I have always thought the greatest currency I have in my life is not money, nor what I look like- but my time. Time is one of the major artistic challenges in theatre. We are bound by a timeline to make, then show work – and our work lives only for as long as it lives in the hearts and memories of others. Read more

When I wake up every morning I think about the problems and struggles of the Australian creative industries. I think about what I can do to help, what are the structues and systems that keep us making the same mistakes, inventing the wheel, culturally stagnant, infantilizing artists. I wonder if our current system, through its tough and difficult financial terrain misses out on having artists from economically depressed background… Every morning I feel this urge and urgency not to capitulate to a system I have often felt broken or at least lacking confidence (and sometimes this manifests as arrogance or cockiness). Every morning I wake up and start making a personal “to do” list of what I can do to help/change or at least provide opportunity in my patch of the arts: performing arts.

This morning, in my usual “in bed reading reviews, catching up on social media, reading the newspapers” routine, I saw another fantastic provocation in regards to the question of “training artists” on Facebook by Wesley Enoch: Read more

Evening of petty procrastination (laundry avoidance) and JUST NOT being near a computer nor any sort of text obligations (script reading, play assessments, rehearsal preparation) coupled with the fact that I don’t own a television, propelled me towards the Factory Theatre for a spot of comic relief. Read more

After a fairly long day of being me… which these days seems to be fairly long and full (and yes I must admit interesting) there is a part of me that desires to be delighted by something new. And I must admit that when scrolling through the list of options I rarely think “Hey! I might go hang out at a mainstage theatre company!” Instead I’ll spontaneously turn up to somewhere weird, or dark or hard to find – for the mere thrill of it. Tonight was one such night. Propelled by procrastination (yes my laundry ever looms) I hit the street in search of a conversation or a distraction. Read more

A small postscript on Jude the Obscure at PACT as a part of the Sydney Fringe.

OK first up – this show has NOTHING TO DO WITH THOMAS HARDY. Which I personally think is a good thing.
Secondly this show has A LOT TO DO WITH JUDITH LUCY. Which personally I think is also a good thing. Read more

I just need to get this out of my system right now. And I do have a system. A system of thinking, of speaking, writing, digesting – a system of being in the world and seeing the world, interpreting the world and oftentimes shaking my tiny fists at the world. I am in many ways, a squirming audience member – often shifting in my seat because of opportunities missed or larger symbolic cultural gestures squandered in favour of “fashion” or perhaps a desire to ingratiate oneself to the all seeing all knowing “other” (that is whomever the artist thinks is seeing their work.) Read more

Many of Australia’s key arts buildings are converted spaces: Sydney Theatre Company’s home is at the Wharf… the Griffin Theatre Company’s home is in an old horse stables… The Pram Factory Theatre… Belvoir… (the list goes on an on…) and one of the key buidlings in South West Sydney is Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre. Read more

There are stories from my childhood that sit in the back of my mind and the front of my heart, that I carry with me on my day to day choices. These stories, on the whole came from cross-legged aloneness, my neck curled down staring at a page… or else from the even and often animated voice of my parents thoughtfully reading to me in my bed. Most of the titles are perhaps not recognisable in the wider world of popular culture:
Honey the Sugar Glider Rich Richardson, illustrations by Diana Petersen (1975), Barnaby and the Rocket story by Lydia Pender, illustrations by Judy Cowell (1972) – stories about nature and conservation and valuing animals and forests. (It was after all the early 80s…) Read more

After a big morning of ideas: plenty plenty plenty to think and talk about, I could really only be super superficial in my conversation at Lunch time : “How about this weather?” “Isn’t Canberra well organized?” “What am I eating?” etc etc

Next up were working sessions and presentations which happening concurrently around the Canberra Theatre Centre and this felt a little more than frustrating – because I could have happily sat in on all working groups to listen and learn and Tweet about and share with friends and followers who may be in other sessions/other cities other countries… but that is the thing with theatre, theatre forums and live events: you will always miss out on something, somewhere, sometime. Read more

The Australian Theatre Forum.

A theatrical biennale? An industrial schmoozefest? A reminder of time well-spent or mismanaged? A presentation of timely provocations? An excuse to navel gaze? Forced face-time with national digital connections? A convergence of arts companies, artists and beauracrats? Or perhaps a drama camp on steroids… Read more