What's this all about then?
Where can I see more information?
What's the crowdfunding for?
Directors Notes
What's the history of The Interview - the play and the feature film with Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller

What's this all about then?
The Australian premiere of The Interview, running at The Bondi Pavilion from October 31st 2012 to November 23rd 2012 as part of the Tamarama Rock Surfers 2012 season.

This November, the Tamarama Rock Surfers join forces with Dreamhouse Artists (Bondi Dreaming 2011) to present The Interview a sexy drama written by Theo Van Gogh, adapted and directed by Sam Atwell (Bondi Dreaming), starring Kip Gamblin (All Saints, Dance Academy) and Alison McGirr (Home & Away, Three Sisters)and produced by Nick Bolton (I want to sleep with Tom Stoppard).

Katya is a star. A B-list, tabloid on demand, celebrity screwing sensation and no-one can get enough. Over the course of one night we witness her encounter with Pierre Peters, a burnt out political correspondent with dark desires and a thinking problem.

Forced together for an interview neither wants be a part of, before long they’re circling each other trading verbal body blows struggling for the upper hand. As they probe into each other’s lives trying to find holes in each others façade, it’s anyone’s guess who will tell the most lies and expose the biggest secrets. Just who’s playing who?

Set in a sumptuous beachside apartment, The Interview is an electrically charged, lightning paced battle of wits that explores the minefield that is fame, celebrity and the power that comes with it.

Director and adapter Sam Atwell is excited about the project, “After studying the original film and play, both written by Theo Van Gogh, and the Steve Buscemi film that brought me to the story to start with, I knew I wanted to do an amalgamation of all three. I wanted to make it more contemporary for our audience and decided to base it not only in Bondi but in the theatre itself. I want the audience to feel they’re inside the play, rather than viewing it.”

Rock Surfers Artistic Director Leland Kean programmed The Interview following the team’s success in 2011 with Bondi Dreaming and the excellent script they presented for this next project. “Sam and Nick brought us a sharply written international script that has great dramatic elements. We are pleased to support them for the second year running and look forward to their production with great interest”

And what can audiences expect from the show? Director Sam Atwell comments, “I'm hoping they'll be absolutely entertained! The show's got a bit of everything, it's funny at times but also has a bit of a mystery aspect, so you're not really sure what's going on. The play also delves into themes of art 'vs' truth and the role of the artist and media in society, so, as well as having a fun night I'd like to think our audience will be provoked to think about how they receive the news.“

Where can I see more information?
Sure - head to our website 

Or follow us on Facebook or twitter

Tickets at www.rocksurfers.org

What's the crowdfunding for?
The majority of our revenue is through ticket sales which we dont get until after Closing Night. So we have to pay upfront for all the fixed costs like set design and build, props, wardrobe, marketing etc.
The crowdfunding revenue enables us to invest in these areas ultimately creating a better show.

But its also a chance for you to get involved whether its booking your Front Row Seats, becoming the Wardrobe Manager for Katja, attending rehearsals or even becoming an Executive Producer.

Or for those unable to come or our of Sydney, you can just simply support independent theatre.

Whatever your motive, the cast and crew at The Interview greatly appreciate your pledge and support to our show.

Directors Notes:

The Interview is a swiftly moving two-hander that explores the nature of fame, celebrity and the responsibility and power that comes with it. The play is set entirely in the apartment of a young starlet, Katya, as she is interviewed by the reluctant and out of place war correspondent Pierre Peters.

As the play unravels we discover that Pierre has been having a few ‘issues’ at work and to his disgust has been relegated to ‘celebrity fluff’. He’s unhappy about it and doesn’t hide his cynicism from his soap star subject. At first Pierre’s main desire to get the interview over with as quickly as possible but as tid-bits of both their lives begin to surface Pierre can’t help but try and satisfy his investigative curiosity.

They both end up sharing their deepest secrets with each other and are then left with the question of what they will do with their knowledge. Will Pierre abuse the trust he has gained for a story or will Katya use what she has learnt to blackmail Pierre?

The play has been done in the Netherlands both as a film and a play and recently,2007, as an American adaptation in a film with Sienna Miller and Steve Buscemi. I liked elements of both scripts and si asked the publihsers if I could combine the two, to which they pleasantly agreed.

I was also keen to localise the play, and in particular Bondi – such a hotbed of media creatie types.

The play seems even more so relevant today with the unquenchable thirst for fame and fortune in this Reality TV world – the recent production of The Shire is testament to that.
And on the other side, the recent Levenson inquiry into the Murdoch phone hacking scandal demonstrates the lengths journalists can go to

And ultimately I hope you come and support local independent theatre rather than sit on your couch watching the dross that TV broadcasters schedule for us.

Sam Atwell
August 2012

What's the history of The Interview - the play and the feature film with Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller.
The Interview started out as a play by Theodore Holman in Holland in 2000. It was then made into a feature film in Holland in 2003, before being turned into a Hollywood movie directed by Steve Buscemi in 2007.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview_(2003_film)

Interview is a 2003 Dutch drama film, directed by Theo van Gogh, starring Katja Schuurman and Pierre Bokma. The film is about a war correspondent having an interview with a soap opera actress. Katja Schuurman was nominated for a Golden Calf for Best Actress at the 2003 Netherlands Film Festival. Steve Buscemi‘s remake Interview premiered in 2007.

Laurence Postma’s Hindi remake Cover Story was released in August 2011.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview_(2007_film)

Interview is a remake of Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh‘s 2003 movie of the same title. The
American version, which premiered in2007, stars Steve Buscemi as Pierre Peders (originally
played by Pierre Bokma), a fading political journalist interviewing a soap operastar, Katya, played by Sienna Miller (originally played by Katja Schuurman). This film also stars Tara Elders as Maggie, Molly Griffith as a waitress, and Philippe Vonlanthen as an autograph seeker. Steve Buscemi is also a director of this American adaptation. Katja Schuurman, the actress who played Sienna Miller’s part in the original movie, has a small cameo as a woman leaving a limo towards the end of the movie.