The NeverEnding Story
David Lawrence - Actor Interview

What was the auditioning process like for ‘The NeverEnding Story’?
It was a very different process compared to other shows I’ve auditioned for. I originally wasn’t going to be given an audition for Bastian. I was working on another show at the Cremorne Theatre that was being directed by Tim O’Connor and on the closing night I had an exciting conversation about my purchases I made that day at JB-HIFI. Suddenly I was asked to read alongside some actors for ‘The Neverending Story’. I still had no idea I was going for the part of Bastian when I entered the audition room. The only other actors in the room were Erika Naddei and Dan Venz. We all worked together with Tim on one of the final scenes of the show and then before you knew it the three of us were at the photo shoot for the poster on the same day. It happened really quickly, I could hardly take it all in.

What attracted you to the role of Bastian?
When I first read the book I was instantly drawn to him and as I kept on reading I started to realise that I share many similarities with him. Bastian is a dreamer, he loves stories, he talks to himself, loves to hide and so do I! I also empathise with the bullying Bastian receives as well as being told to stop dreaming. Bastian endures experiences that I have had to endure in my life and it is easy to understand his position.

Completing the Harvest Rain's Musical Theatre Internship Program last year; that must have helped develop skills necessary for the part?
Definitely! Without it I wouldn’t be here right now. The internship really prepares you for the theatre industry and it has also helped me become more comfortable in myself on and off stage. The course has not only made me a better performer but a better person.

How much rehearsing is involved in preparation for the performance?
We have an intensive four-week rehearsal process leading into the season but a lot of work starts before we enter the rehearsal room. I’ve already drawn all over my script with Bastian’s inner thoughts, his backstory and pictures that spark emotions that will help me dig deeper into the text. It will be a wonderful souvenir to look back on in a few years time!

Are there any difficult aspects to acting the character of Bastian?
I think it will be difficult to understand Bastian’s loss over his mother as my mother is thankfully alive and well and I can never truly feel how it is to lose someone until I actually have. It will also be hard spending the majority of the show in an attic above the stage disconnected from the other actors. Not to mention being onstage for the entire show! But I’m always up for a challenge.

What is it like working with the puppetry in the production?
The puppets in the show range from simple shadow puppets to full-blown foam creations. Josh McIntosh’s designs are stunning, I feel so privileged to be on the same stage as his brilliant creations. I’ve always found it easy to work with puppets but it can be difficult especially when they haven’t arrived on set yet. My favourite puppet so far is the Night Hob’s bat. It’s an old trick but it’s still so effective.

‘The Neverending Story’ opens April 28 at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC.

'Scripsi Scriptum' star Jack Ziesing is at the centre of a unique collaboration between Brisbane's Helpmann Award-winning EDC and Switzerland's Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble. But his career may not have started at all if it wasn't for a little nudge from his mother.

“When I saw the 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony I saw the Tap Dogs and I must have mentioned that they looked really cool,” Jack says.

“Then a couple of years later my mum said there was this production on at the theatre and said it was dance and I said, 'no way, I'm not going'. She said, 'well, it's a lot like the Tap Dogs', and so I went along and loved it and auditioned for a youth company [the Austalian Choreographic Centre’s youth dance program, Quantum Leap] the next year and have been dancing ever since.”

Since then, Jack studied at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts, where he was offered a scholarship to participate in the Taipei Ideas Dance Festival.

“We were doing an extra-curricular class during my dance training which was aerial, so things like silks, trapeze work and rope work. I had done really well in that class and as a result I was offered a scholarship to go to Taiwan for two weeks.

“While there I learned more about those rope skills, as well as do classes in ballet and jazz and contemporary, and just get a real taste of Taiwan and the people and that was a really fantastic experience.”

Jack also travelled to the United States to perform in Sue Peacock's 'Any Given Moment' at the World Dance Alliance Conference. “We were there for a month and we worked in Madison, Wisconsin, most of the time. As well as performing the work we brought over we also learnt new ones with students from Taiwan, Caribbean and the states. We were also fortunate enough to bring some of those works to the World Dance Conference in New York, which was amazing.”

