Who is Arky Michael?
Arky is a writer/performer currently appearing in the world premiere of Theatre Kantanka’s Clubsingularity at Campbelltown Arts Centre and Performance Space at the Cell Block Theatre, National Art School.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
Train my mind to find more positive perspectives, rid myself of the tyranny of the obsessive mother/son relationship and live in a less cowardly fashion.
Who inspires you and why?
Makers of documentaries that blow my mind, volunteers, and people who are magnificently warm hearted and friendly, because these kinds of people expand my knowledge of the human condition, reiterate compassion as an essential virtue and the last group just make my day infinitely happier.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Try and calibrate my moody demeanour and randomly pick up litter in public spaces (which I do).
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Kolkata in Bengal because I’m totally out of my comfort zone, it’s relentlessly confronting and I find myself engaging with very interesting people.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take then to, and why?
The Manly to Spit bridge walk for the stunning seascapes and the secluded idyllic coves for swims.
What are you currently reading?
Tolstoy’s Anna KareninaFor the second time. I’ve been reading it for five months. I like to smell each page, savour every word.
What are you currently listening to?
The Dandy Warhols – dig that psychedelia man!
Happiness is?
A good coffee in a buzzy / friendly cafe where you can peruse the papers for hours and have fantasies about falling in love with bearded baristas.
What does the future hold for you?
Writing a screenplay and trekking to Everest base camp.
Arky Michael’s performance career spans over 3 decades starting with the iconic ABC miniseries Sweet and Sour in 1983. He has performed with every major theatre company in the country, most recently with Bell Shakespeare’s Henry 4, version1.0’s The Table of Knowledge and the multi-award nominated Penelope for Siren theatre.
He wrote and appeared in Australian Summer which won best film /actor at Tropfest in 2005. Clubsingularity is his third collaboration with Theatre Kantanka, after the highly acclaimed Missing the Bus to David Jones.
Theatre Kantanka’s Clubsingularity will premiere at the Campbelltown Arts Centre on Friday 16 May before a season at Sydney’s Cell Block Theatre as part of the PSpace Social (21 – 24 May). For more information, visit: www.performancespace.com.au for details.
Image: Arky Michael