the theatre.

Rowan Davie

Rowan Davie

You wrote a play and cast a bunch of your friends in it. So whats the best (and worst) thing about working with your friends?
Drinking during rehearsals and drinking during rehearsals. Also they’re really really uncritical of the play.

Where do you draw inspiration from as a writer, and how, or is, that different from as an actor?
For me, they both come from the same place – sharing intimacy with other people. I love writers and actors. I’m so impressed whenever anyone writes anything and puts it out there. I’m reading Ka by Roberto Calasso about Hindu mythology. The play on before us at The Fitz, Annie Baker’s The Aliens totally had me going, “wow, I love how simple this is, and the silences and the kinds of characters.” But going off Infinity Taster, it looks like I’ve been inspired by The Simpsons and Saving Private Ryan. Or at least Matt Damon.

In Infinity Taster, your character Paul, is trapped inside his own movie. Have you ever similarly been or felt trapped?
Never. But metaphorically, yes, very perceptive Stace. I guess Paul, being trapped as a dead body in a war movie, is pointing to the feeling of being trapped in your own mind, by your own ego, where concepts and thoughts rule (and are at war with each other) and you are unable to escape into the present moment. And I go through that.

Who plays you in the movie, “Rowan Davie, my shambles of a life” ?
Can it please be Gareth Davies? That man should do everyone’s biopic.

What’s your most important/meaningful/memorable theatre experience?
Hmm.. I’m gonna say Ariane Mnouchkine’s Le Dernier Caravanserail at a Melbourne Fest in ’05. I think it was a 6 hour show in 2 parts. They pulled off the ‘moving sea out of bed sheets thing’ but with 40 actors and twenty metre high waves, while refugees were trying to make it across ropes from one boat to another. It was utterly tragic and completely inspirational. If Infinity Taster was 1/1000th as good, job done.

Rowan Davie and Stacey Duckworth will be appearing in Infinity Taster, by Rowan Davie.
Dates: 15 – 19 September, 2015
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre

5 Questions with William Erimya and Patrick Magee

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
William Erimya

William Erimya

Patrick Magee: Have you ever solved a crime in real life?
Will Erimya: I haven’t solved any major crimes, though I am so close to solving who the Zodiac Killer is. I like solving mysteries around the house, like the case of the misplaced keys, why are all these lights on and who ate all the food.

You have the finest beard and moustache the world has ever seen. Who is your facial hair hero?
I’m very hairy and it just grows with out any warning. I admire Super Mario and Craig David’s facial hairs.

Do you prefer doing scripted or improvised shows?
I like both, but I tend to prefer improvised shows. There’s no greater thrill than doing a wholly improvised show. You get such a great adrenaline rush.

What is your comedy secret?
There’s no secret. But, just in case every month I perform a sacred blood ritual at the altar of Kalgar the Everliving. Just in case.

Lastly, shag-marry-kill with Sherlock, Watson and Moriarty?
Shag: Sherlock – you can’t tie him down to a long term relationship, plus you’d always be second fiddle to solving crimes. Marry: Watson – he’s a doctor, so he’s a bit more stable and probably very well off. Kill: Moriarty – he’s a bad guy. So I’d kill him, without a doubt, no questions asked, shoot first still won’t ask questions.

Patrick Magee

Patrick Magee

Will Erimya: In real life who do you identify with more, Sherlock or Watson?
Patrick Magee: Probably Sherlock, because like him I am an arrogant genius with a crippling cocaine habit.

What is your favorite Sherlock Holmes book/mystery?
Out of the Conan Doyle stories I have a soft spot for A Scandal In Bohemia and The Problem Of Thor Bridge, although you can’t go past The Adventure Of The Lion’s Mane, where the murderer is (spoiler alert) a jellyfish that Holmes bashes to death with a rock. I also really like Nicholas Meyer’s The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, which is all about Holmes kicking his cocaine habit with the help of Sigmund Freud.

What made you want to do comedy?
I got tricked into it by an old gypsy woman and I’ve been looking for an out ever since. I’m doing The Game Is Afoot so I can pretend to be a cool action hero instead of a dumb comedian.

How would you get away with a crime?
I’d probably just confess to it in a kind of sarcastic voice so people wouldn’t take me seriously.

Have you ever committed a crime?
Not really. I’m the Zodiac Killer, but that was ages ago so I don’t know if it still counts.

