Hairworm tells the story of an individual living with an eating disorder, who sees curves where there are edges, from the onset of the illness right through to their recovery and negotiation of the world afterwards.
Hairworm tells the story of an individual living with an eating disorder, and examines the experience of body dysmorphia through the universal feelings of inadequacy and a struggle to fit in. What was it about this work that originally drew you to the script, and why do you think now is the right time to be bringing Hairworm to the stage?
After almost every new pair of eyes on Hairworm, there are similar responses – I know this story, this is my story, I’ve known someone with this story. So many murmurs of recognition, and yet it isn’t a story that we see on stage often. For all the forward steps we are taking with mental health and breaking the stigma, eating disorders are still very difficult to talk about and can often be difficult to understand for those who have no experience, or misguided perceptions of what an eating disorder can look like.
As a piece of theatre, Hairworm has been beautifully and painstakingly crafted – it is constantly evolving with new meaning and ideas, and I think that it is a fantastic example of the new and exciting writing that is blooming in Sydney. With the state of funding for new work and artists what it is, I think the risk that so many people are taking is monumentally brave and necessary, and I am excited to have Hairworm joining the other fantastic femme works on in the season.
The production at the Old 505 will be the first full production of the work, but it’s also had three staged readings in Sydney, all with you as Director. How has your relationship with the work developed during this time and how have these readings helped to further the work?
I first read Hairworm in November 2017 and whilst it is still definitely recognisable as the same work, it is unbelievable how much has changed since. The writing has always been powerful and honest, weaved into an unconventional form that tells the story in its most poignant way, but the ways in which it has developed and grown as a piece are monumental.
The response and reflection from a staged reading is absolutely invaluable in the development of new work, and we were incredibly lucky to be offered three separate opportunities at different stages of Hairworm’s life to bring the words to life with new casts and audiences. Our first reading of Hairworm in 2018 had seven actors, our second read had three, and our most recent reading at Unfold in August had our current contingent of nine actors. We learnt first-hand that three actors was more challenging, calling our characters by the colour highlighter they were assigned worked, and that the playoff between chaos and stillness was, and is, a pivotal part of this play. Writers often say that they feel that their work is their ‘baby’, so I suppose this makes me a sort of weird Aunt to Hairworm – it has been an incredible process of learning and I’m excited to see how it grows and where it moves next.
Hairworm is written with no stage directions and no character delineations, similar to the works of Alana Valentine and Sarah Kane. What has the rehearsal process been like trying to navigate such a challenging script with 9 performers?
Each time Hairworm has been moved from page to stage, the cast has been different sizes and so naturally, the allocation of lines has varied greatly. Whilst the story remains the same, the allocation of dialogue can drastically change or create a moment, a character, an intention.
Before auditions, I was confident that we wanted seven actors to fill seven roles that we’d created before within the play. After callbacks, there was absolutely no way that we could sacrifice more actors than we already had. The allocation that the actors received at the table read, and the allocation that they perform now are quite similar, however there have been lots of little changes and swaps as the characters and personalities have come out through rehearsal and we have developed connections to one another and to parts of the script.
To quote some other fierce Australian ladies, the rehearsal process has been ‘nice, different, un-u-sual’ – this kind of work is different to any other show I’ve directed, and it has been so enlightening to have an open room of ideas and skills that complement one another.
Hairworm deals with themes that can be incredibly confronting for an actor. How do you delve deep into the themes of eating disorders and body dysmorphia with your actors whilst still creating a safe space for them to rehearse?
Walking into any rehearsal room for the first time is a vulnerable experience – you don’t know anyone’s background, and they don’t know yours. This is something that I think is really important to keep in mind, particularly when dealing with the themes that are within Hairworm. Regular breaks, check-ins with one another, laughter, and busting out a move to early 2000s pop have been our not-so-secret weapons, as well as a mixture of becoming comfortable with one another and ensuring that we stay on topic, non-judgemental and helpful with our discussion and exploration of the text.
I am incredibly lucky to be a part of a group of women who care about one another, and themselves.
What do you hope to achieve with Hairworm, and what are you most excited for audiences to see?
I am so excited for audiences to meet our team of emerging and established artists – we range in experiences, backgrounds and ages and have come together to form a piece that speaks across them. I don’t care if people think it sounds like a broken record, to have a female cast and creative team – it is important and significant and exciting.
This story, told by these women, will hopefully give audiences an insight into the rationalisation of an illness, or at least cause them to pause the next time a body negative thought flitters across their mind. You are more than your body.
RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:
Favourite production you have ever seen?
The show that has stuck with me the most is ‘When the Rain Stops Falling’ directed by Rachel Chant at the New Theatre in 2015.
You’re getting on a plane tomorrow and you can go anywhere in the world, where do you go?
Is it too much of a cliché to say New York?
Dream show to direct?
Night on Bald Mountain, by Patrick White
Plays or musicals?
Plays
A hobby you have beyond the theatre?
Next question?
What’s next for you after this show?
A bit of summer holiday fun with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged at Lane Cove Theatre Company.
Hairworm opens at The Old 505 Theatre on October 1, as part of their FreshWorksFEMME season. You can get your tickets here.