Now Jack is bringing his work back to Australia for 'Scripsi Scriptum' after its successful opening season at The Roxy Theatre in Basel, Switzerland. “I haven't heard of many companies that actually have the opportunity to go and collaborate with other companies to the extent that we did with Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble.

“We had a penpal system in place for a few months before we went over, so it was nice to have some background on these people before we walked in and started working with them. We made really interesting work that showcases both of the companies' strengths as well as making some really great stuff together.”

All those letters (and some new-age social networking) between the two acclaimed dance studios have finally given Jackthe opportunity to show his work to Australian audiences.  “The themes of the work are very easy to relate to. I don't think someone could come away from the show without having related to at least one aspect that's presented throughout the work. Also, just to bring our work from overseas here to our friends and family is very exciting.”

Scripsi Scriptum plays at The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts from March 23-30.

After a sold out season in 2011, Damien Power returns to the Brisbane Comedy Festival with his new show, ‘Monkeys In Space’.

Since his success last year, the Toowoomba-born comedian has supported international names James Kilstein and Jeff Green, as well as Australians Josh Thomas, Tom Gleeson and Fiona O'Loughlin. The winner of the Legends of Laughter Competition explains the primate theme behind his current show.

“The first monkey in space was supported and surrounded by this amazing technology that allowed him to do this incredible thing of floating above the Earth, it's just amazing, but all he did was masturbate, so that's kind of where we're at. There's a lot of stuff about society and politics and where we're at there, and just how far society's come but still how stupid we are even though we're so advanced.”

People should expect to see observations about society, politics and Damien's family throughout the ‘Monkeys In Space’ show. “I do have material that is more political in nature, and I have a two-year-old son. That kind of differentiates myself from other comics. Also, I do sound effects and impressions in my act so I think that's something that makes me different to other comedians as well.”

Damien's passion for comedy stems from his ‘inappropriate’ performances as a child at school.  “In primary school I used to do heaps of sketches for show and tell, and I got banned for being too inappropriate, and in high school I got detention for impersonating teachers. So I guess I always had a thing for performing.

“I was doing acting and theatre sports in my early twenties and I thought stand-up would be the next thing to do.”

The success of his first hour-long show, 'Driven', last year has shown Damien what an audience expects from a comedian. “You can't just do jokes for an hour. You need to vary your performance a bit and have different energy. People could be really enthusiastic at the start but then you have to keep their attention over quite a long time.”

This year Damien is performing in a larger venue at the BCF, the Rooftop Terrace, and hopes his improved material will translate to filling more seats.
“I think the show is much better than last year’s show, just because I've got more experience and my material is better and more interesting. So hopefully people will come up for it.”

However he knows the advantages and disadvantages of performing at a festival. “You get way less hecklers and less drunk idiots in festival shows where people come to a theatre to watch you. But I had one dude at one of my sellout shows get up in the middle of the show and tear one of my posters in half. It was really bizarre. I think he thought it was funny or something,”

To add to Damien's list of accomplishments, he has been selected to perform at the 2012 Melbourne International Comedy Festivals showcase.
“It's definitely the thing you want to do, what a lot of really famous comedians have done, so it's awesome. I'm going to be doing two shows down in Melbourne. I will literally be opening the showcase and then running upstairs to be in a comedy play, so that will be hectic.”

The comedy play is 'Got Dem Big City Dreams' by Skills In Time, a quartet of performers that allows Damien the opportunity to co-exist with other comedians.
“Every joke is democratically voted on. Whereas with stand-up you write it alone. Sure you bounce ideas around with other people, but you get up on your own... that's how you find out if you keep it or not.

“Working with other people is way less painful than the journey of a stand-up. The process is more enjoyable, whereas the process of generating good stand-up is long and painful.”

Damien Power performs at the Brisbane Comedy Festival February 28 until March 4.

In Demand

One of Australia’s most in demand female DJs, Emily Scott is back in Brisbane later this month.