William Erimya and Patrick Magee will be appearing in The Game is Afoot: An Improvised Sherlock Holmes Mystery, part of Sydney Fringe 2015.
Dates: 9 – 13 September, 2015
Venue: The Factory Theatre

5 Questions with Gabrielle Scawthorn and Aaron Glenane

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Gabrielle Scawthorn

Gabrielle Scawthorn

Aaron Glenane: In Fourplay, Tom describes Alice as strong, driven, unpretentious and classic. What are 5 qualities that sum you up?
Gabrielle Scawthorn: It is hard to strike an appropriate balance of confidence and self deprecation when answering this. You inevitably sound like a Debbie Downer or a Bell End so I turned to my nearest and dearest and asked for one each from them. They say the following;
Hugo (partner): Vivacious
Rob (brother): Assertive
Stephen (Papa): Determined
Teghan (best friend): Filthy
Qiao (my local dumpling supplier): Loyal

Alice is most excited to tell Tom about a breakthrough she has at work. What is the most exciting news you’ve ever told someone?
When I was 17, mid completing my year 12 exams, I got selected for a TV show on Channel V. The camera crews came to my house to break the news of my acceptance, the same night I wasn’t allowed to go to a school dance because I had to cram for a history exam the following Monday. After I got the news I ceased all study and went to the school dance to inform my history teacher I would not be doing the exam on Monday because I was moving to Sydney the next day to party and interview rockstars. She took it very well but asked me to stop drinking at school dances.

You’re very proud of your amazing red hair. Who is your most inspirational red head?
William Wallace.

You’ve mentioned having a few A-list encounters. What is your favourite “star struck” story?
Thank you for this leading question Aaron. (I think Aaron has heard this story roughly 4.5 times). There’s no easy way to say this. I straddled Dame Helen Mirren. I was seeing a show on Broadway and on the way to my seat I was straddling everyone so they didn’t have to get up and mid straddle on one particular lap I looked up and Helen Mirren was between my legs! My seat was right next to hers! I brokered a conversation by saying “I’m so sorry to bother you but seeing as I have already straddled you”, the dame was on game and replied, “Yes, we’re already friends aren’t we?”. Then we watched the show together in perfect harmony.

Alice is on a search for true love and connection. What is your definition of love?
Love is when you meet someone that you can take off all the shit we have to wear publicly to get through a day, all the bravado, all the expectation of what we’re “meant to be” and instead you just be and really get to know someone and once disclosing your true self that other person accepts and reciprocates your offering of absolute authenticity and looks forward to waking up to you. That to me is love… and payment upfront.

Aaron Glenane

Aaron Glenane

In Fourplay, Alice says, that you can tell a lot about a person from where they live. Aaron list three things that are currently in your living space that sum you up.
The plant on my bedside table because I need a bit of nature nearby. There’s a poster of James Dean on my wall saying “Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” The photo frame of my family back home in Victoria.

List three things that are currently in your living space that sum you up perfectly but you wouldn’t necessarily want people to know about.
I have a pair of Where’s Wally underwear. In my DVD collection I own The Notebook…which I bought! I have a “groin guard” which I use at Krav Maga training. But, to the untrained eye it could be misconstrued as something else entirely.

You have often put yourself in a similar acting calibre as Daniel Day Lewis, when off of the screen he is a shoe cobbler. What obscure profession could you see yourself in?
Hahaha I wouldn’t dare say I was in the same league! I’d lose my mind if I was in the same film as him. He’s a master. My first job was being the waterboy for the local basketball team in Ballarat. Maybe the Cleveland Cavs have a vacant position alongside Matthew Dellavedova.

You question Alice’s smoking. What’s your worst habit/vice?
My worst habit is “wishful thinking with the ticket inspectors” and “wishful thinking with how much petrol I’ve got left in the tank.” They kind of speak for themselves don’t they.

Alice asks if you have ever cracked a joke? Aaron what’s your best joke?
An actress, a costumer and a stage manager found an old bottle in a pile of junk backstage. The actress rubbed it against her sleeve, and poof! A genie appeared.
“You got me fair and square,” the genie said. “So you each get one wish.”
“I want a world tour in a starring role,” the actress declared.
“Granted,” said the genie, and poof! The actress was off on her tour.
“I want a yacht and unlimited funds to cruise the exotic ports of the world,” wished the costumer.
“Granted,” said the genie, and poof! The costumer was off on his cruise.
The stage manager rubbed his chin, thought for a minute and said, “I want them back after lunch.”

