People Profile: Shona Warren

At the University of Melbourne's student run theatre group N.U.D.E, it's all about exploring contemporary issues in fresh, energetic and innovative ways, and their latest production 'Tertiary' is no exception. 'Tertiary' is comprised of three short plays and is set to cover some pretty heavy themes: love, suicide and abortion, but if anyone has the talent, and creativity to tackle these topics it's N.U.D.E.

In this people profile I chat with Shona, director of 'One Day in Bologna', one of the three plays that will make up the production. If after getting to know her you're as excited as us to see the play, all the information about how you can get your tickets will be found at the end of the article.

- Miriam

Tell us a little bit about yourself -

My name is Shona Warren, I’m in my final semester of a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne. I’m the lucky director of the new Australian play ‘One Day in Bologna’ which opens as part of Tertiary this week.

What is your favourite thing about live theatre?

As a person putting on live theatre, my favourite thing would have to be the stakes of it. Putting on theatre is a high stakes game- a lot of time, emotion, passion and thought is what creates theatre. Seeing how all the elements; script, talent, production, come together during the performances is something that I will always find exciting. As an audience member I love the entertainment value; entering a created world or scene for a part of my evening that will hopefully make me laugh or present to me a new idea creatively.

Describe ‘Tertiary’ in three words

Youthful, hopeful and bold.

How have you found the process of collaborating with two other creative teams to bring together one seamless production?

Beneficial. Collaborating with two great directors (Dominic Weintraub and Phoebe Witts) who have their own ideas and influences is invaluable. Clear communication and also a respect for the other’s pieces no doubt helped with our enjoyment of the project! Hopefully the audience will jump on board with the joint approach which is present throughout Tertiary; each piece compliments the others as they all have different focuses and approaches to themes surrounding youth and relationships.

Are there any theatre or film directors that inspire your work?

I love seeing performers enjoy themselves on stage with a level of comfort and command of the the text- any director that can promote that within their production inspires me! If I was under pressure to name one director who inspires my work (which I guess I am now) I would probably blurt out Richard Linklater. All his films are a clear collaboration between the writing, acting and production process which I admire greatly.

What never fails at sparking your creativity?

Other people. Discussing, laughing or arguing with people who have views and experiences different to my own never fails at sparking a new thought or idea.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to get their start in theatre?

Do it! Get involved! Go to auditions, respond to call-outs, volunteer backstage, write the script you’ve been thinking about, rig up a curtain, slap on a costume and put on a play in your backyard for your family and friends. Invite me because a backyard play sounds like great fun.

‘Fill in the blanks’: When I’m not directing you are sure to find me at ------. It’s my favourite spot in Melbourne because -------

When I’m not directing you are sure to find me at home. It’s my favourite spot in Melbourne because it has unlimited tea and a pretty well stocked pantry.


Tertiary will run from the 19th to 22nd of October at the University of Melbourne's Guild Theatre (7:30pm start Wed, Fri and Sat, 12:30pm start on Thurs), and you can get your tickets by following the link through here!  

*Mosaik does not take credit for the images used in this article

People Profile: Lauren Heard

Like myself, Lauren is smart, creative, good-looking and has a great passion for both cooking and eating. As her neighbour and friend I have been very fortunate in being able to both try and demolish some of Lauren's cooking. Lauren first launched her instagram page 'Galah Food' late last year and has had some smashing feedback, even getting a liking from famous chef Adam Liaw. This is not hard to believe due to Galah Food's Australian inspired cooking and  visually pleasing food styling.  To learn even more about the girl I know so well - and get some killer restaurant recommendations - I sent her a few questions about herself, and her cooking.

- Olivia

What is Galah food and why did you first start it?

Galah Food started as a place for me to share my love for cooking, and my love for Australian cuisine. Modern Australian Food is one of the hardest cuisines to categorise. It's fresh seafood, native fruits and herbs, Indigenous knowledge of cooking and foraging. But it's also country home cooking, pavlovas, and lamingtons, and scones. And it's heavily inspired by Asian, European and Middle Eastern immigration, which is always bringing new and exciting recipes and techniques to Australia. I love the process of understanding and learning what Australian food is.

What are your plans for galah food?

