In love with Australia

My current theatre show, Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model, was picked up as a top thing to see by the British Council Showcase 2013, which is always lovely. I hadn’t applied to the showcase because, back at that time, the show didn’t exist yet. Being included meant more people who programme work from around the world got to see it, which is priceless. Daniel Clarke, who runs Theatreworks in Melbourne, saw the show and fell in love with it. He decided to go hell for leather making sure we could get over to present it at FOLA (Festival of Live Art) at his venue in St Kilda. He also brought Scottee over… so he obviously has impeccable taste as far as I am concerned. I hadn’t ever been to Australia but I had a feeling people there would like me and what I had to say. I have three Aussie brothers and my dad lives in Sydney so I know what makes them tick! I decided to use the chance to also teach some students, do some radio, make some new art friends AND show an old work, Sex Idiot, at the Comedy Festival. It was an all out attack on the city that really paid off! 

"Being included in the Showcase meant more people who programme work from around the world got to see it, which is priceless."

I also saw some works by Australian performance artists and companies, did some exploring of Melbourne, caught up with old friends... I taught at the University of Victoria, I did two shows a day for three weeks and a lot of meeting people, and even some drinking. Taylor, however [Kimmings's young neice, who appears in Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model, and is the inspiration behind the show] did a lot of FUN HAVING. She went to Luna Park, we went to Philip Island together to see the penguins march, and my dad popped down to entertain her with zoos and swimming. Plus she did school work! It's fun touring with a child; my sister comes too (her other aunty) so it's very different to the solo touring I normally do.

What did I learn? I learnt that Aussies love me. Which is golden. And lucky. And bodes well for a tour I am trying to do there for next year! We got great reviews for both shows and a lot of love. I learnt that I hate flying long haul. I learnt that if you give a child Cheetos and don't pop their travel sickness bracelets on, they will puke into your backpack. I learnt that I could live in Australia, if they made it a little less far away. I learnt what proper coffee tastes like (Melbourne being capital of the flat white and all! Bleurgh!). I learnt that I love my old show Sex Idiot and that I felt ready to do it again in London. I learnt a lot about the social and political problems that Australia faces. I taught people a little bit about performance art British style I think. This was an awesome thing to read when I got back. I taught a group of wonderful young artists how to make work. And I taught the public a little more about the sexualisation of young girls through pop, something that the country is only just beginning to really grasp.

"I felt that we could learn a lot about net worth of art, how much things actually cost and how to fund research..."

The Austrailians pay their workers properly – including their artists! That is the massive difference I saw. As one of the main people involved in the #Illshowyoumine movement (striving to sort a system that pays artists properly in experimental theatre), I felt that we could learn a lot about the net worth of art, how much things actually cost and how to fund research from them. I was lucky as I went over there with the British Council's support, and I was paid by the venue to come. I wonder if artists wanting to head to the UK to present are faced with the same options, I would say probably not on my scale or in my line of work… maybe the more commercial artists.

There's a lot of food-with-art things in Australia… like a BBQ with a show, or a quick oyster before seeing a one-to-one piece – that is the kind of thing I LIKE! I think we do artistic development better in terms of content. We are a bit further ahead in our artistic voice it seems. There are some great artists doing cutting edge stuff in Australia but not that many, and we have LOADS we can be proud of. In short I am in love and want to go back!

Credits

Bryony Kimmings is a performance artist whose show, Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model, was an Edinburgh Showcase selection in 2013. She has subsequently toured to Australia with British Council support, and will be performing the show at Soho Theatre from 24-28 June. She will be performing another show, Sex Idiot, at Southbank Centre from 12-16 August. Follow Bryony on Twitter @bryonykimmings and follow @UKTheatreDance for all of the latest news, blogs and opportunities from the Theatre and Dance team.