Gabrielle Scawthorn and Aaron Glenane are the stars of Ride & Fourplay by Jane Bodie.
Dates: 4 September – 4 October, 2015
Venue: Eternity Playhouse

5 Questions with Nick Barkla and Justin Stewart Cotta

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Nick Barkla

Nick Barkla

Justin Stewart Cotta: Who is your favourite female actor and why?
Nick Barkla: Laura Gordon is my favourite actress. I’ve worked with her several times and she has always inspired me to go deeper and harder with the work. A genuinely bold, powerful actress. Judy Davis is another favourite, an awesome talent!

With the federal government stripping money from the arts and instead allocating gazillions to military drones, do you feel that more artists will need to produce their own work?
Artists should always be creating and producing their own work. You have more control over what you’re doing and can tell the stories you feel are important and truly worth sharing with an audience. In my experience, it’s not a lucrative thing to do, but can be extremely creative and satisfying.

Most annoying thing your co-actor Justin does?
Justin isn’t shy about telling me where he thinks I should stand and how I should say a line, which can be annoying, but what’s more annoying is that he’s often right! He also makes this clicking noise with his tongue at the back of his mouth when he has asthma that is really disgusting.

What is the most challenging aspect of your character, Joey?
Joey is in emotional turmoil throughout the play, but it’s not in his personality to let it out. He’s caught between loyalty to his best mate, and the dawning realisation that he is in love with his best mate’s wife. He’s also been somewhat of a coward and it’s time for him to stand up and be counted. There are so many challenging aspects to this I can’t name one, but it’s been a great ride so far trying to work it all out.

Favourite meal after an exhaustingly intense two-hander play?
Love a good steak and chips after sparring with Justin all night.

Justin Stewart Cotta

Justin Stewart Cotta

Nick Barkla: Denny is a fantastically destructive character, what similarities do you have with him personally?
Justin Stewart Cotta:: Time has proven that I may well possess an addictive personality, though I am ten years sober now. The occasional violent impulse, a genuine love of people and a love of the senses and a lust for all things worldly are probably still inherent in my makeup, though these days I tend to mix it up with some yoga, reading inspiring memes on fb, and burning the odd stick of incense…

We met doing Glengarry Glen Ross, another Chicago-set drama, why were you excited to do A Steady Rain together?
We struck up a fairly immediate bromance on Glengarry Glen Ross, so in essence we just wanted to work together, and instead of doing the typical whining and sobbing over the state main stage theatre companies recycling the same actors and monopolising the best scripts, we just thought “fuck it”, let’s produce our own show. The script you proposed was excellent, so we approached Keith Huff directly for the rights to A Steady Rain and got them. He dug our vibe and our passion.

We both play cops in the play. Do you think you could have been a cop in real life?
No, despite the fact that I would LOVE to play dress ups and cuff folk willy nilly, I would be a terrible police officer. I would be unable to enforce many state and federal laws that are rotten from the core. I truly respect and appreciate how difficult the gig is, but I would more likely be sitting under a tree plucking a Gibson jumbo acoustic and snacking on fresh celery and hummus.

How would you describe the relationship between Denny and Joey, and do you expect any real-life tension to bleed into your work with me?
Denny and Joey love each other and fight each other in that archetypal dysfunctional family way. The bond is doubtless. However the day to day behaviour leaves you wondering how long they can last. I don’t really experience any tension with you. You are a fairly decent chap, but you def get royally annoyed with me when I direct in rehearsals. 🙂 P.S. I’m not the director, the wonderful Adam Cook is. In my defence, I am often right.

How important is it to find the humour and lightness in a play that tackles dark subject matter like A Steady Rain?
Yeah look, the humour and lightness is at a premium. But those colours will never be as important as the love these two best friends have for each other. A vulnerability and a commitment to the gentle truth, and our willingness/ability to bring those qualities to the stage will be the difference between giving you guys an average show or a gripping show.

