ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Q&A WITH AUGUSTA SUPPLE
What are you working on currently?
After just over 2 months of writing and meeting, I’ve just hosted the first reading of a project I’m developing with 10 playwrights called “Write Here, Write Now” (Carolyn Burns, Jasper Marlow, Melita Rowston, Georgia Symons, Grace de Morgan, Luke Carson, James Pike, Melissa Lee Speyer, Guy Birks, Alli Sebastian Wolf).
Currently preparing to work with David Finig on his piece “The World Creates Itself” as a part of subtlenuance’s Bare Boards Brave Hearts in July.
I have a multi-playwright project I am in the process of developing called “A View From Moving Windows”, which is included in Riverside Theatre’s 2012 True West season in October. Writers yet to be announced (or approached, really… yeah, better get on that asap!)
I am dramaturg for Olivia Satchell’s project on the world of internet dating called Heart Dot Com working with Luke Carson, Ellana Costa, Alison Rooke, Jasper Marlow, Katie Pollock scheduled for production in November.
I am directing 7-On Playwright’s pop-up project “Platonic” which is going into development in November at NIDA then into production at the end of the year to celebrate 7-On Playwright’s 7th Year together. They’re pretty cool: http://sevenon.blogspot.com.au/
I am assisting with the start up of a new development venue in Surry Hills called The Arts Platform. Sama Ky Balson is the Artistic Director, Kirk Page is the Associate Director and I am the Program Director – we’ve been harnessing the creative talents of Sydney theatre community and we’re going to be releasing Expressions of interest and membership details very soon…it’s so new out website isn’t up yet, but it will be soon: http://www.theartsplatform.com/
And the usual stuff for my website – responses and reflections on theatre, arts and culture: www.augustasupple.com
Who, or what, inspires you to create?
Everything around me inspires me: the weather, music, converations I have/conversations I don’t have and wish I had/conversations I overhear, spontaneous lunch time adventures to Cabramatta, art galleries, home made jams and relishes, clouds, the look on the face of the woman scanning my groceries at coles, a man at a bus stop, the rhythm of my walk, 20th Century poets, American independent film, when I am confronted by someone’s tattoo, the kindness of strangers, 1950s musicals, the architecture of the city, my friends, my foes.
There is a push and a pull in creating. I’m simultaneously running towards and away from something.
I’m running away from boredom, fear, regret and I’m also running toward illumination, reassurance, epiphany, entertainment.
Mostly, I think I am absolutely consumed with the treasure hunt which is new work. I love reading new plays, I love seeing productions of new plays, I love talking with artists and critics and punters about theatre. And it is those conversations that compel me to create.
What was the most interesting thing you saw recently?
I can’t do definitive ultimate….I will list 5 things that caught my attention and made me thing differently this week:
The hands of the plumber I met last Saturday. They were so much older than the rest of him.
The Holy Mountain (1973) by Alejandro Jordorowsky.
A documentary on the history of the castrati.
John McCallum’s Key Note speech at The NSW Writers Centre: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho3NFzKO_Ag
Marilyn Manson interviewed by David Letterman in 2003 on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nc-edAYHH8
Pandan Waffles (see above).
Production wise:
Food by Steve Rodgers/Kate Champion at Belvoir
Lord of the Flies directed by Anthony Skuse at New Theatre
L’Effet de Serge - Philippe Quesne/Vivarium Studio as a part of Sydney Festival 2012
Pygmalian by GB Shaw directed by Peter Evans at Sydney Theatre
Best We Forget devised by isthisyours at The Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre
What is the best piece of advice that you’ve been given?
“Easiest way to not have post-production blues, just have another project lined up.” – Simon Philips
“Always hire someone who wants your job” – Robin Clifton
“Everything is an act of faith. Breathe” – Kerry Walker
“When working in theatre, it’s good to be a little bit incapable at something so someone who is capable can save the day.” – John Oram
“Take what you need, leave what you don’t” – Barbara Bryce
“Make work for the most intelligent person in the audience.” – Bogdan Koca
“If you can’t be a grand painter, be an expert miniaturist” – Timothy Daly
“Directors should never assume that just because they don’ t know how something will happen/work, doesn’t mean their designers can’t make that happen.” – Stephen Hawker
“Take a holiday.” – James Waites
Who, past or present, would you like to share a meal with and why?
Below is a quick A-Z of people I’d love to eat with – for their conversation and/ or cooking skills, or to simply ask them the questions you have asked me… or just because I think they would/could provoke in me an unstoppable, insatiable idea.
Robyn Archer
Katherine Brisbane
Rex Cramphorn
James Dean
Nick Enright
Margaret Fink
Galileo Galilei
Wayne Harrison
Michal Imielski
Linda Jaivin
Howard Keel
Frank Lloyd-Wright
Marliyn Manson or John McCallum (I can’t choose)
Felicity Nicol
John Oram
Roman Polanski
Philippe Quesne
Eleanor Roosevelt
Paul Simon
Margaret Thatcher
Peter Ustinov
Eddie Vedder
Margaret Wise Brown
Irene Xavier
William Yang
Catherine Zimdahl
What a lady. Keep an eye on Gus as one of our leading artist/blog critics. A tricky hybrid done with great panache by Ms Supple.
