Photo: Mark Tantrum / www.marktantrum.com
What’s your Playback story?
It starts with people really, and puppets. Despite having studied and worked in theatre for over 10 years, I had only a background knowledge of Playback. One windy day, while working on a children’s piece, a dear friend and fellow improviser recommended me to Wellington Playback Theatre (the Kiwi Wellington that is, not country NSW) and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Has any particular show stayed with you?
Lying dying as a crushed car springs to mind. In Wellington NZ, I was the youngest member by a number of years and was often cast as a child, which was fun. Here in Sydney though I have to say it’s the Community performances that have stayed with me – reflecting the struggles of a group undergoing a massive upheaval definitely sits with me.
And your other passions?
Did I mention puppets? With a background in Theatre for Young Audiences and Education, it’s probably not surprising that I was often cast as a child. Generally, I oscillate between teaching and making, or combine the two through Arts Education, which is what I currently do, working at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta.
What does Playback Theatre offer?
In Aotearoa (of the cloud) when we greet eachother we say ‘kia ora’. When we agree with a statement we say ‘kia ora’ and in thanks we say ‘kia ora’. It’s a lot more than hello, it’s saying ‘I hear what you’re saying and we breathe the same breath’. In Playback, we talk about The Red Thread – that illusive wind that passes between us when you’ve really heard and understood someone – the mysterious through-line of a conversation that holds us together. I think that’s what Playback offers.
Photo: Mark Tantrum / www.marktantrum.com