On the Couch with Giles Gartrell-Mills

Giles-Gartrell-Mills Arts Review On the CouchWho is Giles Gartrell-Mills?
An offbeat british public schoolboy turned theatre director, who moved to Australia a few years ago. I’m also an actor and sometime writer.

What would you do differently to what you do now?
Spend my whole time doing what I love. I’m at about 65% at the moment and want to push that to 100!

Who inspires you and why?
Generally people who put themselves in harms way to achieve their goals. Could be in any field, the willingness to put failure on the line is always inspiring to see – and that’s the kind of people I like to work with.

What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Put all emphasis in early schooling on learning as much about and as many variations of language as possible. The more facility people have to communicate and express themselves the easier it is to problem solve.

Favourite holiday destination and why?
Time off at home is my favourite. If I’m travelling I like to be working.

When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
The New Theatre… because I have a play on there.

What are you currently reading?
A mix of Viewpoints by Anne Bogart, Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Lief Babin and If This Is A Man/The Truce by Primo Levi.

What are you currently listening to?
A bizarre mixture of Al Jolson, dark country and mid 90s hip hop.

Happiness is?
The rehearsal room, my partner, my dogs and Jiu Jitsu. I’m trying to work out a way for it all to happen together.

What does the future hold for you?
All of the above along with living off grid somewhere… and more dogs.

Giles is currently directing Terence Rattigan’s After the Dance at Sydney’s New Theatre: 9 August – 9 September 2017. For more information, visit: www.newtheatre.org.au for details.

Image: Giles Gartrell-Mills (supplied)