Director Profile

Liz Skitch works as an actor/writer/director and comedian. She studied drama at Queensland University of Technology and following this, trained at the School of Philippe Gaulier in London. In 1998, she co-founded deBASE productions which specialises in creating brilliant new comedies. Her body of work ranges from children’s theatre through to cabaret and employs a range of comic styles; clown, satire and stand up comedy.

New works created with deBASE include Skitch Tease (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011, Melbourne Comedy Festival 2011, Adelaide Cabaret Fringe 2010, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2010/11), Chasing the Lollyman (Director - Hothouse Theatre 2011, Metro Arts, The Dreaming Festival, La Mama 2010), Popping Lead Balloons (Regional Arts Victoria 2011, Queensland Arts Council 2009), Waiting for Merlot (Brisbane Festival 08 Under the Radar 2008), The Clown from Snowy River (Director - Queensland Arts Council, Regional Arts Victoria 2006–10 and published by Playlab Press), Frocking Fantastic (Melbourne Fringe Festival 2004), The Loud Room (Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2003), and Titanic, the Clown Show (Adelaide Fringe Festival 1999, La Boite New Boards Festival 1998).

Liz has created and performed in many new works for children such as Hurry Up and Wait (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011, Queensland Theatre Company 2010) and Lily Can’t Sleep (Act 3 International Singapore and Kuala Lumpur 2007, Victorian Arts Centre 2007 and Queensland Arts Council 2007 and Queensland Theatre Company/Out of the Box Festival 2006). As a children's theatre performer, she has also performed in Show (Queensland Theatre Company/ Queensland Arts Council/ Sydney Opera House Ed 2004-5), Backseat Drivers (Queensland Theatre Company/ Queensland Arts Council/Out of the Box Festival 2000) and has toured Queensland primary schools and kindergartens from 2003-2008 with Kite Children’s Theatre. In 2009, Liz was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and researched children’s theater in Japan, working with Kazenoko Children’s Theatre Company.

Other performance credits include Aladdin (Harvest Rain Theatre Company 2011), Ithaca Road (deBASE Productions 2010), The Alchemist (Queensland Theatre Company/Bell Shakespeare 2009) and Ipswich Girl (Dogs in the Roof 2003).

Liz is a proud member of the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance.

Rehearsal Room with Liz Skitch

Liz’s work in clown and comedy is evident throughout the show and informed her adaptation of the play for an Australian audience. Comedy is a serious business and it turns out the there is a lot of method-behind-the-madness of clowning.

When working with young actors Liz believes her role is just as much to teach and train, as it is to direct. As part of the rehearsal process for A Toby Show, she has introduced the cast to the rules of clowning (as taught to her by Philippe Gaulier) who have in turn, spent rehearsals training in clown and devising comedy routines. Some of the key concepts explored in the rehearsal room by the vaudeville clowns are:

• Complicite - having a sense of timing with your friends on stage - in comedy timing is everything!
• Le Jeu- Le Jeu (the pleasure of the performer to be on stage) - an important part of clowning - if you are having fun on stage then the audience will have fun watching you.
• Sensitivity - the ability to listen to your audience when performing comedy is so important. In turn, the clown must respond accordingly. For example, if you get a laugh, do it again! If you don’t get a laugh, try something else.