Unperturbed - Adelaide Fringe Playwright Interview

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Tue 15 Mar 2022 - Sat 19 Mar 2022

Unperturbed - Adelaide Fringe (Playwright Interview)



Jack Kearney is the writer/producer of Unperturbed, a new short play that will be staged as part of the Adelaide Fringe at the Bakehouse from March 15 onwards. Jack is also a screenwriter, filmmaker and performer. He is a star and co-producer of the critically acclaimed show Eireann - A Taste of Ireland, which has toured Australia, New Zealand and the United States. When I spoke to him he was on his way to Darwin, where the show is currently being performed.

[b]What inspired you to write Unperturbed, your first stage play?[/b]

Jack: "It was a story I really wanted to tell. It's semi-autobiographical – but also so universal that I believe anyone could empathise with it".

[b]Can you tell me a bit more about the lasagne, and what really is the problem with Will?[/b]

Jack: "It's a condolence gift from a neighbour. In spite of the generosity of the gift, it prompts an argument about gratefulness (or lack thereof) when Conor complains that they've already received over a dozen lasagnas, some of which were sub-par by his lofty standards. Will sees the world a little differently to the rest of them. He develops a weird affinity with the lasagne and his constant refusal to 'put it in the freezer with the others' serves as a further point of tension between the siblings."

[b]How did you recruit the cast? You had to find a troop of actors who all looked like they came from the same family – how did you do that?[/b]

Jack: "We advertised online, for Sydney based actors and received 300 applicants. We then had to pair people off to fit the family resemblance – and they also had to look young enough for the audience to believe they were under 18. It was quite a lengthy process".
[b]
What is the hardest thing about writing and producing such a short play?[/b]

Jack: "It's important to keep redrafting it to create a tight script, but the process of rewriting was quite cathartic, and I found it had plenty of similarities to the other writing I do, such as for the short films and comedy scripts".

[b]Let me guess, is the director John Kearney your dad? Was he your inspiration?[/b]

Jack: "He grew up in regional Australia and has a huge range of interests, and yes, he was a great inspiration for me. He worked as a psychologist for 20 years – then returned to acting/directing, which was always his first love".
[b]
Is it difficult working with your dad on a production?[/b]

Jack: "No, I'm really happy to give him free rein of interpretation. We work well as a team".

[b]Have you been involved in the Adelaide Fringe before?[/b]

Jack: "[i]This is my first time – and I think the Bakehouse is the perfect venue for this play[/i]".

[b]Where are you going next?[/b]

Jack: "I've got several more scripts in the pipeline. Unperturbed is set to do the Sydney Fringe, and we're hoping we can take it to Edinburgh. We brought A Taste of Ireland to Adelaide last year - maybe it'll be back here again in December. Watch this space…."

#interviews
#festivals
#comedy
#adelaide_city
#theatre
#march
!date 15/03/2022 -- 19/03/2022
%wnadelaide