Australian theatre stars in London explain a secret to their success
When a famous British actor asked three distinguished Australians why their country had achieved so much success in theater and cinema, one word stood out.
“Courage,” said playwright Suzie Miller. at first glance was a global sensation and Alia Break It’s a blockbuster in London.
Miller was speaking alongside actress Cate Blanchett and director Kip Williams at the Australian High Commission in London on Friday night; Here they shared their love of theater and their stories of finding work away from home.
Panel talk host David Harewood, president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, said he was overwhelmed by the long list of Australians who had achieved so much overseas.
“Sometimes you can see more clearly from the edges,” Blanchett said, reflecting on her early years trying to make it from a distant land.
He said that when he arrived in London, he felt like he had to overcome some kind of barrier because of the way he spoke and the country he came from.
“I was tolerant It was culturally very brutal,” he said. “So I was still working, but I worked hard. I thought I had to prove myself because I don’t necessarily have to be invited to the table. I am from the colonies.
“There are a lot of Australian people in the room who feel the same.”
The debate was held at Australia House, an ornate building on The Strand that has been a side hustle in the backdrop of films including the Harry Potter series, to mark another milestone in Australia’s rise to the London stage.
Blanchett was nominated for best actress at British theatre’s annual Olivier Awards on Sunday night for her portrayal of Arkadina in Chekhov’s play. SeagullMiller is nominated for the best new play award Alia Break.
Williams was hosted at Oliviers with his game two years ago. The Picture of Dorian Gray It won two awards, including best actress for Sarah Snook.
Hosted by Australian High Commissioner Jay Weatherill, the event was also a partnership between RADA and its Australian counterpart, the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. Blanchett, Miller and Williams are all NIDA graduates; CEO Liz Hughes gave a vote of thanks after the speech.
Miller outlined why Australia is over-represented for its size in world theatre.
“Sometimes I think it comes down to good old-fashioned bravery. Living in Australia is hard. It’s hot, it’s hard, you have to fight for yourself a bit,” he said.
“But I think that’s the skill you need in this industry. You’ve got to get down and do the work.”
All three shared their thoughts on the high-wire act. Williams described rehearsals as a combination of “excitement and terror” because every day was a leap of faith. Miller said when things go well, the biggest feeling he feels is relief.
Blanchett suggested that public debate could learn something from the raw honesty of the rehearsal.
“What I love about theater in rehearsal rooms — and we don’t get this very often in everyday life — is that politeness is not a way to avoid a problem, and most of the time you can’t do that,” he said.
“You have to be brutal and respectful of each other. And that atmosphere exists in rehearsal rooms, and I wish it existed more in public life, where we could have brutally honest ‘come to Jesus’ conversations without the Jesus bite.”
After several years of people having to stay home following the pandemic, Williams said the theater industry needs to work even harder to bring people back to live performance.
“It really forced you as theater producers to think about why you’re asking audiences to come to the theater,” he said.
The answer, he said, is to create an experience that viewers can’t get on Netflix or TikTok. Even though he did not say it, he clearly adopted this approach. The Picture of Dorian Gray and its final production, DraculaIt is staged in London, where Cynthia Erivo plays all 23 roles.
Miller outlined why theater still excites audiences in a world where it’s easy to stay home or stare at a cell phone screen.
“For all of civilization — well, even before that — we would gather around fireplaces and tell stories as a way to make sense of our world,” he said.
“And actually when you take away the fireplace and the assembly, we lose something, we lose something very, very human.
“Getting that back was actually part of the reason people came back to the theater because now they appreciate it.”
According to this concluding theme, the people in the room did something else that was different from what people in London have done throughout their entire civilization. They chatted over drinks.
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David Crowe is the European correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect with: X or email.
