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

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

Lauren Dillon

Caroline Levien: In The Heidi Chronicles, we bump into Heidi intermittently over the course of three decades. What were the challenges in portraying a character over from the age of 16 to the age of 40?
Lauren Dillon: I guess the biggest thing for me was having to make the connection between each year that we see Heidi and figuring out what happened that influenced her life, her state of mind and social standing in those blocks of time that we don’t see on stage. She goes through some pretty significant changes and they also happen during quite iconic political movements in America so wrapping my head around all of the historical context has been a big part of this also. It’s a challenge to find the subtle changes that are necessary to show the evolving nature of a person as they grow older, while also keeping everything true to that character. Also slightly terrifying trying to remember what I was like as a 16 year-old!

Through the play, Wendy Wasserstein tracks the waves of feminism through her character’s respective journeys. We see it through the nurturing women’s rap groups of the 60’s-70’s, the open protests for equal representation, women’s collectives, and finally the 80’s: ‘beating men at their own game’ and the rise of the business woman. In light of this journey, where do you think feminism stands today?
Somehow the topic of feminism can still make for extremely volatile discussion along with misinterpretation and confusion. I see fantastic initiatives where women who live in countries that are closer to gender equality are now also fighting for the basic equal rights of women in situations where they are still oppressed, politically or socially. I see really positive steps on the global stage towards acknowledging that feminism is about gender equality on the whole and how it not only benefits women but men as well. Yet there are still those who think that Feminism is a dirty word espoused only by man-hating witches, and some of the vitriol out there, especially online, is really quite upsetting and disturbing. The battleground is not only in the public arena, it’s still very personal and I think young people now are looking for ways to take it in to their own hands. It seems feminism has accomplished much yet there is ongoing work to do to tackle the anti-feminism ignorance that still exists.

We meet Heidi through the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. As an actor, what era has been the most fun to revisit?
Hhmmmm…. That’s a tricky one. They’re all so great and full of fantastic music, political changes, fashion and social movements. I think I’d have to say the 60’s and 70’s though, as these are the years where Heidi has a lot of her political/ feminist awakening and becomes a little rebellious. Plus I have to admit that watching youtube videos of Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac is very satisfying ‘research’.

What have you most enjoyed about working on this production of The Heidi Chronicles?
I’ve really loved working with our awesome cast and crew. Everyone brings their own slice of magic to the room, and is also really supportive and encouraging of each other. I’m inspired by everyone each time we rehearse as I’m learning from people who’ve been doing this longer than me and also watching great choices and incredible work ethic from others. There have been a lot of laughs in the rehearsal room, and some fabulous reminiscing on the past from our Director – lots of great stories and insight. Plus our stage management team are the business!

What do you hope audience members will take away from this production of The Heidi Chronicles?
I hope that the audience will have a really enjoyable couple of hours watching a play that’s got a heap of women in it and not your typical linear structure. I hope they will have the opportunity to reflect on what’s changed in the world since this play was written – but also what hasn’t and see if that moves something in them. I also hope they have a bloody good laugh – there’s some comedy gold in there!

Caroline Levien

Lauren Dillon: The Heidi Chronicles was a Broadway hit & Pulitzer Prize winner in the late 80’s – what keeps it relevant today?
Caroline Levien: So much. In a way I wish it was less relevant if it meant that we had come a little further as a society in terms of what we ask and expect of women.

The Heidi Chronicles really tracks the various waves of feminism from the 60’s-80’s and explores a wide variety of themes including ‘sisterhood solidarity’, sexual liberation, gay rights and ‘having it all’ to name a few.

I feel like the subject of feminism is something that has been tarnished a bit and I cringe when I hear women say they don’t need it, as though it’s the new F word and can’t be uttered. On the contrary: It should be studied, celebrated and reinvented. Heidi’s journey through the play highlights the ups and downs of the movement as it changed through the eras. Was it perfect? God no. These social and civil movement rarely go smoothly because what they are doing is shaking up the status quo- there are no rulebooks for how they are supposed to run so in each era the play visits, we see how the ideas have changed: from ultra supportive Consciousness Raising Rap Groups in the 60’s all the way to the rise of the Power Women of the 80’s and the corrosion of the early notions of ‘solidarity’ in favour for emulating traditional male roles in the pursuit of success- shoulder pads anyone?

