In the midst of the sold-out success of "Young Frankenstein" at Marloo Theatre, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the brilliant mind behind the magic, Terence Smith. As the director of this uproarious production, Smith brings a unique blend of humour and theatrical flair to the stage. Join in as Smith shares insights into the creative journey and the secrets behind their success in the world of theatre.
Could you please take us on a journey through your career in theatre directing?
"I studied my Bachelor of Arts in Performance Studies at Curtin University then went onto complete
my honours degree in performance making/directing. My honours degree was a focus on how to elicit empathy from an audience through performance.
From there I created my own theatre company Beyond the Yard and have directed shows across the metro and regional areas of WA.
Young Frankenstein is the first time I have directed a show at Marloo Theatre and my second musical overall, I’m sure it won’t be my last of either!"
What first attracted you to theatrical directing?
"I have always loved the arts. I grew up in Denmark (WA not the Europe country) and it was a very
arts-based community. We had a great drama program at the local high school and it certainly
forged the stepping stones towards working as a theatre director."
Can you describe your approach to directing this production?
"I really wanted this show to be as fun as possible. Not only for the audience watching it but for us
creating it. I think shows that really shine are those where you watch and think ‘yep those actors are
having fun!’
That was my key approach with everything – and if you’re lucky to have seen the show can
guarantee everyone on that stage is having a ball of a time!"
How do you collaborate with actors, designers, and other production members to bring your vision to life?
"Directing is by no means easy! It’s about juggling not only the actors but all the creative elements to make sure it comes together as one cohesive production.
I was very fortunate to have a killer team in all areas to help support my creative vision and make
this show the best production it could be.
The process was a constant of keeping open lines of communication, testing new things, deciding
what to keep and what not to keep."
What initially drew you to Young Frankenstein?
"I loved the music, the characters, the comedy! It had me laughing out loud on an initial read (and
even after seeing it 100 times I still do laugh out loud)."
What techniques or strategies did you use to ensure the comedic timing was effective?
"This is such a high energy show which called for big character choices throughout. There was a lot of make this line bigger’ – ‘make this gesture bigger’, I’m not sure what I’d call this technique but was certainly about pushing actors to make the biggest and boldest choices possible to really highlight the zany-ness of the script and world of the characters."
Have there been any particular scenes or musical numbers that have been especially challenging to stage, and how have you approached overcoming those challenges?
"Roll in the Hay! This was a challenge and a half – confined to a rather limited set piece (a hay cart) for a very comedic 5min song had its difficulties. It was about trying to squeeze the comedy out of every beat of the song, make sure the blocking was fun and fresh and didn’t become too stale. It started out as my least favourite part of the show to block but now is one of my favourite moments of the show."
What advice would you give to aspiring directors wanting to work in musical theatre?
"Do it. You’ve got this. Believe in yourself and your abilities and don’t forget to have fun!"
What do you hope audiences will remember most about your production after they leave the
theatre?
"I hope they walk away with their faces aching from smiling and laughing too much."
What are you working on next & do you aspire to work on a spooky themed show again soon?
"I think I’ll try get back into a regular sleep schedule first (shows do take an awful lot of you!). I am itching to get back on the stage as a performer so perhaps that will be first.
But the cogs are turning for another production with my own theatre company Beyond the Yard.
Watch this space for a show to come in 2025 (fingers crossed!)."
Finally, what are your top picks for must see spooky musicals?
"I’d say Young Frankenstein but we do have a sell out season (but nab a spot on the waitlist if you can it’s pretty fab!). Next up would be, head to Roleystone Theatre for their upcoming season of The Addams Family Musical."
The Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein is open until Sat, 29 June, 2024 at Marloo Theatre, 18 Marloo Rd, Greenmount WA 6056 - Join the wait list now for your chance to see this hilarious show!
Soxie The Salacious Spectre is Perth's own horror host, presenting films each month during Dreadful Frights at The Backlot Perth & the annual Perth Horror Film Festival.
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