Kathryn Osborne, the director of The Last Great Hunt’s newest work The Crossing, had a chat to our friend at The Blue Room Theatre about her rehearsal room habits, inspiring performances and summer in Perth:
WHAT ITEM CAN’T YOU LIVE WITHOUT IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM?
Snacks. I get hangry, as anyone who has worked with me before knows. So a constant source of food is imperative.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IRRATIONAL FEARS?
I’m not great at flying.
WHAT’S THE BEST SHOW YOU’VE EVER SEEN?
I’ve had lots of experiences where shows have changed the way I’ve thought about performance. Most recently, I had that experience watching Akram Khan’s DESH at Brisbane Festival in 2014. This performance literally left me speechless. And I mean, unable to talk or even begin to unpack my feelings for 10 minutes after the show. The masterful ability to layer simple imagery to tell a story about heritage and identity, never mind the exceptional execution, left me almost in shock. The good type. If I can ever get close to that kind of work, I’d be ecstatic.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST EVER PERFORMANCE YOU WERE IN?
It was a melodrama when I was 8. I played the villain, called Grimeface Evilslime. I pinned my hair back and wore a top hat, cape and drew a curly moustache on my face*. We performed it in front of the entire primary school assembly and when I came forward to present my character at the start, I bowed and my hat fell off. Everyone laughed as my pinned pig-tails were revealed. I was embarrassed but I pulled it together and successfully tied the damsel in distress to the train tracks and was thwarted by the hero.
* In hindsight I don’t know why I had to be a man villain.
WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?
I really enjoy the collaborative nature of theatre. And how it can incorporate all forms of art. It engages my brain in so many different ways.
WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT PERTH?
Summer. Art. Community. I love the arts community here. I find that everyone is supportive of each other and has a lot of pride in WA art and artists.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT SUMMER?
Cricket season. I’m one of those.
WHAT SHOW/S ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO DURING SUMMER NIGHTS OR FRINGE WORLD?
The other Last Great Hunt shows: The Great Ridolphi (written by Hunter Chris) and Monroe & Associates. Also, The Man on the Moon, because I’m really in to theatre with music. And St John Cowcher is pretty handsome.
The Crossing is presented by The Blue Room Theatre in association with PICA and The Last Great Hunt, as part of FRINGE WORLD 2016.
Find out more about The Crossing here.
Photo: Jamie Breen