You’re playing the title role in Paul Gilchrist’sCristina In The Cupboard. What kind of secrets does Cristina have to share?
Hmm, secrets hey? It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, now, would it? I guess you’ll just have to come and watch to find out.
How much of a challenge have you found it performing Gilchrist’s words?
I have to say, the words Paul has written in Cristina In The Cupboard are actually fantastic! Having worked on numerous different shows, by an array of different writers I have come to really love that Paul writes in a natural way – it makes my job a whole lot easier. He has a wonderful way of being able to capture the essence of the Gen Y voice. Most of the characters that are in this play are under 30, so it’s very apt. He also has a very fun way of jumping between moments which are more natural and moments which are heightened and magical. I guess the main challenge comes from wanting to do the words justice, and finding the truth in some moments which explore some very big ideas.
Is fantasy just a means of escape, or can it have a lasting effect on the ‘real world’?
I do believe it can have a lasting effect on the real world. When people let themselves live in a fantasy, whether it’s completely retreating from the outside world and locking themselves in a cupboard (like Cristina), or just having unrealistic expectations of themselves and others, these fantasies/expectations can stop you living to your full potential. It’s important to just go with the flow and to try not to control every situation.
For audiences who aren’t familiar with your work, what other acting roles have you performed?
I graduated from Excelsia College (formerly Wesley Institute) in 2013 with a bachelor of dramatic arts. Since then I have really immersed myself in the Sydney independent theatre scene, working on a number of shows at The Depot Theatre including their inaugural production The Cherry Orchard. I have also worked with Matriark Theatre Company on a number of shows, and am very excited to begin developing one of their shows in conjunction with Monkey Baa Theatre Company, Much Dell’Arte About Nothing, which is a reinvention of the classic Shakespearean tale into a commedia dell’arte piece. In addition to this, I have done a number of shows with Convict Footprints, a company who do site-specific theatre based on convict and settler tales.
The Depot Theatre is a local not-for-profit company. How essential are these in a healthy theatre scene?
Absolutely! What I love about independent theatre companies is that they are more provocative, and can speak to a wider variety of audiences. This, in my opinion, is because they are not ruled by a need to appeal to a ‘target market’ in order to sell tickets. Because hey, let’s face it, that ‘market’ is not where I fit into, but I still love seeing shows relevant to my demographic.
[Cristina in the Cupboard photo by Peta Addy]
Cristina In The CupboardrunsWednesday July 13 – Saturday July 30 atThe Depot Theatre.