Nick Barkla and Justin Stewart Cotta will be appearing in A Steady Rain by Keith Huff.
Dates: 22 September – 17 October, 2015
Venue: The Old Fitz Theatre

5 Questions with Claudia Coy and Tina Jackson

Posted in Suzy's 5 Questions by
Claudia Coy

Claudia Coy

Tina Jackson: You’re a bit of a screen personality, what’s the difference between film and theatre acting?
Claudia Coy: For me, it’s all about the audience interaction, especially in comedy. When I’m performing for the camera I have no idea if I’m hitting the right comedic notes until the preview screening, whether as in theatre you’ll know straight away whether or not you’re playing up to your audience and subtly adjust your performance accordingly. For more intense scenes, film sets are safer places because you have time to get to the emotional place that you need to, but that’ll never compare to the fun you can have interacting with your audience live.

The character of Jenny, do you resonate with her at all?
I had a bit of a rough time empathising with Jenny in the first few read throughs. There are similarities in that we’re both young, blonde, students but unlike me, she finds it really difficult to stand up for herself and lets people continually underestimate her without feeling the need to prove them wrong. She’s stronger than she comes across but in the same respect she has a heart of gold so would rather keep the peace than address the real issue. The one thing that really resonated with me, was Jennys territorial nature – she’s happily engaged and planning a wedding but there’s still someone from her past that she considers ‘hers’ and seeing him with someone else completely shakes her world up. I had a very similar experience last year and so I hope that I deliver Jenny in a way that justifies her action.

How has it been revisiting the text and the character after a year?
There’s always a huge low that comes with finishing any production, so when I was asked to reprise my role I absolutely jumped at the opportunity. Having James reprise his role as my fiance meant that I had an immediate source of comfort and familiarity, but having two new actors in the cast brought a lot of new energy and perspective. I’ve found that Tina and Luke’s interpretations of Evelyn and Adam, has dramatically effected the way I perceive Jenny and her role in their friendship group and so my performance has evolved as well.

How do you prepare for roles?
When I auditioned for The Shape Of Things the first time around, a friend suggested I watch the film before I go in. I feel like the worst thing an actor can do is purposely base their own performance on someone else’s artistic choices. To prepare for an audition, I just sit down and get as familiar with the script that I can while thinking of key characteristics and ticks that make my character who they are. To prepare for the actual performance nights, I need to have at least 15 minutes by myself before we go, especially when the rest of the cast have become good friends – you almost need time to shake those friendships off so that you can see them as their characters and interact accordingly.

What can audiences take away from The Shape Of Things?
The Shape Of Things is so multifaceted. The main plot line is incredibly engaging and the big twist always shocks the audience but before that even happens you get a really unique insight into friendship, insecurities, attraction and power. The Shape Of Things has the ability to make an audience empathise with even the nastiest of actions.

Tina Jackson

Tina Jackson

Claudia Coy: This is your first ‘straight’ piece, how different is it to say, a cabaret or musical?
Tina Jackson: Well, for me I’ve always found straight theatre less emotionally accessible – it’s so easy with musical theatre to let the music carry you away before you even delve any deeper to the characters or story. I find this kind of theatre much more intellectual. I go home from rehearsals mentally drained!

You lived in London for a couple of years. What’s the biggest difference to the industry here, and the industry there?
The industry over there is just SO BIG. There are more professional shows being performed at any given time than Australia could hope to produce in years. The fringe scene is also huge over there – there are plenty of fringe festivals and plenty of amazing fringe theatres constantly putting on new work. There also isn’t as much of a divide between “music theatre” and “straight actors” over there – here I’ve found if you come from a music theatre background it is very difficult to get a foot in the casting room for film and tv.

Do you have any dream roles? Regardless of gender and age?
I would love to play Maureen in Rent. Or Bruce Bogtrotter in Hairspray.

What’s your biggest fear as an actor?
I think it’s the same for everyone. Being able to make a sustainable living doing what we do is almost impossible and not being able to set yourself up for the future is pretty scary.

What are your thoughts on the vastly growing musical scene in Sydney?
It was pretty exciting to come back from London and see so much was going on. Companies like the Hayes and Squabbalogic are doing the most beautiful small productions and it’s nice to see hugely successful overseas shows like Matilda and The Book Of Mormon are finally coming here as well.

Claudia Coy and Tina Jackson will be appearing in The Shape Of Things by Neil Labute (part of Sydney Fringe 2015).
Dates: 15 – 20 September, 2015
Venue: Kings Cross Hotel