Category: Interview

INTERVIEW WITH COMEDIAN SAM SIMMONS AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr152.jpg

The first time I came across Sam Simmons was late at night on the ABC where he had a running segment on a panel show called Dirty Laundry Live. The show covered entertainment news and satirically took on gossip media. Simmons was their LA correspondent in search of meeting actor Richard Dreyfuss amongst other things. It didn’t really matter because you never really knew what to expect from Simmons and that was part of his charm.

I enjoy his surreal comedy Sam Simmons and he is about to do his latest show 26 Things You’ve Been Doing Wrong with San Simmons at the Brisbane Festival which is already running in my fair city.

I was lucky enough to speak to Sam twice working for the great Scenestr magazine and as always the finished piece doesn’t reflect all we discussed but hopefully gets across a little bit about what makes him and his comedy so great. I have also tried to grow a little bit as a writer with this piece building on my recent secondment writing full time at the Queensland College of Teachers.

Let me know what you think, you can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/comedy/comedian-sam-simmons-is-doing-something-right-with-his-new-show-20190903

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets.

They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH ‘CLUEDO! THE INTERACTIVE GAME’ DIRECTOR XANTHE JONES AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr145.jpg

It has been a while since I’ve done an interview for Scenestr magazine due to a variety of reasons. Thankfully it was a delight to get back in the saddle for them and interview theatre director Xanthe Jones.

Saying Jones has multiple talents does not even remotely do her justice.

She wrote and directed Cluedo! The Interactive Game and is also the Artistic Director for Brisbane Immersive Ensemble which produced the show.

We spoke just after they had their preview night where she had stepped into the role of Miss Scarlett at the last minute.

Talking to her was a pleasure as she described genre tropes, having fun with the audience and what she tries to impart with her work.

You can read my interview here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/brisbane-immersive-theatre-gives-cluedo-new-life-20190510

Scenestr146.jpg

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets.

They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.

This interview was published in print on page 38 of the Queensland issue for May 2019.

You can read a digital version of the printed Queensland edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/QLD/2019/1117-QLD/scenestr-QLD-1117.html#p=39

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH ‘OUR TOWN’ DIRECTOR CLARE WATSON AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr130.jpg

I love the play Our Town, I think it captures the essence of life in all its tragedy, beauty and humour so effortlessly that it never surprises that as it ages it remains timeless. The Artistic Director of Black Swan Theatre is a fan too and getting the chance to talk to her about her production of it was one of the most fun interviews I have ever had. The kind of ones where you lament having to put it to a set word limit because it can’t possibly cover the scope of the artists’ passion, thoughts and ideas. Yet you try, because you want to be worthy of the opportunity to speak to such people.

The production sounds like a winner, set outdoors in the theatre courtyard they’re going to have a reflective surface for the stage which will capture the long beautiful Perth sunsets and then the night sky. Those familiar with the play will know what an important part the changing sky can play. There’s going to be a wealth of locals, real Deliveroo drivers and doctors along with three talented actors Ian Michael, Abbie-Lee Lewis and Shari Sebbens who are all First Nation. Sebbens I saw give a particularly strong performance in the film Australia Day (2017) most recently. Given the importance of small town turn of the century America to the story its exciting to think of the possibilities that immediately come up when casting with such a focus on Perth locals and actors whose heritage predate white settlement in Australia. This particular production of Thornton Wilder’s classic shouldn’t be one to miss for fans old and new. You can read my interview with the delightful and talented Ms Watson here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/our-town-seeing-beauty-in-the-ordinary-in-perth-20190124

Scenestr131.jpg

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month. This interview was published in print on page 19 of the 38 page first WA issue for 2019. You can read a digital version of the printed Western Australia edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/WA/2019/23-WA/scenestr-WA-23.html#p=18

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH COMEDIAN HEATH FRANKLIN AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR AGAIN

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr128.jpg

 

Another milestone was reached recently in my writing career when I got to interview an individual for the second time in promotion of their latest show. Having the opportunity to speak to such a talented comedian like Heath Franklin was a thrill the first time around and I feel very fortunate to have been able to do a second round of questions. Franklin came to national fame on the sketch TV show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour and his Chopper Read bits quickly became a mainstay. The tour of the latest Chopper stand-up show continues but he is getting to do more dramatic work.

