On the Couch with Deborah Leiser-Moore

Deborah Leiser-Moore oncWho is Deborah Leiser-Moore?
A Performance Maker who makes visceral, physical and highly visual performance works that take her to some very interesting places around the globe. She is directing as well as performing in The Dead Twin by Chi Vu at Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) – a double act she has taken on as a challenge.

What would you do differently to what you do now?
Maybe worry less and sleep better.

Who inspires you and why?
People who are brave, adventurous and are ‘yes’ people. People who are authentic and don’t just follow trends. Theatre makers, such as Richard Schechner, who at 80 is still making exciting and provocative performance works. My husband, Richard, who embodies all these things. And my son Zac who is following his passion.

What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Inspire people to be tolerant, non-judgmental or jealous and to stop thinking about other people’s lives and get on with their own. I’m not sure how I could do this…

Favourite holiday destination and why?  
Hmmm…. I am a bit of a traveller… but Mexico, Cambodia, Stradbroke Island.

When friends come to town, what attraction would you take then to, and why?
Theatres – like Theatre Works, FCAC and fortyfivedownstairs which present innovate and inspiring works. And the centre of the city – Flinders Lane (Journal Café – my favourite), Degreaves St, Little Collins etc. I love the vibrant atmosphere.

What are you currently reading?
Lots of books about war, Postmemory and Visceral Performance! And light stuff like that. Also re-reading Waiting For Godot.

What are you currently listening to?
Jacques Soddell who is the composer for The Dead Twin. And recently I have been playing old records.

Happiness is?
Being in a creative and inspired state of being.

What does the future hold for you?
After The Dead Twin at FCAC in August, I will be presenting my performance work, KaBooM: Stories From Distant Frontlines at the Alice Desert Festival in Alice Springs. Then, hopefully, a project in New York next year.

Deborah Leiser-Moore is a contemporary performance maker whose bold works use multiple theatrical languages to investigate culture, memory and identity. Her most recent work, KaBooM, is a performance/ video installation about cultural memory and war.

Other devised solo and collaborative works include Cordelia, Mein Kind (a duet for live body and film which has toured extensively), a room with no air (with Regina Heilmann), HUNGRY, The Cool Room, HazChem! and, with Entr’acte Theatre, The Memory Room, Aqua Azzura and Possessed/Dispossessed.

Deborah will be directing The Dead Twin at the Footscray Community Arts Centre: 12 – 22 August 2015 as part of FLIGHT Festival of New Writing in association with Theatre Works and VCA. For more information, visit: www.theatreworks.org.au for details.

Image: Deborah Leiser-Moore