DASMUSICALKAT

You can read my review of B-GIRL here!

I’ve seen Blazey Best in a few things now- she’s great 🙂

The interview was originally posted on Arts on the AU.

—

B-Girl is the newest theatrical production from glam-rock God iOTA, a veritable rock concert emotional rollercoaster of an experience that leaves you dizzy and out of breath. The AU caught up with Blazey Best, who co-stars alongside iOTA in the production as his imaginer- a troubled young woman desperately seeking a means of escape from her bleak reality. We chatted about being part of a premiere production, dream roles and which side of B-Girl she associates with.

How did you come into the role of B-Girl?

Craig Ilott and iOTA came to see me in Miracle City at the Hayes last year and Craig offered me the role a little after that. I read the script and half-way through I knew I wanted to do it. I’d never read anything like it.

Do you feel you associate with either side of B-Girl/alter ego Clifford North?

I associate with both sides. I’ve certainly felt worthless and like life has early broken me. I’ve also always fantasised about being a rock star!

B-Girl features a live onstage band, does this affect the way you approach your own performance?

The bang gives you so much energy. I just swim around in excitement and emotion. It’s thrilling.

This is also the very first time B-Girl will be performed, with all-original music, how do you approach this compared to working with existing material? Do you think there is more or less pressure as a result?

It’s hard doing new work because you have absolutely no guide. You might know an idea is good but then it gets tricky and it’s very easy to decide it’s shit, then that YOU’RE shit. You just have to be brave and keep listening to your instincts and searching for greater truth and hope what you make translates for audiences.

You are one of Australia’s most versatile performers, how do work on getting into character for each unique role?

Thank you for that lovely compliment. Each role calls for a slightly different approach. Basically I think I feed bits of information in, from the text or physical observations I’ve made and notes from the director and the character seems to take shape.

You have performed alongside iOTA previously in Hedwig And The Angry Inch. What is it like working with such a celebrated artist?

When I first worked with iOTA that was his very first theatre show so I saw him go from being a virtual unknown to a complete superstar. It was very exciting.

What can audiences expect from B-Girl?

An emotional roller coaster and some loud, brilliant rock n roll.

And finally, do you have a dream theatre role that you would love to play?

I’ve always wanted to play Lady Macbeth but I’ve done so much brutal, sad work over the last few years that what I’d really like to play is a character who walks in, sits on a couch, cracks a few jokes then, preferably, dies just before interval so I can really get stuck into the crossword in my dressing room.