Misc.

Demure had a chat with writers of Misc., Sophie and Dominique. In the play, they are Bea and Jasmine are two half Asian, half white actors who keep meeting in different auditions, as they keep being put up for the same roles. They become fast friends, as they share experiences of the struggles and experiences about being from two different cultures in an industry that constantly tries to put them in a single box.

Could you tell me about your experiences in the industry / life that inspired the plot line of Misc? Was there one moment for you each in particular?

D: Lots of things in our lives inspired this show!  When we decided to write a play, we literally spoke for hours about our individual experiences and then we just picked which ones we could stage!  Most things are dramatised, of course, but elements of our lives have definitely shaped this play.  It is quite a personal work to us, which is quite scary, but we are so excited to share our story, especially because we think it’s a story that hasn’t really been seen on a Sydney stage before.  For me, I actually felt the urge to write because I feel really passionate about Asian (particularly Filipino) stories and experiences but I wasn’t really getting in with any of the Asian-Australian theatre companies in Sydney.  And I always felt like it was because I probably look more white than Asian; so I decided to write a character myself and tell my own story!

S: Dom and I have shared a lot of experiences that we have put verbatim into the play. Some of the dialogue and some of the scenes have been exaggerated for dramatic effect, but our core beliefs and thoughts are present throughout the entire play. For me, the first few ideas I had for the play were influenced by some experiences I had with racism. I have copped a lot of micro racism my entire life and definitely some larger attacks of racism, so I just wanted the opportunity to speak about those times through a way that I knew how, which is performing. That combined with Dom’s experiences, we had the great idea to sit down with a bottle of pino and write about it all.

What has been your favourite part of the process? Writing, rehearsing, performing?

S: I never used to consider myself a writer, but through this entire process I have really fallen in love with it. I don’t know if I would be able to write again without Dom, just because she made the work so much fun and completely understood my experience as much as I understood hers. So, I would have to say writing. However, I know that after we have finished the show my answer will obviously change to performing, it always does.   

D: I think I would have to say the writing.  The entire process has been one of the most exciting and validating experiences of my life, but that initial stage when it was just Sophie and I literally just on FaceTime for hours talking about our experiences and finding funny ways to put it on stage was so much fun.  It was so exciting to see this story emerge out of almost nothing; it almost happened without us realising we’d written a full play, we just kept trying to make each other laugh.  But having everyone come on board after we’d written it and agreed to perform it with Panimo, that was also pretty special.  We managed to put together a primarily Asian crew and having everyone respond the way they did and put in the work that they have has been so gratifying; we are so lucky to have such an amazing team.

What advice do you have for other young (existing or wannabe) playwrights?

S: I feel like the advice that is given to most young writers is, write what you know. I used to hate hearing that because I never thought I had anything important to say, plus all I wanted to write at that point was absurdist literature and surrealism. But, I definitely think now, after writing MISC. starting with your own experiences and your own story is always a good place to go. I would also say that talking to people with the same experiences as you is always a good idea, hearing other perspectives and other opinions make a piece of writing that much more relatable and three dimensional. 

D: Yeah, I totally agree.  Everyone has a story to tell and if you dig deep enough, you can always find your own unique spin on it.  What we’ve found is that you don’t have to try too hard to make your experiences unique or interesting; usually just by writing it down as truthfully and honestly as you can, that does the work for you.  But also, if you have an idea, just write.  Just write and see what happens; even if the first draft is awful, that’s still something more than what you had before you started writing.  “Misc.” didn’t exist six months ago; but now it does and it all started from literally a conversation between two people.  It’s the most exciting thing in the world.  So write, write from your heart and write about things you’re passionate about; it will definitely show in the work and that’s what people will respond to.

Hi Dom and Sophie, could you tell me a bit about yourselves?

Dom: Hi!  My name is Dominique Purdue (she/her) and I’m a Filipino-Australian actor!  I grew up in Manila, the Philippines and moved to Sydney for university six years ago.  I’ve studied acting and performed in shows and films in Manila, New York, London and here in Sydney.  I graduated from the Academy of Film, Theatre & Television (AFTT) in 2020 and have been performing in plays around Sydney since then.  This is the first play I have ever written, it has been the most amazing experience and I couldn’t be more excited (and nervous!) to perform it!

Sophie: My name is Sophie Teo (She/Her), I am Malaysian-Singaporean, half Australian actor. I have graduated from the Academy of Film, Theatre & Television (AFTT) with an advanced diploma of Screen Media and Acting. I have been in around 4 theatre productions and a handful of short films. This is the first play/any piece of writing that I have ever written and thought performing it in front of an audience is pretty nerve wracking, but also very exciting!

So, how did you two meet?

D & S: We met during an ice breaker game at AFTT. We actually weren’t very close in the first year, but we always had this unspoken friendship because we were the only Asian actors in our year. We finally became really close when we filmed our showreel and did our final assessment together. Our final assessment was a sketch comedy about two half-Asian flight stewardesses. This then sparked our idea for the play MISC!

