Back to posting...and emailing

I have not posted anything in a while...too long a while...and now I'm going "right - time to get back in to things that I want and need to do and would like to keep up with that I've ignored over the recent crazy months. Like writing emails to people. Keeping properly in touch. I used to do that such a lot and I've really let all these wonderful contacts in my world slide away into the corners of my mind. And I think of them. Oh I think of them frequently. And I love them. But I haven't been making or finding the time and space and energy to do it.

So after this - which I guess is almost like a little email to the world isn't it - well, the world wide web and any random person who happens to come across my grain of sand contribution to it - I might just go and start doing that emailing business...

Eat My Monologue is coming back!

Eat My Monologue is returning to the Luxe Bar in Mt Lawley later this year!

Hooray! This is fabulous news for Perth - for actors, directors, theatre people and general public alike.

I had a wonderful time as an actor back in May this year tackling a challenging and rewarding monologue for performance in season 1, and have heard nothing but excitement and praise for the project by theatre practitioners and audiences alike.

Keep your ears out and HOORAY for the wonderful Claire French and So Frenchy Productions for bringing back this fabulous concept for a new season!

Born Again Heathen

A short film I did last year has made it to youtube. Born Again Heathen.

Wonderful film-making experience with a fabulous and dedicated cast and crew.

For those who wish to check it out the link is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfpoIPjlSx8

I've been playing with my camera...photography is something I've always been interested in and wanted to pursue with more technicality and knowledge - you know? So recently I've decided that dammit I'll just indulge this wanting to capture the beauty I see and play with my camera...

The empty Thirroul Olympic Pool

Watching the sun set



Magic...

I would love to write

I would love to write.
Underscored, italiscised, in bold trebuchet
WRITE
In capitals.
But my "writing" is too blackly sprawling for this page
Like dancers unequal to the majesty of music:
Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev and Stravinsky's soul-opening inspired calculations of rhythm and note - So few fail to disappoint those god-like man-wrought explosions of not-quite song.
My "writing" is not yet even the pithy, technical, dead dancer of muscle, line, rhythm, space, elan and choreographic competency.
It remains a grown-old child:
Half staring awe-fully at the magical movement of the sky
While frowning down upon its silly self - blinded by sun.

The value of positive re-inforcement in critique?

I was just thinking this morning about "constructive criticism" and the helpful aspects of this, and how it could be more positively used. I have come across critique so many times... as a student, as an artist, in day-to-day relationships with loved ones. Time and time again I have been given 'feedback' of some kind. Criticism of a piece of artistic work, of an essay, of how I have handled a work situation, of my personal weakesses in day-to-day relationships with loved ones and friends. I've delivered critique too of course. Both on personal levels and as teacher of dance and drama.

I don't know I'm no expert and am just randomly blogging a thought - because I had the thought and felt like blogging it!

So many times I've heard something along the lines of "there's no use telling you what is working because its already there, you're already doing it" "I'm only giving you the negatives right now because thats what you need to work on". As and arts student training rigorously in drama I and other students were constantly told what "needed more work" with perhaps a cursory appraisal of positive qualities.

I'm just thinking, how much more valuable if we can continually feed ourselves and each other with positive feedback as well as the necessarry constructive criticism we all need to move forward. I don't always know what I'm doing well, it isn't always obvious to me. Sure we think of it in a more formal 'constructive criticism' situation - but what about ever day ordinariness? I could do with making more use of these ideas of mine!

For young children a big deal is made of positive re-inforcement. You encourage your child to keep doing good things, we are encouraged to praise their hard work, their instances of displaying generosity, their efforts - even when the result is less than may have been desired.

We were all children once, a part of us all is still a child. Why not re-inforce for one another and ourselves on a daily basis. Encourage ourselves and those around us to continue with the things they already do well.

First post in a while...

I've been slack...I've been busy...I've been slack...

So hello world!

I've also been stressed about this: Eat My Monologue

I'm a performer - why do we artists and performers take our work so damn personally? We know its about the piece, the work, not about us...but knowing is all well and good. We still have to do justice to the work don't we - and we performers are our instrument.

So if you're in Perth tomorrow night and wish to see some monologues, drink some cocktails or wine and/or feast on the fabulous menu come on down to the Luxe Bar in Mt Lawley for a 7pm start.

Eat My Monologue