Josephine Were

Josephine Were  

Josephine Were is an actor and theatre maker from Adelaide, South Australia. She graduated from the acting course at the Adelaide College of the Arts in 2009 and has since also trained with physical acting company SITI in NYC, and in Paris, thanks to the the Helpmann Academy and Carclew Youth Arts, with legendary clown teacher Philippe Gaulier.

Over the past two years she has acted with both the State Opera and the State Theatre Company of South Australia, as well as directed and acted in devised theatre. Just Like the Movies however, is Josephine's first major piece of writing. This earned her the nomination for Best Theatre Performer in the 2011 Adelaide Fringe, when the first version of this show appeared as a 15 minute segment in Bird Calls: a suite of solo female performances (Colourwheel Productions). Josephine began devising Just Like the Movies whilst in the USA in 2010 and played out pieces at comedy clubs, such as the Upright Citizen’s Brigade in NYC, along her way.

She currently mentors the final year acting students at the Adelaide College of the Arts in theatre making, likes swimming, and makes a mean piece of toast.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A spy. But I told people I wanted to be a doctor to throw them off the scent.

When did you know you would work in the arts?
When I was 18 and at university I would go to the theatre a lot. Afterwards I would come home and just lie down on my bed feeling really, really sad that I wasn't a part of it. I eventually audition for drama school.

How would you describe your work to a complete stranger?
Magical, Delusional, Delightful.

How hard is it to be authentic in the arts nowadays?
As long as you have something to share and you're aware of yourself and your surroundings I don't think it is that hard. The world is always changing.

Is there a mission to your work?
Observe, Reflect, Play!

What's your background - are there studies that prepare you for this?
I trained to be an actor for 3 years at the Adelaide College of the Arts. It was an intensive, quite physical training, which has informed the kind of actor I am today. I furthered this with training with physical acting company SITI in NYC in 2010, as well as trained in Clowning and Le Jeu (The Game) in Paris with the one and only Philippe Gaulier in 2011. It was whilst in the USA that I started writing this piece. It was whilst training with Gaulier that I started loving this piece.

What's the first thing career related you usually do each day?
Brush my teeth. Nothing like a good smile!

Can you describe an "average" working day for you?
Listen to BBC Comedy on ABC Radio National. Snooze. Snooze. Snooze. Get dressed and ride my bike to work. Make coffee for rich ladies from 7am – 3pm. Ride my bike to our rehearsal space. Make a cup of tea. Read something I have written. Listen to something Matthew has written. Get excited. Play. Ride home. Be a domestic goddess and eat something tomato and parsley related (we currently have way too much of both in the garden!). Write emails, follow my Twitter idols, check FB, and listen to the news. Write down my thoughts. Sleep.

What else do you do to pay the bills?
I make coffee and mentor acting students at the Adelaide College of the Arts in theatre making.

What's the one thing - piece of equipment, toy, security blanket, – you can't work without?
My mac.

What gets you fired up?
Injustice.

Who in the industry most inspires you?
Ira Glass

What in the industry do you despair about?
I'm not sure...

What is the best thing about your job?
I get to use my imagination

What's the worst?
Sometimes...I worry about money :(

What are the top three skills you need in this industry?
Persistence, Patience, Pleasure.

What advice would you give anyone looking to break into the field?
Trust your instincts, stick to your guns and enjoy yourself.

How do you know when you missed the mark?
No one laughs... and then someone coughs.

Which of the below phrases best suits your career development to date and why?

a. "The road to success is always under construction. "
b. "Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor."
c. "Success is best measured by how far you've come with the talents you've been given. "
d. "No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself."

A. Because success, for me, is perfectly articulating and executing an idea. Just as the world changes with each day so does my search for this success. I am constantly chasing it, becoming tangled with it, holding it for a moment, then losing it again!

When do you know you've made it?
I'm not sure I understand what that even means. But I hope that does not take cloud search :)

Just Like the Movies Tumblr: http://justlikethemoviesperformance.tumblr.com/