You can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/comedy/heath-franklin-is-faithful-to-his-chopper-s-religion-20190123

Scenestr129.jpgProduced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month. This interview was published in print on page 37 of the first QLD issue for 2019. You can read a digital version of the printed Western Australia edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/QLD/2019/1113-QLD/scenestr-QLD-1113.html#p=35

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH ‘BLANC DE BLANC’ DIRECTOR SCOTT MAIDMENT AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr125.jpg

 

I was very fortunate to get to write the cover story for the Christmas-New Year Western Australian print issue of Scenestr, my sixth cover story for the magazine in the past 12 months.  I got to interview Scott Maidment who directs Blanc de Blanc which is showing at Fringe World in Perth this month continuing a two year tour throughout the world to sell out crowds. Maidment has a passion for what he does, originally a performer who founded Strut & Fret Production House which now produces shows that combine cabaret and circus in these fantastic productions. I discussed with him what he sees as his responsibility as the director and getting to work with Madonna amongst other things. It was an absolute pleasure and you can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/blanc-de-blanc-sets-its-sights-on-perth-for-fringe-world-20181220

scenestr127

 

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month. The cover story on Blanc de Blanc features on pages 10 and 11 of the WA print issue. You can read a digital version of the printed Western Australia edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/WA/2018/22-WA/scenestr-WA-22.html#p=10

Scenestr126.jpg

 

It is the third Cover Story this year I have done for the WA mag. My first cover story for Scenestr was a year ago and also for the last WA mag for 2017 being issue #9 where I interviewed Jascha Boyce from the circus group Gravity and Other Myths. I followed it with 3 cover stories for WA in 2018, issue #11 interviewing SNL star and stand-up comedian Michael Che, #15 covering Chuck Norris coming to Supernova and now issue #22 about Blanc de Blanc.

scenestr124

 

To have done one cover story means a lot to me and to have interviewed such fascinating people remains one of the scariest and most fulfilling things I have dared to do these past two years. Whatever 2019 brings, I will always be grateful for this. If you’re in Perth I would strongly urge you to check out Blanc de Blanc, clearly a show not to be missed made by very hard working and talented people.

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH FLICKERFEST DIRECTOR BRONWYN KIDD AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr120.jpg

 

On assignment with Scenestr magazine I interviewed the director of Flickerfest, Australia’s largest short film festival with Academy accreditation and BAFTA recognition. You can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/movies/flickerfest-2019-a-different-way-of-storytelling-20181219

Scenestr123.jpg

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises, Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for WA, SA, NSW, Vic and QLD every month. This interview was published in print in the Christmas-New Year issue for New South Wales on page 28 which is always a thrill for a GenX guy like myself. A digital copy of that issue can be viewed here http://scenestr.com.au/read/NSW/2018/32-NSW/scenestr-NSW-32.html#p=29 If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH ‘HEDDA’ DIRECTOR PAIGE RATTRAY AND ‘HEDDA’ REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr113

It was a pleasure to get to speak to director Paige Rattray ahead of the debut of her new play Hedda for Scenestr magazine. It had been a while since I’d done an interview and I was lucky to speak to such a passionate creative who was excited about her latest work. Seeing the play last Thursday a couple of weeks after her interview I found a lot of her hopes for what audiences took away were certainly on my mind following the performance.

An adaptation by Melissa Bubnic by the original Henrik Ibsen classic I attended with my wife Karen who had seen and studied the original at university. It was interesting to talk to her about the differences and similarities as someone who is not too familiar with the original. The ensemble cast was first rate too led by the daring and talented New Zealand star Danielle Cormack.

You can read my interview with Ms Rattray here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/hedda-queensland-theatre-contemporises-a-classic-production-20181116 and my review of Hedda is available here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/hedda-review-queensland-theatre-20181116 I hope you enjoy.

