Who is Helen Morse?
A player of many parts.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
Devote more time to furthering my own projects. Join the Tivoli Lovelies tap class.
Who inspires you and why?
Malala Yousefzai. Shot in the face when she was fifteen by a Taliban assassin who boarded her school bus, she survived and continues to speak out for the education of girls and the rights of all children – including the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists. The writer Helen Garner for the rigour of her thought and her ability to reveal the truth of our lives.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Educate, educate, liberate, liberate. Encourage laughter therapy.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
An archaeological dig. I’m working on it!
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
To Hamer Hall to hear the MSO (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) play almost anything. To the bayside beaches for a long walk and to fortyfivedownstairs to see Dreamers by Daniel Keene.
What are you currently reading?
Daniel Keene’s play Dreamers and Words In Air – the correspondence of poets Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell.
What are you currently listening to?
The music of Peter Sculthorpe who died this year – a true artist. Waleed Aly of RN Drive ABC Radio National; and when I can’t sleep, BBC World Service.
Happiness is?
Live theatre. Paul English. My family. My friends.
What does the future hold for you?
Interesting creative work I hope.
Helen Morse is once of Australia’s most recognised actors whose work encompasses stage, film and television. Her diverse stage work includes, Daniel Keene’s Photographs of A (dir. Brian Lipson NEON), Once in Royal David’s City (Belvoir), Sundowner (KAGE/national tour) and Love.War.Death.BREL (Adelaide Cabaret Festival).
Other theatre work includes: Signs of Life, The Year of Magical Thinking (Kate Cherry/Black Swan), The Aunt’s Story (MTC/Belvoir), Robyn Archer’s Architektin (STCSA); Frozen, A Little Night Music, Arcadia, The Tempest, Alma de Gröen’s The Woman in the Window and The Rivers of China, Europe (MTC); Death & The Maiden (STC) and The Funniest Man in the World (KTTP).
Her film and television work includes A Picnic at Hanging Rock, Caddie, A Town Like Alice, Far East, Pozieres, Lost and The Mystery of the Hansom Cab, to name a few. Her most recent film was The Eye of the Storm with Geoffrey Rush and Charlotte Rampling.
Helen’s work at fortyfivedownstairs includes: Ariette Taylor’s production of Ivanov and Daniel Keene’s Marie and Marguerite, The Rain and The Violin; Duets for Lovers & Dreamers and most recently The Power of Love (devised with Paul English and violist Isabel Morse). Helen plays with Shakespeare’s Secret troupe in Songs Sonnets & Rock’n’Roll.
Helen is currently appearing in Daniel Keene and Ariette Taylor’s Dreamers at fortyfivedownstairs until 30 November. For more information, visit: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com for details.
Image: Helen Morse – photo by Jeff Busby