The Heidi Chronicles looks at these changing incarnations of ‘feminism’ and does so with a certain humour and intelligence that I hope resonates with audiences today, and ask them to study where the role of women’s equality sits in our current era. I imagine most people will recognise that we still have a long way to go.

What are some of your picks of songs that were released in the years Susan features in the play?
Tough one. I’m a big fan of the 60’s and 70’s music so I’d probably have to pick The Kinks. Although my favourite Janis Joplin song happens when I’m off stage so I am free to rock out. Lucky me.

What have you most enjoyed about working on The Heidi Chronicles?
The ensemble. We have some wonderful people working on this production and it’s been such a pleasure to watch and learn from the other actors and the lovely work that they bring to the floor. It’s a challenging play, charting a whole lifetime in two hours, so having a great supportive group of actors and creatives is such a blessing.

There are several scenes in the play where you get to eat/ drink – what’s your pick of the food/ beverage options?
I seem to be either constantly eating or drinking wine in this play. Tough call but it’s got to be Jill’s peanut butter and granola cookies. The breadsticks are pretty fabulous too.

Do you quietly have a favourite character from this play? Come on – spill the beans…
I love all the characters for various reasons. I love my own character, Susan, for her ballsiness and confidence which at times feels so far removed from me as a person and actor, but if I had to pick a favourite I would have to chose Heidi. Her journey speaks so clearly to me that it’s almost eerie. A woman in a world that is constantly changing in ways that she cannot control or fathom, stoic in her beliefs in a society with a very mutable moral and social compass, people coming and going and morphing in front of her, leaving her with no solid ground to stand on. Jesus it’s like an extract from my diary!

The woman in a tempest of a changing world. For me, Heidi is an ‘everywoman’.

Lauren Dillon and Caroline Levien are appearing in The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein.
Dates: 7 June – 9 July, 2016
Venue: New Theatre

Nicholas Papademetriou

Clemence Williams: If Firs was ever granted long service leave, where would he go and how long would he last before wanting desperately to return to the family?
Nicholas Papademetriou: He’d definitely go to Paris just to know what it was like after all the stories he’d heard from the master’s trips there. He’d stay in a grand hotel like the Crillon and make sure the service was as good as he would have given. He’d miss the family from day one, but he’d probably not come back as his age would probably see him die peacefully after a delicious breakfast in bed in his hotel suite.

Shoot/Shag/Marry three characters in the play.
Firs would shoot Yasha, shag Gaev (just for payback) and marry Varya. Me – I’d shoot Lyubov, shag Lophakin and if I had to marry (cause I don’t believe in it) probably Pischkin cause he’d be drunk and out most of the time.

What’s your dream role?
I’ve already played one – Perry in Mike Leigh’s Greek Tragedy – and there are a few dream roles left, but George in Virginia Woolf and Shylock.

If you could join any past/present music group, what would it be and why? Where would you tour?
I’d want to be the fourth back singer in The Supremes, cause I know all the words to their songs. I love that big hair and outfits of the 60’s. I’d want to play Vegas, the Copacabana in New York and a live concert in the Colosseum.

If you could change three things about the current political climate, what would they be?
I’d make Tanya Plibersek Prime Minister, I’d cut all politicians wages by half and I’d instigate a public panel (consisting of ordinary citizens) who would hold the deciding vote in any decisions, bills, actions, etc that were being passed on both federal and state levels.

Clemence Williams

Nicholas Papademetriou: If you could make a film that would commence where the play ends, which characters would you follow and what would the film be about?
Clemence Williams: For me, one of the most challenging characters to create an arch for is Anya. Of all the Orchard Dwellers, I think she holds the most potential for change and yet she is incarcerated by the generation before her. It’s for this reason that I think she’d make a wonderful subject of a film or perhaps a mini series: documenting her education, love affairs (above and beyond Trofimov, no doubt) and escape from a family that has done nothing but hold her back.

Which Shakespeare would you like to direct the most?
Without a doubt, Hamlet. While it straddles cross generational themes, for me it will always be the Quarter Life Crisis play. And so I would like to tackle it early in my career while his dilemmas still seem within reach.

