Limahl – Speedy Summer Seven (Speedy Seven #1)

I had been listening to “The NeverEnding Story” theme song  long before “Stranger Things” series made it a crucial part of its plot – if you know what I mean 😉 – so I’m really grateful and happy that the very artist who sang it accepted my invitation, becoming the first person featured in my new cycle: “Speedy Seven”. Limahl (Christopher Hamill) managed to win the hearts of millions of fans all over the world, first as the lead singer of British band Kajagoogoo, later as a solo artist. His music is used in popular TV shows, his concerts prove that he still has great charisma and artistic energy, and this year has recently brought us a song that can definitely become his next big hit – “Still In Love”. We talk about summer memories, concerts in Poland, summer movies and music, and his new single.

Łukasz Garbol: What do you love summer for?

Limahl: Everything, of course, it’s warmer, more outdoor life in general, cycling, flowers, canal/river walks, picnics, the coastal town visits (because we are a small island, we have so many choices). I also usually perform more at outdoor summer music events (a great atmosphere).

Are there any specific sounds, tastes or scents that come to your mind when you think of your childhood summers?

Interesting question. I would say the smell of the sea – I recall our regular summer vacations with the whole family to the south of the UK, an area called Cornwall, with many beautiful beaches, and quaint small villages. The taste would be of the famous ‘Cornish Cream Tea’ which is a Scone (a sort of sweet bread usually with currants) plus jam and clotted cream (thicker cream than normal). This is clearly bad for a diet but great as an occasional reward ☺️

Speaking of memories, what are your best memories from summer concerts in Poland?

I am always treated with such affection and respect in Poland so I feel very comfortable there. I spend so much time there I could apply for Polish/British citizenship lol. I remember a summer festival in Sopot with Kajagoogoo in 2008 (ŁG: Sopot Festival), great production and responses/excitement from the audience. Zakopane in December 2017 was also amazing because the day before we arrived, loads of fresh snow had just arrived and it looked like something from Disney. I posted a couple of iPhone videos on my social media pages from my hotel balcony – the reactions were great (you can find the links to Limahl’s social media below the interview).

Did you have a chance to go sightseeing a little bit during your visits to Poland?

It’s one of my rules, when I travel for work, I always try and have at least one or two days to be a tourist. I love architecture and history so I’m happy anywhere with some of that. I’ve been a tourist in Warsaw for a few days and of course Krakow is stunning. I rented an electric tricycle in Krakow which was perfect for getting around the park and quaint streets.

One of your greatest hits is the theme song to The NeverEnding Story movie. Not only is this song a huge hit, but the movie itself is a cult film, often shown in cinemas or aired on TV in the summer. What about your favorite summer flicks? Were there any summer movies that you loved when you watched them on the big screen as a kid?

Oh boy ! I have seen so many movies over the years, almost impossible to pick one BUT of course I’m old enough to remember the summer when the original movie Grease was released, I think I watched it 3 times in one week lol – I was only 18 or 19 years old at the time. Because I wanted to be a successful musician/songwriter, I was very inspired by the songs and craftsmanship of the music production and arrangements.

Which songs by other artists make you think of summer holidays?

Many from my summer holidays with the family as a kid – so they are:

“Laughter In The Rain” – Neil Sedaka

“Beach Baby” – First Class

“Dizzy” – Tommy Roe

“I’m Still Waiting” – Diana Ross

“Yesterday Once More” – The Carpenters

“You Can Do Magic” – Limmie & Family Cookin’

“Like Sister And Brother” – The Drifters

“Smarty Pants” – First Choice

“Rock Your Baby” – George McCrae

“Rock The Boat” – The Hues Corporation

“You Make Me Feel Brand New” – The Stylistics

One of the fresh summer (and not only summer) hits of this year can certainly be your new single “Still In Love”. Could you say a few words about this song and the music video that accompanies it?

The song doesn’t beat about the bush and deals head on with that shitty painful, dark side of love that most of us have experienced. During the songwriting process the verse mood came along first and then we stumbled on this lovely feeling of optimism at the chorus, even though the chorus lyric is a sort of lament. And that’s the stuff you can’t plan for. As musicians/songwriters, we are basically digging around for exactly these moments where interesting harmonics occur between the instruments and the vocals. My German co-producer Miro Markus and I wrote the song in the last couple of years.

