In Conversation: Brett Sheehy

Well known across Australia as the successful Artistic Director for Festivals in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, Brett Sheehy has launched his first season as the Melbourne Theatre Company’s new Creative Director. But not everyone is excited by the prospect, as Coral Drouyn discovered when they talked theatre.

There are many words I’ve heard used to describe the very genial and enthusiastic Brett Sheehy:- manic, hyperactive, driven, workaholic, a powerhouse. All of them may be partially true but, to me at least, they don’t describe what struck me within five minutes of talking to the former Melbourne Festival Director and the new Creative Director of the MTC. Brett Sheehy has a nuclear core of energy which is fuelled by all things theatre in the quest for excellence. It’s better known as passion, and it colours all his decisions and choices. There may well be intellectual and analytical components in the mix (there have to be in his administrative capacity), but if Sheehy doesn’t feel the passion, it isn’t going to happen.

Despite a highly successful twelve years as Artistic Director for International Arts Festivals across three Australian state capitals (Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne) and the prolific amount of new Australian works he has commissioned, he is still viewed with suspicion in some quarters over his appointment to MTC.

Why? Well, because he’s “clearly not a creative” (I do hope the facetiousness is obvious in the type face). But he has broken the boundaries of the obvious and artistically safe, and confronted us with works we might otherwise never have considered: Surely that counts as creative?

‘Er…..well maybe but, dammitall, he’s not a director, he’s not an actor, he’s not a playwright. He doesn’t understand that a Festival is for Arty-farty aficionados; a state theatre company is for all people.’ Hmmmm. Is there any truth in that, I wonder? And so we talk, and I try to be challenging, truly I do. If only he didn’t make so much sense.

Coral Drouyn: So let’s deal first with the obvious differences between festivals, which bring to us a variety of offerings from elsewhere, or new and experimental local work; and are about provoking and challenging the audience, and a State theatre company. Isn’t the latter all about obligation to the perceived National Identity over an entire season? Most of the audience want theatre they can relate to, and without that, isn’t there a danger of not getting the bums on seats?

Brett Sheehy: Yes of course, and I’m very conscious of that. I’m not about to swan into MTC and put together programmes that theatregoers can’t relate to, and say “Like this, because I said so and it’s art!” I know that a State Theatre Company sits between the festival audience and the blatant commercial theatre world. The latter usually doesn’t push boundaries enough for my taste and some theatre-goers are never going to be satisfied with “fast food” theatre. It’s essential to know your audience and find the balance.

CD: So is that the criterion – pushing audience boundaries?

BS: No, it’s not. You can push audience boundaries and still end up with something which is…well….let’s just say it isn’t satisfying to anyone. I don’t want anyone in the MTC audience feeling like they have to take an IQ test and pass before they’ll be let back in. I want them to feel exhilarated, flushed, passionate, and hungry for more theatre, whether they’ve seen a comedy or an emotionally charged drama. I want them to go out of the theatre elated and discussing the play all the way home, and even the next day. There is only one real way to do that.

CD:By challenging them?

BS: No. They pay their money to be entertained. If we don’t do that we fail. We do it by giving them excellence. I think it’s because I’m not a director or an actor that I have something different to offer MTC. I can bring an artistic overview. The people I want to challenge are the artists themselves, the playwrights, the directors, the actors. I want them to feel passionate and totally committed to the projects that we choose for a season, and I want to be able to facilitate their vision. Yes of course we all commit to any artistic endeavour, but without real passion for a project, there will never be real excellence. And even with passion, not everything is going to be as we hope.

CD: I have a saying…Better a noble failure than a mediocre success.

BS: Absolutely. Yes, yes, that’s it. Excellence is the Holy Grail for me. That’s why I’ve challenged everybody working on the 2013 season to find their passion.

CD: How does that work exactly?

BS: Well, for example. I wanted Nadia Tass to direct for us. So I asked her what play she had seen that moved her passionately, that she would love to direct more than anything in the world. She didn’t hesitate to say The Other Place. She’s so passionate about it that she will give her all in the pursuit of excellence. It will be very special.

Likewise with David Williamson, who will give us a new play this year. We talked about all the domestic dramas which he can now write in his sleep. Then I asked him, “What is the one subject that both excites and frightens you; that you would kill for a chance to write about?” He has strong opinions about abuse of power in the media, and the relationship between the media and politics. He started straight away on Rupert.  It’s going to be electric; hopefully something that MTC can facilitate sending out to the world. I truly believe finding a director or a playwright’s passion is the surest road to excellence.

CD: So you give playwrights and directors a chance to indulge their passion? Isn’t there a danger then of that becoming…excuse me…a wank? Someone obviously was passionate about Queen Lear…but pet projects can get out of hand.

He laughs.

BS: Yes they can, and especially if you have a director or playwright as the head of a company. There could well be an agenda to put on the list “six plays I’m dying to direct” and that could get out of hand. That’s where I come in. I won’t direct, but I will be across the progress of rehearsals, keeping a production focussed, on path, searching for the excellence, inspiring those who create. That’s my sole purpose in being there.

CD: Or maybe your “soul” purpose?

He looks perplexed so I spell it for him…and he nods and agrees.

CD: You’re still bringing in an overseas production though, One Man, Two Guv’nors?

BS: Well, it’s a fantastic show.

CD: I have seen it. Hilarious.

BS: And it does show that there are productions which can be National or State Theatre initiated and yet cross into the commercial theatre space with every seat full every night.

CD: Is the plan to export one production for every import?

BS: There’s no set quota – just as there’s no set quota in revivals or premieres. But if we have something exceptional, why wouldn’t we export it? That’s another area where I can give something different to the MTC. All those years of Arts Festivals have given me incredible contacts overseas. It isn’t any longer just a case of taking productions to New York or London. We can look at Prague, Berlin, even Beijing as possible areas of exposure provided we commit to having the best of everything in each production.

I’m often asked about the differences in audiences between states in the festivals. Honestly, I think it’s negligible…and it’s negligible even globally. Audiences understand excellence – they relate to it. They relate to universal stories exquisitely told. They may not understand every nuance of ethnicity, but if they are touched emotionally, they get it.

CD: Yes, a universal story …like Romeo and Juliet…can be performed on Mars, and the Martians would cheer.

BS: Well if they’re up there, that’s another potential audience to tap in the future. But you’re right. The plan is to make each season more exciting than the last and raise the standard every year.

CD: So, in each production, what percentage is Art, and what percentage is Craft.

BS: I would expect it to be 100% BOTH.

CD: I knew you’d say that. Thanks so much for your time…this has been exhilarating.

We also talked about Brett’s initiative for encouraging new women playwrights (I put my hand up); the pros and cons of a possible touring company; and a significant gay play production now that HIV is on the rise again. Sheehy is the kind of man you could spend 24 hours with in conversation and come away as elated as he hopes the MTC audiences will be. He’s a true creative with vision and passion.

The 2013 MTC Season

Originally published in the November / December 2012 edition of Stage Whispers.