This brings me to 75 published posts with Scenestr as well which I am really proud to have reached.

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and now Victoria! every month too.

-Lloyd Marken

Scenestr114

INTERVIEW WITH ‘PRIZE FIGHTER’ PLAYWRIGHT FUTURE D. FIDEL AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr107.jpg

I like to think  everyone has a story and you’re looking to unearth the one that will connect during an interview. Playwright Future D. Fidel has some obvious examples in his dramatic past. An orphan, a refugee, an immigrant from war torn Congo. His past will always be with him and always of interest to others who have experienced safer childhoods with less loss. Yet Future is more than just this, he is an incredible talented artist and it was a privilege to interview him for Scenestr magazine in the lead-up to a national tour of his award winning play Prize Fighter. You can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/prize-fighter-future-d-fidel-s-emotional-work-on-tour-20180918

Scenestr108

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises, Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for WA, SA, NSW, Vic and QLD every month. This interview was published in print in the October issue for Victoria on page 29 which is always a thrill for a GenX guy like myself. A digital copy of that issue can be viewed here http://scenestr.com.au/read/VIC/2018/02-VIC/scenestr-VIC-02.html#p=29 If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH COMEDIAN BECKY LUCAS AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr103

I have been fortunate to interview another talented stand-up comedian for Scenestr magazine. This time with Becky Lucas who has a new show Since Day Dot coming up at Sydney Fringe Festival with regular collaborator Cameron James. I really got to pick Ms Lucas’s brain about the art of comedy and her continuing success where she offered some great reflections. As is often the case you’re spoilt for choice with which quotes to use and how to craft the piece discussing the upcoming show but also revealing something about the talented and fascinating individual you’ve been given the great opportunity to talk to. I hope I’ve captured some of this with Ms Lucas. You can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/comedy/becky-lucas-teams-up-with-cameron-james-for-sydney-fringe-comedy-20180823

Scenestr104

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises, Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for WA, SA, NSW, Vic and QLD every month. This interview was published in print in the September issue for New South Wales issue which is always a thrill for a GenX guy like myself. A digital copy of that issue can be viewed here http://scenestr.com.au/read/NSW/2018/28-NSW/scenestr-NSW-28.html#p=37 If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

INTERVIEW WITH COMEDIAN SAMMY J AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

Scenestr99

 

Late last year I was able to interview comedian Randy Feltface who regularly collaborates with Sammy J and now I have been able to speak to Sammy J as well for Scenestr magazine. It was an utter joy speaking with Sammy J who was very encouraging and friendly. After the interview was over my entire mood had lifted, I think this is part of his appeal with audiences – Sammy brings joy.

A Melbourne lad he was on hand to promote his new show at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Fifty Year Show Part III which is run every five years having started in 2008. Deceptively ambitious I was fascinated by the concept of the show which recaps current events and trends while also bringing back elements of previous shows. This will allow it to cover fashion, news and so forth but also more poignantly life itself and in a particular way the careers of all those involved. It’s interesting to think of a 75 year old Sammy J mounting the last edition and what kind of a performer he will be at that point. Getting a young fit man to strip down to his undies in the show will play differently as time goes on and yet probably get as many cheers in the last show as in the first if that person is still agreeing to it. Because we age and we evolve and already Sammy is acknowledging that, as he moves to include more female performers this year. You can read my interview here http://scenestr.com.au/comedy/sammy-j-continues-his-50-year-show-at-melbourne-fringe-20180911 nd if you’re a Melbourne reader I suggest you take the opportunity to go and see the show for yourself.

 

Scenestr100

 

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises, Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. For the month of September they returned to the Melbourne market with the debut print edition of Scenestr in that city! It is a thrill to have had a shortened version of my interview with Sammy J feature in that first issue on page 38 which can be seen digitally here http://scenestr.com.au/read/VIC/2018/01-VIC/scenestr-VIC-01.html#p=39 If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken