The Drinking Game

Actors are renowned alcoholics. In fact, it is generally considered to be part of the stereotype, particularly of theatre actors, and it is indeed an occupational hazard.

Especially for an actor in training. 

Those of us who are fortunate enough to be admitted to a full-time training institution spend our days constantly under the microscope. Every movement class, every voice class, every rehearsal, there is constant pressure. And it isn’t always about what you are doing. Quite a lot of the time, it is about you as a person. There is, with most of the best teachers, no judgement. There is, however, a constant assessment of your abilities and of your progress. 

To accompany this, you spend every day locked in a building with the same people. All day. Though there is a great deal to be said about the love and support of a tight-knit group of acting students, predictably, there is always bitching, people you can’t stand, arguments, frustration and the odd bit of unrequited lust. 

When the clock hits six o’clock, and the pub is only a few hundred metres away (a pub at which beer is VERY cheap), it is unsurprising that there is a huge desire to race to the first pot of replenishing alcohol. This is certainly true of me. And, as my first year of study has gone on, those evenings at the bar have become more and more regular. I shudder to think how much of my money I have handed over to the friendly bar staff, who now, of course, know me by name. 

Recently, I have begun to wonder what the connection is between what it is that I have chosen as my profession, and my tendency to drink more than I should. Of course, I can only speak for myself in this reflection, but I suspect that it may be true for others. 

A lot of actors, as strange as it may seem, are painfully shy, awkward and insecure individuals. The perception that actors are extroverted, attention-seeking showoffs is naively inaccurate, certainly for most of the actors I know. Deep down, a lot of actors are quiet, awkward introverts who take pleasure in the escape of inhabiting someone else’s life. Playing a character is an act of revelation of the actor’s self, yes, but it is this very revelation that we feel unable to make in our day to day lives. It is easier, on stage, to reveal yourself in the guise of someone else, than it is to reveal yourself to a stranger you may meet in the street. 

Drinking therefore, becomes a form of liquid shelter. It provides just that little bit of extra confidence, that is often combined with putting on a slight front of charm, wit or nonchalance. It makes you more comfortable, more eager to engage in a conversation without being too self-conscious. 

Having said all this, I do not mean to make all actors sound like drunks. Or indeed claim that actors are some kind of special case that should be exempt from regular social standards. I suspect that most people use alcohol in exactly the same way. But it is easy to see why actors are especially susceptible to the drink.  

7 months ago  /  0 notes

Musicals and Me: A Love Story

Most people have times in their lives when things take a turn, either for the better or for the worse. ln some people’s lives, these times can inspire, and send life hurtling off in a completely different direction than the path you had expected to take.

As a child, l did not really fit into any sort of “clique.” l was an awkward, skinny, slightly geeky looking young boy at a Catholic private boys’ school in Brisbane, and it was assumed, quite understandably, by my fellow students that l must be a maths or science geek. Obviously. l had glasses. Boys of 13 can’t be expected to read beyond someone’s appearance when making a character judgment. And this was high school, everyone had to fit into a neat little box.
There was only one problem. l was awful at maths. And science. My brain just didn’t work that way. The logic of sums, figures and mathematical facts was completely lost to me, and most of the time, l was to be found at the back of the classroom, drawing in the back of my notebook and attempting to avoid the teacher’s gaze.

l liked sport. Cricket mostly. But l was awful at it. Looking back on it now, l should have seen the signs. l would march out to the wicket each Saturday morning, to face some terrifyingly fast bowler from a neighbouring boys school, and l would pretend to be one of my cricketing heroes, usually lan Healy or Steve Waugh. The whole thing, to me was a great big game of pretend. l could do the “choreography” of a cricket shot EXACTLY the way my heroes did on television, with supreme grace and style. However, l couldn’t seem to actually hit the ball. l was much more interested in looking the part, than actually playing the game. Of course, l had no idea what this meant, at the time.

The only thing l was really good at during that first terrifying year of high school, was English. l could explain the subtext of a novel without a problem. Also, l could write. This was the subject where my habit of daydreaming actually came in handy. l let my imagination run wild and wrote intricate and lengthy stories. l could also draw and paint, and l filled notepad after notepad with drawings of my favourite cricketers, or of my favourite film character, James Bond.

Unfortunately, at high school, it was drilled into us from day one,  that the most important things you could succeed in at this school were either sport, or academia. By this time, l was self aware enough to know what l was no good at either of those things. My brain and my body just didn’t work like that, my attention span was too short, and l didn’t have the patience for studying or the stamina to run laps of the playing fields.

This all changed, rather inexplicably, one day in 1999. l had seen television and newspaper ads for a new show that was about to open in town at the Lyric Theatre. lt was called “The Boy From Oz.” One afternoon, l asked my Mum to take me to see the show. And she, thankfully, bought us some tickets. lt is important to note that at this point, l had no idea what a musical was. l guessed it was some kind of play with music in it, but l’d certainly never seen one or read anything about them. Also, l had no idea who Peter Allen was. l had probably heard the name, but wasn’t familiar with his music, or his life story. Why, then, did a 13 year old boy ask his mother to take him to “The Boy From Oz”? To this day, l have no idea. But one thing is certain, l am very glad that l did. Because that night in the theatre was to change the course of my whole life.

Since then, there have been a few of those experiences, sitting in dark theatres watching something happen up on a stage. The following is a list of some of those experiences, and an explanation of why they have helped to shape my life. lt is my personal homage and tribute to an artform that was influenced my life so greatly.

1. THE BOY FROM OZ, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane 1999
As l said before. l had never seen a musical until this night. l also had no idea who Peter Allen was. To give you an indication of just how ignorant l was, l’m pretty sure that at some point, upon looking at the program, l turned to my mother and said “Look mum! Judy Garland is in it!”, simply because the name sounded vaguely familiar.
l don’t remember much at all about the show itself, apart from Todd McKenney being lowered to the stage on a giant banana at some point. But the experience of that show opened my eyes to a whole new world. l was transported, entertained, moved and sent out of the theatre in a whirl of excitement. l wanted to go back again, and soon! l think l was too young at that point to understand just what it was about the show that effected me so much, but perhaps it was the energy, charisma and talent of the leading man. He had been on stage for two and a half hours, singing, dancing, and pretending to be someone else (just like l did!), and at the end, everyone had stood up and cheered for him! What if l could do that!?

2. LES MlSERABLES, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane 1999

The second ever show l saw. Towards the end of my first year of high school, we students were offered the chance to go on a French excursion to see a Wednesday matinee of Les Miserables. Again, l knew nothing about the show, but after my last experience at the theatre, l knew l had to go! Sadly, l didn’t study French. But through my sheer charm, persistence and probably because l irritated my teachers enough, l was able to go along. For the first act, we were stuck right up the back of the balcony, and l couldn’t see much. This was simply not good enough. At interval, l said to my teachers that l was having problems seeing, and put extra emphasis on my “visual impairment”, which, to be honest, was not really all THAT much of a problem. However, the ushers found me a seat six rows from the front of the stalls for the second act, and that is where l sat. lf “The Boy from Oz” opened my eyes to musicals, “Les Miserables” made me realize that it was what l wanted to do for a career. Being so close to the stage, l was able to see every little thing the actors did. They were just pretending to be other people, l could do that! l was particularly taken with the comic Thenardiers. The true villains of the show, they were vulgar, mean, and just plain disgusting, but the audience loved them! How cool is that? l walked out of the theatre that day with a new purpose.

3. THE PRODUCERS, Dodgy DVD, Princess Theatre Melbourne, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 2004

Ok, so a few years have passed since Les Miserables. ln that space of time, l’ve started performing myself, and seen countless shows of all kinds, and my family and l have moved to Melbourne. Some time during 2002, l start reading on the internet about a show called “The Producers”, which had taken Broadway by storm, and won a record number of Tony Awards. Being the nerd l am, l raced out and bought the show’s cast album, instantly falling in love with its blend of classy Broadway musical pastiche and vulgar, dirty humor. l was especially captivated by Nathan Lane, there was something about his comic delivery and timing that l found absolutely hilarious. A few months later, a friend gave me a dodgy DVD copy of a bootleg of the original Broadway cast, and l was able to watch Lane’s performance almost as if l was there. He was a whirlwind of song and dance, vaudeville schtick, and comedy gold. l adored him. l was also impressed by Gary Beach, as the camp, over the top theatre director Roger DeBris. l loved the idea that a show like this could exist. So, so funny, irreverent, and at the same time, a love letter to the Broadway of old.

ln 2004, the production finally came to Melbourne, to the glorious old Princess Theatre, and l was given tickets for my birthday. l was beyond excited to finally see the show for myself. Perhaps, my expectations were too high. Where was the natural, organic comic flair of Nathan Lane? The raucous laughter that had greeted the gags on Broadway was reduced to almost nothing. To be honest, l was underwhelmed. l could see that the cast were extremely talented, but there was something not quite right about this production. The only two cast members that managed to make an impression on me were Tony Sheldon as Roger, and his sidekick, the hilarious Grant Piro as Carmen Ghia. They stole the show, and l adored them. Both of them instantly became heroes of mine.
At the end of that year, l was able to see the show in the West End. This time, Nathan Lane himself was playing Max, opposite comedian Lee Evans as Leo. This is one of the best nights l’ve ever had in a theatre. Lane was everything l had dreamed. No DVD could do justice to what Lane could do to an audience in person. All 2,000 of my fellow audience members ate him up. This was a lesson in the power of comedy, and a masterclass in stage acting.

4. PRlSClLLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT: THE MUSlCAL, Regent Theatre, 2007

By 2007, l am working as an usher at Marriner Theatres. l had been ushering on “The Phantom of the Opera” for four or five months, but the show l was most excited about seeing was “Priscilla”. My hero, the inimitable Tony Sheldon was playing the lead role, and l was so excited to see another brand new Australian musical, after the experience l’d had at “The Boy From Oz” all those years ago. “Priscilla” did not disappoint. A camp extravaganza of costumes, disco and heart, the show was not like anything l had ever seen before, and l loved every second of it.
By this time, l had been acting myself for a few years, and had realized that l was not the “leading man” type. Like my heroes, l wanted to be a comic character actor. That is what l was best suited to, and what l got the most pleasure from doing. l was happy to play the goofy sidekick, or the guy with the funny accent, or basically, to do anything it took to get a laugh. However, these are the people that never get the last bow. They may get the laughs, but the romantic leads generally get the adoration… and the final bow.
The first time l watched Priscilla, l stood and wept quietly to myself, with happiness, as my hero, a character actor, who l had only seen play supporting and featured roles, a truly great comic actor (but also an actor able to be subtle, real, and incredibly moving), took the final bow at the curtain call. And the audience went crazy. Again, the shiver down the spine and the feeling of “l want to do that!”. Since then of course, Tony has lead the show in the West End, and next year will take it to Broadway. And l couldn’t be more proud of my hero.

5. KEATlNG! The Musical, Comedy Theatre, 2008 

Last, but certainly not least. Keating. To be honest, this is probably not a show l would have chosen to see. The only reason l saw it originally was because of the ushering job. Boy, would l have missed out had l not had that job. “Keating” achieved something l had never seen a musical do. A tribute to former Prime Minister Paul Keating is not the topic you would generally expect from a musical, but Casey Benetto and Neil Armfield’s show was slick, witty, hilarious, relevant and surprisingly moving. A great central performance from Mike McLeish as Keating himself, surrounded by a pageant of recognizable Australian political figures provided laughs aplenty, and a hilarious look back at a much more lively era in Australian public life. But at the end when, facing defeat at the 1996 election, Keating sat alone in the middle of the stage, with a single spotlight shining down upon him, and sang that he was still “dreaming of the light on the hill…”, you couldn’t help but be moved and provoked into thinking how relevant that statement still was/is. “Keating” the musical broadened my horizons and changed the way l thought about what musical theatre could do, and l’m ever so glad l saw it.

——————————————————————————————————
Well there you have it. lf you have read this far, you are a better person than l am. l would have stopped reading in about the second paragraph. Thank you for indulging me, people of the internet. Here’s to there being many more great experiences for audiences of musical theatre, not just for me, but for anyone who buys a ticket and takes a seat in a darkened auditorium.

Until next time,

Chookahs, loves!

1 year ago  /  0 notes

PLEASE MARCH FOR EQUALlTY!

Tomorrw is a very important day. Tomorrow, several thousand Melbournians, and myself, march for equal marriage rights for same sex couples. This is not a question of sexuality, or preference. This is about standing up for something that is a basic human right, this is about LOVE, something that is equal and does not discriminate. PLEASE be outside the State Library at 1pm tomorrow to march and help end this unjustifiable prejudice that can NOT continue to exist in our society.

1 year ago  /  Notes

Still Alive, with an introspective post…

So recently l have become intrigued and interested by the idea of “eccentricity” and “abnormality” in people.

l’ve often been described by my friends, and even my family as being slightly “odd”, “eccentric” or even “weird” (hopefully this is meant in the best possible way!). Of course, l’ve never thought of myself as any of those things, although l guess people who are eccentric never would. lts not a conscious decision that l’ve made. l’ve always just gone about my life doing what l do, but since l’ve been made aware of the way that l am perceived, l’ve been trying to figure out just what it is that l do that makes people regard me in such a way.

ln summary, l really don’t know. l suppose l’ve always felt that l’m a bit of an outsider. l’ve always felt that l watch life and make observations about it rather than actually take part myself. Again, this isn’t a decision that l’ve made, its just the way things seem to have turned out for me. And its not a bad thing. l hope that its a valuable part of my personality that makes me a better artist.

l also feel that l’m rather a socially awkward person. Quite often, as everyone does, l cover it up with extra bravado. But the inner monologue sounds like something from a bad Richard Curtis/Hugh Grant film. But again, surely this isn’t unique or individual to me. Everyone surely is living the same nightmare inside their head when faced with a room of people they don’t know.

Right. Well l really don’t know what point l was trying to make. lf you’ve read this far, you are a better person than l am. Maybe this will be the first in a series of posts on this subject, but then again maybe l’ll get distracted by something bright and shiny and post about that. Who knows? All l know is l’m going to keep on being weird!

Til next time!

1 year ago  /  1 note