In the video I play a sort of narrator character telling this story of unrequited love. I love dancing as an art form, ballet, contemporary, tap, etc. so we feature the lovely Cameron & Eliza who communicate the story physically/energetically/sexually. If song lyrics rhyme, dance too can be poetry in motion.

Thank you very much for the talk and making one of my interview dreams come true 🙂

by Łukasz Garbol, August 2020

Check Limahl’s official website and his social media:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

YouTube

Limahl’s Official Website

Photo 1 – Reybee, Inc. / Limahl’s Facebook page, photo 2 – a frame from “Never Ending Story” music video, photo 3 – a frame from “Still In Love” music video (directed by The Bashford Twins). All photo copyrights belong to their respective owners.

An interview with Catherine Mary Stewart about “Night of the Comet” (Cult Movies #1)

This time I’m bringing you a different kind of interview – the first one, in what will hopefully become a new cycle, devoted to cult movies. I’m starting with someone absolutely special – Catherine Mary Stewart. She’s one of my most favorite actresses ever and a person who definitely knows a lot about cult movies (she’s played in quite a few of them, including The Last Starfighter, Mischief and Weekend at Bernie’s). In this interview we talk about Night of the Comet by Thom Eberhardt (released in USA on 16 November 1984). The myriads of die-hard fans of the movie know its plot by heart. Just in case, however, here comes a little reminder of how that movie starts.

For the first time in 65 million years, the Earth is passing through the tail of a comet. After the night of the comet’s passage, two Valley girls, Regina (Catherine Mary Stewart) and Sam (Kelli Maroney) wake up in a completely new world, realizing that in the meantime most of the people had turned to red dust, and those who had survived are dying or turning into dangerous zombies.

We talk about getting the role of Reggie Belmont, first day on set, working with Kelli Maroney, Robert Beltran and the director Thom Eberhardt, about unforgettable scenes, fighting a zombie, dancing, improvised lines and inspiring movie heroines – and, of course, that’s not all. These unusual times inspired me to add some questions to this interview, and thus Catherine Mary Stewart speaks also about living in the times of pandemics and her plans for the times when it’s over.

Łukasz Garbol: Do you remember how you got the role of Reggie Belmont, the girl next door turned heroine from Night of the Comet?

Catherine Mary Stewart: I remember reading with Heather Langenkamp. Heather and I were similar types. I know Kelli read with someone who was more her type. So, it was a surprise when they put Kelli and me together.

What were your first impressions when you were reading the script to that movie? What did you think of your character?

I loved that it was quirky with comedic elements and the character of Reg was a departure from the characters I’d been cast in before. I could relate to Reg. I grew up with two older brothers. I was never really a girlie girl. I loved that Reg was strong and independent.

And what about the first day on set? What are your most vivid memories when you go back to that time?

One of my most vivid memories is that on the way to set I had an accident in my car.  Fortunately, it wasn’t that big a deal. I slid into the side of a hill avoiding another car on a slippery, wet, windy mountain road. No one was hurt and my car made it to the set although the alignment was out and needed to be repaired. Incredibly, someone from transportation took the car into a repair shop and it was fixed by the end of the day! It was so cool that they did that for me.

First days are always a bit tense. Everyone is feeling each other out. The first scenes we did were post comet after I rode the motorcycle through town back to the house. I’m looking for Sam. It was the perfect scene to shoot on the first day. In the script on the set we were feeling everything out and trying to figure out what is going on.

As you’ve just said, you and Kelli Maroney, your movie sister Samantha, auditioned separately for your roles. Do you remember when you two first met on the set? What did you think about her when you first saw her?

As I mentioned, I was surprised when we were cast together because we weren’t necessarily the same “type”, but I think they saw that we would work well together in this story. Reg and Sam are very different, as are most sisters, and we fit what they wanted the characters to be.

In the movie the characters Reggie and Sam are quite an explosive duo, with different attitudes to life and different temperament types, although at the same time they are sisters loving each other and ready for sacrifices if need be. How did your cooperation as actresses look?

I think we approach characters and even acting quite differently. But again, I think that it really worked for us. Reg and Sam are very different people, but there is that sister connection. Our personalities may conflict, but our sister relationship is our bond, as it would be in real life.