Which three people either fictional or non would you combine to make the person that you might come back as in a future life?
That’s a tough one. Probably somewhere between Eugene Ionesco, Jennifer Lawrence and my grandmother. I would want the absurd outlook on life and art of Ionesco, Lawrence’s humour, flair and excellent hair and my grandmother’s grace, humility and integrity.

Do you think one can get through life without lying in any way, shape or form? This includes anything that comes under the banner of little white lies.
Ultimately, one should try. I think there’s a line between complete frankness and tactfulness that one has to walk, but if everyone decided to drop the bullshit then we might get more done in a day.

If you could adapt any film, composition of music (any genre) or book into a theatre piece, which would you choose?
I have so many answers to this that it’s impossible to pin one down… but I was recently quite struck by the beauty and the sadness of Jeanette Winterson’s Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal. I think it would be a fascinating slice of a lifetime to stage.

Nicholas Papademetriou and Clemence Williams are working on David Mamet’s adaptation of The Cherry Orchard by Chekhov.
Dates: 26 April – 28 May, 2016
Venue: New Theatre

David Burrowes

Joel Horwood: If you could shadow any director, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
David Burrowes: I would have loved to be in the room with Piña Bausch. Every snippet of work I’ve seen by her blows my mind a little bit, I would have loved to see her make, not so I could replicate the process but, so I could experience it. I can’t image the work she made came from a banal place, she knew how to tap into something special with her art.

You certainly enjoy a cup of coffee. How do you take it, and what does that say about you?
I want to say strong and black like me, but I drink flat whites to which I hope I have zero correlation.

What is the most powerful piece of theatre you’ve ever seen?
Simon Stones’ Thyestes blew my mind when I first saw it. I’ve seen a lot of incredible theatre since but that was the production that made me consider the stage as a medium I wanted to work with.

When you’re not directing incredible theatre productions, what gives you the greatest joy in life?
Being told I direct incredible theatre productions. I’ve also recently started to snowboard, which is mad fun.

You also direct for the screen. What are the major differences, and do you have a preference?
Don’t make me pick. There’s a lot of safety as a screen director in the fact that when you show a film it’s going to be exactly the same every time you show it. Theatre changes every night and that terrifies me, but it’s also why you do it.

Joel Horwood

David Burrowes: What’s the biggest challenge about playing a 13 year-old?
Joel Horwood: Being six foot tall with stubble that insists on growing back daily hasn’t made life easy, but I think the biggest challenge has been in finding that sense of naivety and wide-eyed wonder. Even for a 13 year-old, Ort reads as quite young, so it’s been difficult not to let my cynical, judgemental brain get in the way. Reactions to events that are instinctual to me read far too old for a 13 year-old, so it’s been a difficult task to hold back on those instincts and preconceptions.

As an official WA resident for most of your life, how on point is our regional dramaturgy?
As thrilling as it has been to see so many references to my home in the novel and in the play, for me, the story really does transcend its setting. It’s undoubtedly very Australian, and that sense of isolation and remoteness is definitely something we west coasters know all too well, but the sense of longing and hope for something bigger than us is true universal.

How influential was Tim Winton’s novel in helping you find the onstage Ort?
Hugely. Ort’s voice is so clear and detailed in the novel, and you get to spend 170 odd pages living inside his head. It informs so much of the subtext in the play, that mightn’t otherwise be as clear. I’ve spent the entire process constantly referring back to the novel to clarify and enrich moments. It’s been a real luxury having this beautifully realised character just itching to be brought to life on stage.

If you weren’t acting, what would you be doing?
As a kid, I would drag my Mum along to home opens on the weekend so I could assess the originality of the designs and take home brochures for me to obsess over for the next week. So, I guess I would probably be an architect. I still sometimes drive around to house inspections on weekends just to perv on people’s homes. The domain app gets a lot of use on my phone!

If you could invite one person to see this show, who would it be?
Probably either David Wenham, so he could school me on how it’s done. Or one of my favourite high school teachers, Leigh Hannah, who cast me as Seymour in Little Shop Of Horrors. That show is probably the reason I’m pursuing this, and not designing houses.

David Burrowes directs and Joel Horwood stars in That Eye, The Sky by Tim Winton (adapted for the stage by Richard Roxburgh and Justin Monjo).
Dates: 15 March – 16 April, 2016
Venue: New Theatre