Need some New Year inspiration? 10 choice quotes from Australian theatre greats

Happy New Year, AussieTheatre readers! I hope you have had a spectacularly good festive season and are refreshed and ready for the year that awaits you in 2015.

Image by Stephen Poff
Inspiration often comes from the words of others. Image by Stephen Poff

Many people make resolutions around the turn of the new year and look for inspiration in the words of others. As luck would have it, there are countless gems to be found in the transcripts of Marika Aubrey’s How We Do What We Do interview series. Every interview over the last two years has been filled with wonderful insights into the world of Australian actors and their process.

So now that 2015 is in full swing, I wanted to share some of my favourite quotes. Who knows, maybe they will help you find some extra passion, some inner strength or a fresh insight as you navigate your way through 2015.

Enjoy

Some choice quotes from How We Do What We Do 2013-2014

“Everyone talks about ‘being in the zone’ and I think ‘in the zone’ is an inner stillness” – Anne Looby, May 2014

 

“I was terrified and I still am, but I believe it’s a study in practice that you get better at” – Harriet Dyer, February 2014

 

“Don’t worry about whether or not you think it’s funny, just play the truth of that character and the writing will take care of the rest” – Katrina Retallick, April 2014

 

“I don’t believe in the idea of character.  I don’t believe I can be anyone else other than me.  What I do believe is that everyone… every person, actor, human, otherwise has, kind of, an infinite amount of potential in them” – Guy Edmonds, June 2014

 

“I want to play a character that’s got weight, and I want to play a character that’s got heart, and I want to play a character that wants something” – John Batchelor, May 2014

 

“Don’t be scared to speak up for your art. Work hard at it. Find some way of bringing your talent into it instead of emulating” – Bart John, March 2014

 

“I am so proud of the industry that I’m in that I just want to be known as someone who was proud of the industry they were in, because this industry has saved me, in a way, from a possible other existence – and I’m just so glad that we found each other.” – Kate Mulvany, September 2014

 

“I would love to look back and on my headstone it read, ‘Lisa McCune – Chameleon’. That to me, would be the greatest compliment. That’s what I’d like to do” – Lisa McCune, April 2013

 

“Work hard. And it will pay off… I mean… It’s hard work. You gotta really love it. But if you wanna do it, then 100%. Go in guns blazing. And make it happen… pursue it and love it, love it, love it, and do it, do it, do it” – Yvonne Strahovski, August 2013

 

“Everyone has different styles and techniques. And ultimately good acting is when you’re in the moment. When you’re completely involved in the story you’re telling. How you get there doesn’t matter I reckon, as long as you get there” – Gyton Grantley, December 2013

Erin James

Erin James is AussieTheatre.com's former Editor in Chief and a performer on both stage and screen. Credits include My Fair Lady, South Pacific and The King and I (Opera Australia), Love Never Dies and Cats (Really Useful Group), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), A Place To Call Home (Foxtel/Channel 7) and the feature film The Little Death (written and directed by Josh Lawson).

Erin James

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