He’s been a staple in Australian film and television since his big breakthrough role on Play School in the ’70s. But for John Waters, 75, nothing compares to the immediacy of live theatre.
No stranger to the stage, John has toured as a musician for years but he is now returning to his thespian roots and reprising the role of Arthur Kipps in the ghostly tale,
THE ‘WOMAN IN BLACK’
You first starred in Woman In Black in 2006, why did you want to return?
I was asked if I’d rejoin this production and it’s just such a fantastic challenge for an actor. It really pulls on all your resources to instil in the audience’s imagination all the scenarios and we achieve this with the soundscape and lighting and descriptions that we give them, so on what is otherwise a bare stage we create the marshlands of northern Yorkshire and it’s incredible.
It’s a beautiful old-fashioned way of creating theatrical effect. There’s nothing high-tech about it but it’s very effective.
What’s it like working alongside Daniel MacPherson?
He is a great guy and wonderful to work with. He’s a very energetic and inventive actor. He’s been having success with acting in the US and that’s great for him and that’s what this generation of Australian actors have proved that they can do.
Did you remember your lines from the last time you played Arthur?
I remembered the substance of the story, but the actual words – no! I had to relearn them all over again. I think most actors are like me – you learn something thoroughly and then when you finish your brain wipes the file, as it were, to make room for something else.
Do you prefer being on the stage to the screen?
Not necessarily, but I just love working with audiences, the live experience is make-or-break. With film and TV you can do it again if you get it wrong – not the case with theatre – so theatre is very demanding. And, when I do shows with my band at the end of the song, there’s a round of applause, and that’s with theatre too, and that’s really good for the spirit.
Is it hard being away from your family when touring on a show like this?
Yes, I mean, I do a lot of touring but it’s mostly weekends away when I perform shows with my band then I’m home for the week, but here I’m spending several shows a week away from home.
Will they come and see it?
Yeah, they’ll come see the show when we are in Sydney. I remember last time I did it my 17-year-old twins were being carried around in my wife, Zoe [Burton]’s tummy and they were in fact born just a couple of weeks after the tour ended.
Have any of your children followed you into showbiz?
My son Ivan [50] is a singer songwriter and lives in Amsterdam, and he’s the only one that has. My oldest child Bec [53], she is a very good singer but she does other work. Archie, [21] he’s a good guitar player and he embraces music with a great deal of enthusiasm, as does his brother Rusty. His twin sister, Gloria was recently in a school play and has lots of ability as an actor, so who knows. They would be much better off becoming huge corporate giants but that won’t ever happen to a member of the Waters family [laughs].
Your name is synonymous with Play School – have all your children and grandkids watched it?
My two older children were born and grew up when my job at the time was a regular host on Play School and it was great fun. They didn’t think that it was extraordinary, they just thought everybody else’s father was on Play School as well!
