The Questionnaire

What are you plugging right now?

My new play with Auckland Theatre Company, Peer Gynt [recycled]. It’s a re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt, which you’ve probably never heard of unless you’re an Ibsen enthusiast. Most people are more aware of Edvard Grieg’s music for the play – specifically the tune to In The Hall of The Mountain King, a movie favourite. The play is about a pleasureseeking fantasist and master procrastinator, Peer Gynt, who wastes his life away on a series of bizarre mishaps and adventures. He’s obsessed with being true to himself but realises, perhaps too late, that by not committing to anything or anyone but his own base desires, he’s failed to develop any kind of coherent self. It’s about identity, narcissism, solipsism. It’s about lying – which has become more and more relevant lately in this ‘‘post-truth’’ world. In this version, there’s a meta-theatrical layer in which a writer called Eli picks apart the play and struggles with making it his own, especially when Ibsen shows up.

Which living person do you most admire?

There are celebrities or not so famous people whose work or actions I happen to be a fan of, but I couldn’t say I ‘‘admire’’ anybody like that. Though their work or deeds might speak to me, the people themselves remain kind of illusive, like presentations of people. Admiration as an emotion seems to be solely reserved for people I know well. Like friends who are just nailing life, or who are overcoming great personal obstacles and still somehow continuing to put others first. I admire my mum.

What’s your most embarrassing moment?

When I was around 11, my mum oversold how bad I was at swimming to some teachers. So I ended up in a class of toddlers. And the teacher, instead of pulling me out of the class, assumed I had a mental disability and went ahead with everything – including making me sit on a chair so I could get used to having my head underwater. I sat on the chair. The water came up to my nipples.

Ever stolen anything?

Only hearts. From the morgue. For my master. And lollies from the supermarket – pick-&-mix obviously.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I’ve always hated the fact that I don’t have cool bat wings. It’s actually a rare body dismorphic disorder where whenever I look in the mirror, all I can see is the complete absence of bad-ass sinewy bat wings extending from my shoulder blades like I’m a god-damn chill gargoyle or whatever. It’s something I struggle with every day.

What life lesson would you pass on to your children?

Always be closing.

What job would you do other than your own and why?

My dad was a graphic designer and I picked up some very basic skills from him. I’ve designed posters for some of my plays before. They weren’t very good, but I enjoyed it a lot. I can’t draw at all so that’s a pretty big set-back. I definitely regret not training in that area ’cause if this whole writing thing falls through I’ve got diddly-squat to fall back on. Yay! I just had to go and follow my dreams like an idiot.

runs from March 7-18. Follow Auckland Theatre Company’s Facebook page for details.

Peer Gynt [recycled]