What I've loved most so far is how it's inspiring me to source out new ingredients. Before starting the blog I had never cooked with wattle seed, or finger limes, or Moreton bay bugs. It's also encouraging me to practice my technical cooking skills and food photography. Earlier in the year I travelled to Cairns and Brisbane, and this trip gave me a different insight into Australian food outside of the Melbourne setting. My plan is to travel more, eat more and cook more.

Who do you look up to for inspiration?

There are a lot of chefs who inspire me, through their recipes, photos, T.V. shows, books and instagram accounts. Namely, Adam Liaw, who has fun with native ingredients mixed with the knowledge from his Chinese/Singaporean heritage, and takes mouth-watering pictures. I also love the Queen of Australian cookery Maggie Beer.

What qualitites of a person are you most attracted to?

All my best-friends have a great and stupid sense of humour.

What makes you happiest?

Eating with friends and talking trash for hours on end. 

You've got food down, but what is a fashion choice you really regret? 

Probably my ITALIANA jumper with the Italian flag on it, which I begged for when I was 10. Only because I have no Italian heritage.

Best places to eat in Melbourne?

I might say a few answers here. Close to my home I love a little cafe called Darling St Espresso. For Italian I love Kaprica in Carlton. For a delicious night, but a long wait, I love Chin Chin in the CBD. I've got a booking in to eat at Charcoal Lane soon, so I'll add it in because of my high hopes for the dinner. Its a non-profit resturant in Fitzroy, which provides work experience in hospitality for vulnerable young people. I can't wait to try the roasted emu fillet.

You can follow Galah foods instagram on @galahfood 

People Profile: Nicholas Madden

To those who know Nicholas Madden, have spoken to him about his passions, or witnessed one of his famed 21st speeches, it is abundantly clear that the man has a way with words. 

Therefore, the fact that at just 21 years of age he is now the author of his first novel, The Three Crowns, is both unsurprising and wildly impressive. Nicholas creates a world of fantasy in his novel, brimming with war, sorcery, betrayal and revolution. 

This ability to translate such complex concepts into a tangible form for others to read and imagine is intriguing to me, therefore I was keen to gain an understanding of how The Three Crowns came to be including Nick's inspirations, motivations and creative process.

The first five chapters of this novel are currently available to be read on his website.

-Beth

When did you start writing The Three Crowns, and how has it evolved? 

I started writing The Three Crowns about two years ago now, and it began as an idea I had one night before I fell asleep. The idea was about a slave who needs to help his Emperor. I put it in my notes on my phone, then went to sleep. The next day I started writing it. It really started to evolve into what it is now after I created the map. When I created the map, I felt like exploring other areas of the world and one by one other characters were added. Pretty soon I just couldn’t stop writing. From the beginning I never really planned anything out, the story just shaped itself as I kept going. It kind of snowballed into the book I have now. 

Why fantasy? 

I love history. If I wasn’t doing what I’m doing, then I’d probably be studying to be a history teacher. But with fantasy, I can write my own history, and it’s incredibly liberating, but more importantly, it’s fun. To be able to invent a world where history is whatever I say it is, is a weird thing, but it’s enjoyable and rewarding.

Do you think you’ll ever write non-fantasy? 

Yes, I think so. Fantasy has a lot of advantages, there’s so much you can do with it. However I’ll follow a good story where ever it leads.  

Who is someone you have been influenced by? 

Tolkien is my hero. So is Martin, even though his greatest work isn’t finished yet. I also find influence across a lot of different storytelling mediums. I love movies, and my favourite director of all time is probably Hayao Miyazaki. He’s one of the main reasons I wanted to write fantasy. 

When are you most productive/creative? 

I think in the hour before I go to sleep. Mainly because I’ll realise how tired I am, and I have to hurry up and finish whatever’s in front of me. It also helps that the house is quiet at that time.

Who do you look up to? 

I think my Grandfather has always been a man who will set his sights on something, and make sure it gets done. He does whatever it takes to make it happen. That’s the way I want to approach life. He also still works at the moment, and that level of dedication is incredible. 

As a child, what did you love more than anything? 

That’s a tough one. I enjoyed everything as a kid. But I guess so much of that had to do with the kind of environment I grew up in. We lived in the best neighbourhood. We were always out on the street, going from house to house, and everyone’s front door was always open. It was a great time to be a kid, growing up like that. We didn’t need much encouragement to stay outside. There was a creek out the back of our street, and we spent heaps of time hanging around there. There was always something to do. I loved everything about it. 

