Q: Describe the show in 5 words? Witty, unique, surprising, effervescent, irresistible.


Q: As the only performer, are you feeling the pressure? I don’t really see myself as the only performer. I have three wonderful musicians onstage with me at all times and thanks to Lewis Jones’ direction, I am engaging with a number of other unseen characters that float through the scenes - audience included. So I’m not really feeling the pressure from a performance point of view, but rather as a co-producer of the work. I have a wonderful team of people helping to make this a reality which does alleviate the pressure, but at the end of the day I am responsible for providing the set, the costumes, coordinating and organising rehearsal venues and schedules, and providing a complete show.


Q: How has this show changed you as a performer? What have you learnt? As an actor, I have been challenged to not just go for the obvious punch line or predictable nuance, but rather encouraged to find the underlying realism within the work and actively embody that truth. It has allowed me to find those moments of subtleness and not have to be over-the-top to still be ‘on’. Alternatively, as a vocalist I have had to find a balance between singing the songs from a purely musical viewpoint whilst emotionally engaging with the dramatic content without sacrificing proper vocal technique.


Q: Highlights? Low points? A definite highlight would have to be after weeks of work, finally breaking through one song in particular that was proving to be a challenge vocally and feeling it soar and fit perfectly into place in rehearsals. The only low points would be the hours of driving I have to do in order to rehearse – most of my production team are located in Toowoomba so it made more sense for me to go to them rather than they come to me.


Q: Funny stories from rehearsals? Rehearsals have been a ball of fun. It’s so nice to work with people who you share a common bond with - and a propensity to laugh at any available opportunity. A couple of ‘show-stopping’ moments were when I managed to break the bed - twice! Once when I face planted the mattress, only to find the supports collapse from underneath me. Another when I proceeded to stand in a moment of fever-pitched exuberance during the climax of a song only to find my world collapsing around me. Needless to say, we have since rectified the problematic bed supports.


Q: Favourite song in the show and why? People keep asking me this but to be honest I can’t really pick a favourite because I fall in love with them for different reasons. There are some songs I liked musically from the start and others that I like more now since embodying them in performance.


Q: What do you want people to be saying as they leave the show? Something like, “That was fantastic - they should give that show a national tour!” would be nice. But honestly, if people leave the show having been entertained, with a renewed feeling of joy and celebration at the connection we feel for each other as human beings, then I would be happy.

‘Songs from an Unmade Bed’ is playing Saturday August 13 at the Judith Wright Centre.