Hello, It's Me Again at Adelaide Fringe - Interview

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Wed 21 Feb 2018 - Sun 04 Mar 2018

Hello, It's Me... Again at Adelaide Fringe - Interview

[IMAGE="http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/006/02/helloitsmeagain.jpg" margin="5" align="CENTER" title="" border="1" caption="Photographer: Matt Ralph.
Image sourced from Adelaide Fringe website." width="662" link="http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/006/02/helloitsmeagain1.jpg" wrap="0" thumb="http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/006/02/helloitsmeagain2.jpg"]

Kathy Richfield is a young girl who is taking on a whole new perspective of dealing with the millennial world. And she is the star of the Adelaide Fringe show Hello, It's Me... Again . Having won Best Emerging Artist Award at Adelaide Fringe weekly awards 2017, Cassie Litchfield's show will involve a bit of everything - burlesque, comedy, hip hop, and satire (to name a few). Theatre lovers can find themselves to feel thoroughly spoilt with the plethora of drama-esque themes that this show will follow.

Want to know how this story formed as an Adelaide Fringe show? Check out the e-interview that I conducted with Cassie:

Tema: Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Cassie? What made you get into comedy?
Cassie: I've been an entertainer for as long as I can remember and it was always my dream to be an actress. Whether it was entering talent quests, singing in the school choir or forcing my family to sit down in the living room and watch the latest skit I had created – I was always performing. I was lucky enough to be accepted into the Flinders Drama Centre in 2012, where I completed my professional acting training.

Tema: Are you a self-taught comedian or did you go to a school to learn the art of stand-up comedy?
Cassie: In the 4 years that I spent at the Drama centre, we were lucky enough to have intensive programs in stand-up comedy and Pochinko clown. Since then, I have spent more time working with local clown guru, Hew Parham, further developing my skills and knowledge in the genre. I have also done some training in the Burlesque dance at the Peaches and Gin Burlesque Academy, which is another genre I like to incorporate into my shows.

Tema: Who is the show inspired by / based on?
Cassie: The show is predominantly based on my own life experiences. I find that the best way to create truthful work, particularly in the genre of satire is to examine myself and my own behaviour. The character - Kathy Richfield - came about from people often mishearing my name. She then became my 'alter ego' and the character developed from there. In a broader sense, the show is inspired by contemporary society; dating apps, Instagram, materialism, etc.

Tema: The ¼ life crisis is something that we are all too familiar with, but when it comes to explaining exactly what it is, there's no one thing that can be pinpointed (per se). So, how would you describe your ¼ life crisis moment?
Cassie: Wow… to its hard to chose only one moment. I think the absolute climax of my quarter life crisis was the day I spontaneously drove down to Second Valley Forrest. I often take time out to reconnect with nature and just breathe, but on this particular occasion, it had the opposite effect. As I got deeper into the forest, I had a big scale panic attack and badly cut my leg open on a branch. That was a wakeup call, because I realised how out of control life felt and ultimately, how unhappy I was. But, it encouraged me to make some big life changes that have improved every aspect of my life.



Tema: What is the basic idea of the show (without giving too much away)?
Cassie: The show explores a young woman's journey as she crosses the final threshold from childhood into adulthood and accepts whether her life has lived up to her childhood expectations or not. The show is a journey of self-discovery in the face of the societal pressures thrust upon us.

Tema: Who came up with the concept of your (rad af) poster? What were you envisioning it would represent / emanate (in terms of vibes)?
Cassie: I am very lucky that one of my close friends, Matt Ralph, is not only a fabulous lighting designer/theatre technician, but also owns his own graphic design and printing company. I went to him with the concept of 'Gangsta Kathy' for our initial photoshoot and then drew inspiration from The Fresh Prince of Belair for the poster design. It was our intention for the bright colour scheme to evoke a sense of play and fun.

Tema: What do you hope your audience to feel and experience through the show?
Cassie: It is my hope that audiences will be able to have a lot of fun and laughs with a few poignant reality checks along the way. I hope for those who may be in the throes of a crisis, the show may offer some catharsis and for those who aren't, I hope the show will offer some new insight and understanding. Overall, I hope the show will be relatable and comment on contemporary society.



Tema: What can people expect from attending your show?
Cassie: Expect it to be a little weird. Expect me to be a little (a lot) weird. Expect to have some fun and laughs. There will be music, there will be dancing. Be prepared to let go and come on a journey.

Tema: What inspired you to get involved with the Adelaide Fringe?
Cassie: Adelaide Fringe, the second biggest Fringe Festival in the world, in my own back yard - I would be crazy not to get involved! Being an open access festival, it is the perfect opportunity for emerging artists like myself to get work up and in front of an audience. I'm also not one to sit and wait for my agent to call with a job, I'm all about seeking out opportunities.

Tema: How did you score the venue where your show is taking place?
Cassie: Through the work I do with No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability, I have a relationship with Alirio and Juliette Zavarce, who run the Fringe venue at Tandanya. They could see there was a need for more venues as many artists were struggling to secure performance spaces – I was one of them. On the last day of Fringe registrations, I received a call from Juliette letting me know they would be opening an additional third theatre space and were able to take me onboard. I am very excited to perform in this brand-new space, with the venues' support.

Tema: Have you been involved with other Fringe festivals / comedy festivals around Australia or overseas?
Cassie: This is my 3rd year now with Adelaide Fringe. I was first involved in Adelaide Fringe when I was brought on board a project late in the process after a cast member fell ill in 2016. I then launched my first solo development in 2017, 'Hello… Its Me', for which I was awarded a Fringe weekly award for Best Emerging Artist. I hope to one day tour my work interstate and internationally to other festivals.

Tema: Is there anything else that you'd like our readers to know about your show?
Cassie: I would just love to encourage people this Adelaide Fringe to try and see at least one local artist. Fringe is the most exciting time of year for our city, with artists coming from all over the world – we are spoilt for choice! But our little city has a lot to offer, so don't forget to support local.

make sure you book your tickets to Hello It's Me...Again here .

The show will be running from February 21 - March 4 at The Third Space (Live From Tandanya) on Grenfell Street.

Want to know more? Connect with the show via Facebook .

#adelaide_city
#comedy
#greater_adelaide
#interviews
#shows
#theatre
#february
!date 21/02/2018 -- 04/03/2018
%wnadelaide