What fascinates you? 

People fascinate me. People are interesting. The way people connect is amazing to think about for just a moment. A lot of things fascinate me, but there’s few things as interesting as the fact that there are so many people in the world and everyone has a story to tell. 

What is one thing you want to achieve? 

I think to get through life doing something you care about is important. I also think it’s important to find something that makes you useful. So I’m not sure if I’m cheating and that’s two achievements, but to care about what I’m doing and make it useful to others is what I want to do. 

How can we find out more about you? 

Feel free to jump on the website: www.nicholasmadden.com or keep up to date through the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Nicholas-Madden-1761724314059062/

People Profile: Annika Keefer.

I first met Annika at one of my favourite Melbourne pizza places Meine Liebe on a night out with uni friends (she was my friend Amalia's sister.) Despite the striking resemblance to Amalia, the next thing I noticed was that she was every bit as colourful and wonderful as her intricate paintings that I had been secretly admiring via Instagram. 

Her paintings are like dreams, look at them for too long or think about them too hard and you will get lost in them. They are intricate stories told through veins of colour. 

Annika launched her site annikakeefer.com late last year as a portal to view and buy her work and I know this year will have big things in store for her because incredible talent doesn't go unnoticed. So here is our first people profile of 2016.

-Alessandra 

What made you want to start painting?

My dad is an Art Teacher so I've been painting with him since I was a little girl. I took Art as a subject in high school but never really took it too seriously because I was really into music at the time and I guess I just never thought my work was ‘good enough’ to put out there. After deciding that a career in music wasn't for me, I took a course in Art Therapy and it completely changed my life! It made me realise that I could do anything I wanted. I found painting to be super therapeutic and was receiving a lot of lovely feedback from friends and family who had seen my work so I just sort of started painting regularly and began sharing my work on social media and everything just took off from there.

What makes you happiest?

Gratitude. I’ve recently learned that being grateful actually stimulates the hypothalamus (a key part of the brain that regulates stress and the ventral tegmental area (part of our “reward circuitry” that produces the sensation of pleasure. So being grateful actually, scientifically makes you happier! Crazy! When I’m feeling a bit low I just take time to remind myself of small things that I am grateful for and it usually does the trick.

What are you excited about right now?

I’ve left this year pretty open in terms of what I can do with it. I’m not really tied down to anything at the moment so I’m excited to just watch it all unfold! I’m excited but also shit-scared at the same time..I think that's healthy, though haha

What do you wish you had been told ages ago?

That I don't need to fundamentally change myself in order to be accepted and/or loved by other people.

Where do you find inspiration?

Being in nature! I’m currently living in the Gold Coast hinterland and am loving being around such lush forestry and so close to the beach at the same time. It's been really great for my creativity.

Do you believe things happen for a reason?

I’m not sure if everything necessarily happens for a reason but I’m all for making the most out of everything that happens in my life. I like to think of every experience as an invitation for me to learn more about myself and the world around me.

What is your most prized possession?

Over the last year I’ve become obsessed with jewellery. Colourful necklaces and big, dangly earrings in particular. I feel so naked without them.

What do you admire in the people around you?

I’m really attracted to authentic people who are comfortable in their own skin. I like to surround myself with weird, wacky, wonderful, passionate, inspired people!

What do you love about Melbourne?

The amazing people I’ve met there!

Learn More about Annika: 

Website: http://www.annikakeefer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Annika-Keefer-Art-692870574146616/?fref=ts

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thecolourofmydreams/

*Mosaik does not take credit of any of the pictures in this article. Pictures provided with permission by Annika Keefer*

People Profile: Andrew Karageorge.

Just recently I stumbled upon Andrew Karageorge's tumblr. blog Tragicomic Misadventures in Dating: the occasionally funny, mostly desperate ramblings of a moderately attractive, neurotic homosexual seeking validation / connection in all the wrong apps.

I had never related to a gay man more in my life. For me the blog summed up human interaction in the modern world, love, lust and loss found through Tinder and the selfish way we take advantage of each other and the desperate way we let others take advantage of us in some pursuit for love, happiness or whatever we were put on this earth to find.  

