Who is Dash Kruck?
Uh… That’s me. I’m Dash Kruck. Did you mean to send this to someone else or something? Also, I noticed this is called ‘On the Couch.’ I don’t know if I’m breaking the rules here, but the place I’m currently staying in doesn’t have a couch, so I hope it’s alright that I’m just kinda trying to lounge on a brown leather dining chair. Well, faux leather. I hope that doesn’t throw off your interview mojo or anything…! Anyway, who am I? Shit, thats a deep question straight off the bat! I’m a short, sometimes funny, sometimes hungry, actor who lives in Sydney, but travels wherever someone offers me work. I act in things, I sing things, I write things, and for some reason, people seem to like me doing those things. Which is nice, because I like doing them too.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
I’d ensure I was staying somewhere with a couch for starters. Apart from acting you mean? I’d probably do a job that was almost the opposite of acting. Like one where people paid you money. Or, I’m a bit obsessed with those terrible home renovation shows. So I’d probably buy broken down houses, you know with holes in the walls, no roof, the spirit of the previous owner living in the linen cupboard; then I’d come in, put in a new bathroom and some fancy light fixtures and sell it to a rich, but deserving young couple for an embarrassing sum of money. Not that I have any renovation experience. But I did pick the winner of The Block once, so…
Who inspires you and why?
Honestly, it’s not celebrities and talk show hosts for me. The people who inspire me are people who have the courage to live their life passionately. People who live their lives to feel what it’s like to be alive, not just to make money and feel the drudge of the day to day.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I guess I’m a believer in that whole ‘the change starts with you’ thing. I’m not going to change the world by running a massive multinational or flying relief helicopters into war torn areas, because that’s so far out of my skill set it’s not funny. I actually had some wonderful advice from a cab driver in Melbourne recently. He had fled Pakistan to escape the Taliban. In Pakistan, he was the head of technology for a statewide government initiative. In Australia, he was a massively overskilled cab driver, but he was safe. And his family was safe. When he asked, I was reticent to tell him what I did for a living because it seemed so trivial in comparison with his story.
When I told him I was just an actor he said, with the utmost sincerity, “You are not just an actor. That is one of the most important jobs you can have. You make people laugh. You make people feel things. For the hour or so that they are with you, they can be happy. They do not have to think about their sadness. They do not have to think about money or jobs or family. Your job is a gift to others. And the worse the world gets, the more important your job becomes.” So, I’m going to go with what that beautiful cab driver said and continue doing what I do, knowing that every time I make someone laugh – that’s my difference.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Don’t make me choose! I’m not good with favourites. For a cheap and beautiful holiday, you can’t beat The Blue Mountains. For me in Sydney, I can pay $8, jump on a train and be in what feels like a different world in just over an hour. A glass of wine, a fireplace, some incredible views and I’m a happy man. Although, I’m not going to say no if someone wants to fly me to New York…!!
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
Of course you have to do Circular Quay. It’s like, “Whaaaat? Is that the world famous Opera House and the Harbour Bridge just sitting there over that blue sparkling harbour? Just up the road from my house. Whatever. No big thing” But then, I generally take people to feast on incredible Thai food in Thai Town, just across from the Capitol Theatre in Haymarket.
What are you currently reading?
Is this a trick question? I’m reading this questionnaire…!
What are you currently listening to?
The calming sounds of a chainsaw ripping through a wayward tree in the street outside. But musically? Like a good theatre gay, I’ve been pretty hooked on the Hamilton Soundtrack lately.
Happiness is?
If I could tell you that, I’d bottle it and become rich! Happiness is the little things. The first laugh from the audience. A glass of wine and view. Ticking off the last thing on your list. Looking over and seeing your loved ones there. A hot bath. That postsex giggle. The smell of cooking. A walk in the mountains. Finishing a painting. A clean room. When all the socks pair up. The first autumn leaf. Unexpected flowers. The energy of a theatre just before the audience enters. Farting without anyone noticing. Being aware of the moment. You know, that sort of stuff…
What does the future hold for you?
Why? Do you know something I don’t? Well, seeing as the Crystal Ball that I won for only $2.85 on eBay turned out to be a complete fake, (I left disparaging feedback) I have no idea. The thing about my life is that I never know what’s around the next corner. It’s exhilarating and terrifying and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Dash will be performing I Might Take My Shirt Off at the 2016 Adelaide Cabaret Festival: 23 – 25 June. For more information, visit: www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au for details.
Image: Dash Kruck – photo by Louis Dillon Savage