Our first guinea-pig to step into the mAYTsbook is our esteemed (and rather odd) Artistic Director Aimee Falzon:

Who are you?

Aimee Falzon, artistic director of AYT and artist.

What is your story?

I came from a little known rural area in NSW singing to cattle, making up stories for the braken-fern… they are quite polite audiences to have when you’re young, I was very blessed. I moved to Sydney to study performance and arts and learn all about REAL LIFE – a tremendous shock. I’ve been working in arts and community for about ten years now as many things: performer, director, facilitator, designer, musician, producer, artist…. it all fits together somehow, and at the heart of it all is a passion for story and a deep curiosity about people. This is what I love.

Your connection with AYT?

I first encountered AYT quite a few years back when I was assistant directing and designing the production of Crossfire – it was great – I remember having to ‘distress’ some costumes for the actors, their characters had been caught in a fire, so I sat out the back of the theatre in Ashfield burning shirts with a little lighter getting some very bizzarre looks from passers-by. I worked on a few productions after that and well… now I’m the AD.

Where is your happy Inner-West place?

Oh my gosh! Shanghai Nights on Liverpool Rd in Ashfield! So good. And my home, I live in the Inner-West, in Flemington, and it’s a great sanctuary to me.

What more can you say?

It’s been a pleasure being the mAYTs guinea-pig. I’m looking forward to seeing more!