I am hooked and constantly anticipating every post because Andrew knows how to leave you on a cliff hanger ... he has mastered the act of making you want more. So I managed to get a little more in the form of an interview, and I'm so glad I did. 

-Alessandra 

Describe yourself in three words.

Open, positive, easy. 

On your blog you share some pretty intimate situations publicly and you are incredibly honest about certain relationships and feelings etc. Do you ever get nervous sharing anything? Or feel scared about who will read it?

I do get nervous sometimes about what I share, but more in regards to privacy than anything else. Even when it comes to guys that I feel did me wrong or acted poorly, I don’t want to infringe on their privacy by publishing personal details that could give away anything about them (with some slight exceptions for true scumbags). There are certain people I don’t want to read my blog – mainly my mum and guys I’ve written about. When I share my blog on Facebook I do so with a selective audience. I did have a guy once find my blog after I did a write-up about him and confront me, which was incredibly awkward. We’re friends now, thankfully. 

What is the one piece of advice you will never forget being given?

It was earlier this year, probably around May or June. I was talking to my brother – well, to be more accurate, I was sobbing to my brother – about something awful that happened to me that I hadn’t spoken to anyone about. I had forgiven somebody for hurting me in an unimaginable way, and Nik, my brother, gave me some really simple advice. He told me to respect and value myself more than I had been – not in an accusing way, but in a concerned way. The truth is that if you don’t value yourself, when people hurt your or take advantage of you, you’ll forgive it immediately without thinking. I didn’t even respect myself enough to see if I was ok when this event happened – I just told myself to get over it and move on. That’s what my brother meant: I hadn’t been respecting and looking after myself, and I needed to do so urgently. The irony is that “love yourself” has been one of my catchphrases for the past couple of years, but it took someone else giving me the advice for it to sink in. 

Qualities you hope for in your dream man?

Someone who makes me laugh. Someone who will laugh at my weird jokes. Someone who will call me out on my shit, and help me grow as a person. Someone who is ok with a degree of clinginess (because I’ve tried and to be honest I really don’t think that part of me is going away). Similar interests in terms of creativity. Confidence. Someone open to love and who is honest and direct with their feelings. Facial hair is nice, too. 

What do you wish you had been told ages ago?

He’s not worth it. 

What is one thing you were glad you did?

I’m really glad that, about a month ago, when I was in a really dark place, I didn’t give up on my design work. I was literally a week away from finishing my course when I had the rug pulled out from underneath me by someone, and I came so close to just throwing it all in and not finishing my final assignment. But when I came out of that cave, I felt so rewarded, and so vindicated – this is my future, this is my life. Doing something for yourself is always a good idea, and you’ll always thank yourself for it at some point. I learned a lot about myself in the process of pulling myself out of that mess – and I’m so thankful to myself at that point that I stuck to my guns and didn’t give up. 

Thoughts on the world of Tinder?

Tinder is perfect for today’s world, I think. It’s distant, superficial, fun and instant. I think of Uber, and Menulog and Tinder as a kind of holy trinity of modern technology – things that used to require so much more hassle and human interaction are now squared away into a glossy little app on your screen. To be blunt, I think Tinder is an illusion. It gives us the idea that there are a million and one potential dates out there for us, so we spend less time and effort on each individual and we end up nowhere. It’s like you’re on a spinning teacups ride and you’re trying to flirt with someone in another teacup. You should probably get off the ride for a minute or two and actually talk to them. 

In a parallel universe what would you be doing/ who would you be?

Minor YouTube celebrity known for music video re-enactments in public places. Maybe involved in a slight scandal when I have a public breakup with my slightly-more-famous YouTube boyfriend and it comes out that I was behind 40% of his content. His name is ruined and I take the crown.

Sex or chocolate?

Sex with a break for chocolate. 

What is your favourite thing about Melbourne?

There’s always somewhere new to eat, and plenty of good date spots. Melbourne is a great date city in general - plenty of romantic parks to walk around, and if a boy ruins one cool part of town for you, there's a million other laneways. I also really like Parliament station – I think I’ve started about half of my blog posts waiting for a Craigieburn train from there.

You can find Tragicomic Misadventures in Dating through tumblr. or by clicking the link here.