People Profile: Phoebe Witts.

In what has already been a stellar month for student theatre in Melbourne, N.U.D.E Theatre's latest production ‘Kissing Booth’ is set to keep this brilliance going. 

When four friends get together to organise a kissing booth as a social experiment for their behavioural studies class, things get complicated. Let assistant director Phoebe Witts introduce you to a show all about relationships, sexuality, love, and the comedy and mundanity found in everyday life.

Kissing Booth will run from the 20th - 23rd of May at the University of Melbourne's Guild Theatre (7pm start each night), and you can get your tickets by following the link through here!  
Pucker up and join the queue.

- Miriam

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m producing and assistant directing Kissing Booth and I am the co-founder of the production company running the show, NUDE Theatre. I’m a student at Melbourne University majoring in English and Theatre Studies and Creative Writing. Am still maintaining hope that my student theatre career, combined with my passion for  sitting on lawns at uni will lead to a career and prove all the arts degree h8ers wrong.

What is something that fascinates you about human nature; how do you like to capture it in your shows?

I am really interested in relationships and their dynamics. It’s so fascinating how shifts in a situation, whether that’s adding a new person to the mix or a change in body language, can have such an impact on tone, conversation and emotion. The diverse and often contradictory variety of relationships in every invididual’s life, and the impact they have on the identity of that individual, are something that endlessly interests me. In a show, for me, this comes through in the little moments. A crossed leg away from a character, a silence, a power play represented through positioning. The symbolism of everyday gestures and movements combined with the added symbolic potential theatre offers through stagecraft are important, I think, in capturing the tone of a situation or relationship.

What is one thing that always makes you laugh and can we expect any comedy in Kissing Booth?

The awkwardness of everyday life is hilarious to me. Dodging a stranger in a hallway, or having a conversation with someone you didn’t like at high school. Kissing Booth’s script has a heavy focus on finding comedy in the mundane, and for me that can create a lot of special moments. They’ll definitely be a few laughs to be had in the show – sarcasm and irony play a big part in it.

When do you feel most creative?

I feel most creative in the calm after a flurry or events or interactions. When I have time to take a pause and reach that meditative state of contemplation just past the emotion of a moment, that’s when everything comes to me – like, when I’m tired and relaxed and can create without over thinking.

Name a film or play that changed your life, why?

I remember MTC’s production of The Wild Duck that I went to see with school when I was doing year 11 Theatre Studies. It was so different and original, and I remember thinking after, this is what theatre should be, and I always want to be involved in this world. I think a good play or film leaves you not with your life changed, but with a slight shift in your mindset, perspective or emotion. The audience should leave feeling like the experience they have just added to their lives has affected them in some way, hopefully for the better.

What do you admire in the people working on Kissing Booth with you?

They’re all amazing!!! Directing alongside Dom has been great – he is fantastic at dealing with the emotion of a scene, and finding creative ways to draw out energy and character. And the cast is so talented, they have given us so much and have been an absolute pleasure to work with. Behind the scenes, James’ ability to adapt and find creative solutions under pressure has also been fantastic.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get a start in local theatre?

Talk to people, make friends, network. Be enthusiastic and open to working with anyone and everyone with a friendly and creative attitude. Local theatre’s great fun and definitely worth a shot. 

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