Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
Everything I have now is recycled, upcycled, second-hand, found, and reclaimed. I love giving cast-off things new life. In a world with so much stuff, so much the earth itself is choking, I can’t see a reason to make more.
What are you most passionate about?
Giving kids the chance to play in the theatre, to create an event for their friends and family to enjoy and for them to make the connections that make life rich. And growing veggies.
What do you love about the theatre?
I love the magic. You work and work rehearsing, learning lines, finding costumes, building sets (often held together with a bit of sticky tape and a bent nail) there is blood, sweat and sometimes tears but then you turn on the lights, the curtain opens and its like magic. We are transported to another place and time and a wonderful story unfolds for all to enjoy. There is no disconnect, its real people telling real stories, no barrier to the emotion, no screen in between. Theatre is magic.
What would your last meal be?
Fried eggs and beans on toast, love em, with half an avocado, a tomato and some mushrooms, that’s a feast.
What was your most memorable moment?
The birth of my beautiful son. I have never known love like it.
What was your favourite subject in school?
Sociology in year 10. I learned about people and was fascinated to discover the interconnections between learned cultural norms and the way we think and behave. We did an experiment where all the students stood up on the desks and made strange noises – this was to be considered normal – and one student, who was my close friend, entered the room not knowing what we were doing. She felt alienated because she couldn’t communicate with us and soon became quite angry and tried to push me off the desk. I learnt that people can react badly when they feel left out. It’s become very important to me to make sure everyone feels included.
What event past or present would you like to witness?
I would have liked to have been in Russia when the wall came down.
Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
Julie Day of course, always, Tim Minchin, David Greenaway, my son Harry, Brene Brown and Jacinda Ardern (but I wouldn’t give them fried eggs on toast!)
What are you currently listening to/watching or reading?
I’ve been watching old episodes of ER, daggy I know, but it helps me turn off my brain after the business at the theatre.
How would you describe your fashion sense?
100 per cent opp shop.
Have you had a pet that has made an impact on your life?
I have loved two dogs. A Shepherd Kelpie cross call Kissie, she was a stray and hoped into my Combie Van in the 80s. We spent 13 happy years together. Then when my son was 10 we got a Chihuahua called Jasmine. She is a cranky little princess with long golden hair, very beautiful and she knows it. She is an old lady now and spends most of her day napping on the end of the bed.
If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?
I’m not much of a cook but I do love a cauliflower cheese with leaks and a creamy white sauce.
Where is your dream holiday destination?
I’m so lucky to be living back home in Emerald after 24 years away, it’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place. I loved my time in Venice while I was teaching in Italy, it was like theatre, magic around every corner.
What were you like as a kid?
I was a quite serious kid, sometimes I think I lived my life backwards. I’m enjoying being a kid now.
What is your favourite colour and why?
I love the richness of red, a deep blood red next to natural timber does it for me.
