Who is Nathan Ellis?
I’m a writer from a tiny town in the middle of England. I make theatre with my theatre company SUBJECT OBJECT about technology and the modern world. The work has toured all over the world, so I’m very lucky to get to do what I do and to get to travel to a lot of interesting places doing it.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
I spend a lot of time sat at my laptop, or reading on the sofa, so whenever I think about doing anything else it involves being outside with other people, like gardening or selling veg on a market – but I’ve never really gardened, I’ve killed a lot of houseplants, and I’m a bit of a pansy when it comes to the cold, so I think it’s probably a fantasy best left unexplored. I love my job almost all the time.
Who inspires you and why?
I’m very inspired at the moment by the philosopher Byung-Chul Han. He’s pretty popular as far as philosophers go, and I think he has a lot of useful things to say about why contemporary life feels so psychologically painful to so many people.
I’m also consistently inspired by actors I get to work with – I don’t think people outside of the industry understand quite how hardworking actors are and how gentle and compassionate they often are. Also – my apologies for being trite – those activists all over the world speaking out about the genocide in Gaza are a constant inspiration – their bravery in the face of so much animus gives me hope.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
If we’re talking big-scale, click-my-fingers, I’d get rid of all social media – it’s a curse, a scourge, a poisonous addiction making us stupider and meaner. On my own small-scale, I guess I’ve made the choice already that I think good theatre is a way to get people to come together and concentrate on something outside of themselves, and I think that’s probably a moral good, it’s certainly good for the soul.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
I’m a big walker, so anywhere with a big walk, really. The Italian section of the Tour du Mont Blanc, which I did last year, had excellent food and was terrifically hard – I find a steep hill is a good cure for an anxious mind.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
I live in London. I’d probably go to the Barbican and show them the architecture, because I know a bit about it and have some things to point out. Otherwise Hampstead Heath where you can swim in the summer and then get lost in the woods.
What are you currently reading?
I’m reading Allegro Pastel by Leif Randt – I used to live in Berlin, so I’m enjoying reading books that have a Berlin setting.
I’m also reading a book about the Lascaux caves – I’m thinking about trying to make a theatre piece about pre-history, so I’m getting quite into cave art.
What are you currently listening to?
I can’t listen to music with lyrics when I’m working, so I’m listening to a lot of Francis Poulenc – a French 20th century composer, and a fairly happy historic homosexual, which is always a pleasure to find!
Happiness is?
Yapping with my friends.
What does the future hold for you?
Well, INSTRUCTIONS and work.txt are at Melbourne Fringe, so I’ll be there – then we go to Belfast and to Rome – in between that I’m starting work on a new show, so I suppose the answer is that the future holds a lot of work?
Nathan leads SUBJECT OBJECT – who are presenting INSTRUCTIONS and work.txt at Trades Hall: Common Rooms, as part of the 2025 Melbourne Fringe Festival, until 12 October.
Image: Nathan Ellis (supplied)