The internationally known DJ/ model has recently proven her talent by mixing club compilation ‘NOW Dance Summer 2012’, while Emily's latest EP, 'Boom Bau', has been released on Definitive Recordings. However, Emily has enjoyed music and performing since she was young. “Me and my little brother would always make up dance routines and perform them in front of the family. We would make little songs and have a boombox ... and we would record our tracks on there.”

Emily was inspired to become a DJ after working in a nightclub handling the lighting duties when she was 19. “The lighting area was up next to the DJ so every night I would be there controlling the lights, and I learnt how to make people feel differently with the types of light you use. So I was up there with the DJ watching how he would change the music and it would change the way people were dancing, and I just really got into dance music then.”

Not only is Emily a talented DJ, but her modelling career has taken off both at home and abroad, with the Canberra-born vixen known internationally as one of ‘The Sexiest Women in the World’. Aside from gracing the covers of glamour magazines, Emily has also appeared on Australia's ‘Dancing With The Stars’ as well as the latest season of British reality series, ‘I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here’.

With an upcoming appearance at The Exchange, Emily says she’s looking forward to performing in Brisbane. “I always love playing in Brisbane. Being from the Gold Coast myself, when I was 18 it was a big special thing if we were driving up to Brisbane to go out clubbing. It's always got a special spot for me so I'm pumped.”

Emily Scott plays The Exchange Hotel on Feb 9.

Art In Preview

Claudio Kirac has enjoyed the ocean and photography since he was young, and now he will get to combine those interests at the ‘Bleach* Surfing the Fringe’ Festival.

Held on the Gold Coast, ‘Bleach*’ is a showcase of art, music, photography, fashion and film by over 30 local and international artists.

The festival is perfect for artists such as Claudio Kirac, who has an internationally recognised career with various roles including professional photographer, artist, designer and consultant. It was this knowledge of the surfing industry and graphics that resulted in him being involved with the festival.

“Ever since I was young I wanted to do art, it was all I wanted to do with my career. So I progressed through doing illustration, painting, graphic design and then photography just over ten years ago and I have just kept flowing with that for some time,” Claudio said.

“I still do my other modalities of work such as illustration and graphics, but photography has me travelling and paying a lot of the bills.”

Growing up around the ocean has certainly had an influential impact on his work. “I used to go to Ulladulla and Batemans Bay quite a lot because I was from NSW at Queanbeyan but ever since I was really little, and being a Pisces, I’m very much in the ocean all the time. “I did choose a career that takes me to Tahiti and Hawaii and Bali and all these other places which was unintentional but I find myself very coastal when I’m shooting. However I do go to other places — New York City, Tokyo, LA — so there’s quite a bit of contrast.”

Claudio said the ‘Bleach*’ festival will be able to help and inspire young people who wish to pursue their career in an artistic direction such as photography. “There’s such a broad range of working professionals in the industry who will all be visiting so it’s good to see their career span, and there’s a lot of up and coming photographers and painters as well. So having them alongside established people like Ted Grambeau is fantastic. It’s definitely out to inspire people to do what they want with their passion and do it as their career and not just as their hobby.”

‘Bleach*’ is not just a traditional art gallery. The festival includes mobile music truck concerts, children’s theatre performances and workshops, a street party in Currumbin, exclusive gourmet dining events and outdoor projections and cinematic experiences.

This makes ‘Bleach*’ the largest arts festival ever held at the Gold Coast. ‘Bleach*’ is also a timely festival. While the two-week festival is running, there will also be the ‘Breaka Burleigh Pro’, the ‘Kirra Teams Challenge’, and the world tour ‘Quicksilver Pro’ and ‘Roxy Pro’.

With this combination of events, there is sure to be many national and international guests coming to the Gold Coast, and Claudio agrees. “Even if it’s just the surf industry people, that’s a major influx of people to the coast,” Claudio said.

“Hopefully people will drive from other northern New South Wales towns and Queensland towns to check out the festival because it’ll be worth it.”

‘Bleach* Surfing the Fringe’ Festival runs February 11 – 26 at iconic venues and beaches on the Gold Coast spanning from Currumbin to Coolangatta.