When did you both fall in love with theatre?

D: I actually started out dancing so I think my love for theatre started there; I just really loved being on stage and being in front of people.  Then I started doing plays at school and something just clicked; it was just something I felt like I knew exactly how to do.  And that was it, I haven’t wanted to do anything else since!

S: I am the same as Dom, I grew up doing dance and rhythmic Gymnastics which definitely ignited my passion for performing. Getting dressed up, putting make-up on, being so incredibly nervous you feel like you’ll throw up, coming off stage or off mat and feeling so accomplished, it’s all part of it. Theatre gives me that exact same feeling and it is quite addictive. I have been told by many directors that I am a bit of a show pony. Whether or not that is a good or bad thing, I don't know but I do know that I was definitely born to perform.

Who are your favourite directors / playwrights?

S: I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to theatre directors, I have just seen a lot of amazing plays that I have admired the directorial choices, for example ‘Significant Other’ directed by Hayden Tonazzi, which actually starred my amazing co-writer Dom Purdue. I also had the privilege of watching ‘This is Our Youth’ directed by Mark Brokaw ages ago and it has clearly stuck with me ever since. When it comes to playwrights I am the same, I have my favourite plays written by incredible writers, like Neil LaBute with ‘The Shape of Things’, ‘Angels in America’ by By Tony Kusher, ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ by Lally Katz, ‘Bobbin’ Up’ by Dorothy Hewett and a lot more. Finally, as ancient and as cliche he may be, I will forever be amazed by the work of William Shakespeare. When you properly dive into his work and his plays it is so cool to study and perform in the world that he created. 

D: Yeah, I’m a big fan of Hayden Tonnazzi too! Absolutely loved working with him and we’ve been lucky enough to have him on board as a creative consultant for “Misc.” I absolutely loved Tasnim Hossein’s direction of “Yellow Face” at KXT as well and Shari Sebbens’ direction of “7 Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner” last year; both my favourite productions of the year. I’m also a big fan of an English director named Jamie Lloyd; I actually haven’t seen any of his work (yet!) but I’ve read many articles about him and his productions and I love his ability to take classic plays, like “Cyrano de Bergerac”and completely revamp them and breathe new life into them. Again, same as Sophie, I don’t really have favourite playwrights but I do have some favourite plays! One of my favourite plays is “Nell Gwynn” by Jessica Swale; I saw a fantastic production of it a few years ago and the script has stayed with me ever since. A couple of my other favourites are “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” by Alan Ball, “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennesse Williams, “All this Intimacy” by Rajiv Joseph and “Stop Kiss” by Diana Son. And again, like Sophie, I am a big fan of William Shakespeare. I don’t care how old he gets, I will always be blown away by any Shakespeare play.

Could you both tell me a little bit about Misc? (without spoilers)

D & S: “Misc.” is the story of Bea and Jasmine, two half-white, half-Asian actresses who become best friends after meeting in audition rooms in Sydney.  As two “ethnically ambiguous” girls, they find themselves constantly going for the same roles.  They comically try to navigate their way through an industry that doesn’t quite know what to do with them.  They bond through shared experiences, even though they are from two different cultures.  Despite their strong friendship, they are inevitably put at odds with each other when few roles become even fewer.  It is a story of friendship, cultural identity and learning to make room for yourself.

Do you think the industry is changing? If so, how?

S: It is hard to say for sure, because everyone has a completely different experience with this complex industry, so I would hate to speak for someone that feels the complete opposite. However, I personally believe the industry is changing and learning, slowly but surely. I feel as though people, whether it be an audience, directors or producers etc. have become more accepting and open towards new work, especially stories about LGBTQIA+ and POC communities. There is still a very long way to go before these communities are whole heartedly heard, but writing this play and seeing the interest it has sparked, I have a lot of hope for the future of this industry. 

D: Yeah, it’s hard for us to say, because we can only speak from our own experiences.  It does feel like the industry (at least in Sydney) is starting to be more open to different experiences and stories to tell.  It’s because they have an audience that wants it; Sydney (the world, really) is ready for a more diverse entertainment industry.  People want to see a Sydney that is reflected in their daily lives and Sydney is so lucky to have some fantastic POC and LGBTQIA+ artists and creatives leading that charge.  From what I have seen and read though, there needs to be more writers from these backgrounds; the push for diversity is great but sometimes diversity for the sake of diversity leads to one-dimensional and stereotypical characters.  If there are more writers writing from minority perspectives, then the characters and storylines will be much richer and more authentic; but like Sophie, I have a lot of hope for the future.  Through the Panimo Pandemonium Festival, we’ve met so many fantastic emerging creatives and I would definitely say the future of the industry is in good hands.  

Misc is showing at KXT (Kings Cross Theatre) February 7-9

Tickets available here!