I know that you and Kelli Maroney have sometimes a chance to meet during conventions, special screenings and Q&A sessions for fans. What is the best memory you two share, something you like to go back to and talk about when you see each other?

Kelli and I have different memories of the shoot. It’s actually fascinating to hear her recollections. I learn a lot! I enjoyed the comradery on the set. Thom Eberhardt was a wonderful director. We were given lots of room to play and explore our characters.

What about Robert Beltran who played Hector, a truck driver turning a post-apocalyptic hero? How was it working with him?

He’s a doll. I found him very talented, attractive and sexy. That also worked for this story. He was so generous, subtle and brilliant. He allowed Night of the Comet to be the sisters story.  He embellished the story and gave it a wonderful dimension.

And again, when you think about Robert Beltran, is there any memory from the set connected with him that stands out for you?

I loved watching him work. The scene where we are in the radio station was terrific for me. He wasn’t trying to prove anything, he just was. The quietness in his performance made the movie. He kept it real.

Do you have any contact with him nowadays?

I haven’t seen him for years!  It would be great to cross paths again someday.

What kind of director was Thom Eberhardt? How would you describe his style of work, of cooperating with actors?

Thom was lovely. This was his baby. He fought hard to keep the integrity of the script. There was some pressure to make it a straight-out horror movie but keeping it a little campy and funny along with the intensity of the subject is what makes this movie unique. 

Is it true that the scenes of Night of the Comet were played by actors (and filmed) in two ways: one was more serious, while the other more tongue in cheek style?

Some of the scenes were. The producers wanted to have it both ways in the can so they could decide which way they wanted to go after we wrapped. As I mentioned above, Thom Eberhardt convinced them that they should stick with the original more tongue in cheek concept.  I’m glad they did.

Did anything funny or unexpected happen during the shooting? Do you remember any hilarious moments from the set?

We did struggle with the MAC-10s jamming so we had to improvise or else there would’ve been a lot of wasted film. As an example, the scene where we’re practicing on a car, the MAC-10 kept jamming. Sam’s line “See that’s the problem with these things. Daddy would’ve gotten us UZI’s”, was not in the script.  I added, “The car didn’t know the difference…”.

Speaking of dialogues,  I would say they are among the elements that make this movie so enjoyable to watch. Was it a matter of Thom Eberhardt’s great script, of the improvisation you’ve just mentioned, or maybe the combination of both?

Apparently Thom did quite a bit of teenage girl behavior and talk research. He did invite improvisation on the set though. There was a real feeling of freedom in that way. 

If we talk about people crucial to making that movie, let me ask you about another important person – but this time someone important in your contact with fans. Tom Ryan is not only helping you run your social media, but also, as I could see visiting several web pages with texts devoted to Night of the Comet and your other movies, he is very active promoting your websites and interacting with your fans wherever possible. Could you say a few words about your cooperation? Is it true that everything began on the set of Mischief – another movie you starred in that is still very popular?

Tom Ryan has always been very enthusiastic and supportive to me. We did meet on the set of Mischief.  He was a stand in and extra. He was also going to college in Athens, Ohio near where we shot the film, and interviewed me several times for the school newspaper. He contacted me again a few years ago through a mutual friend. I eventually asked him if he would help me with my Facebook page as an administrator. He has been invaluable to me in that way. He also assists me at conventions on occasion.

Reggie and Samantha managed to become an inspiration for other movie heroines, but also for many young people (not only women, but also men, as you often say). It was possible thanks to your awesome performances as actresses, but also thanks to the way these characters were written. What do you think makes Reggie Belmont so special, so appealing to the audience?

I think Reggie represents a strong, independent, unapologetic female. You don’t see many of those in movies except maybe in female superheroes. The difference is that Reg is accessible and relatable. Audiences appreciate that. Male and female. I think she inspires them.

Reggie, like you’ve said, as well as Night of the Comet as a whole, inspired (and even now keeps inspiring) a lot of people. What were your inspirational movies from that time, from the 80s?

I thought Aliens was awesome. Sigourney Weaver was incredible. I’m not a huge horror, sci-fi fan I guess, ironically, but this movie was extraordinary. At the other end of the spectrum is Airplane with Robert Hays. It is still considered one of the funniest movies ever made!  I love all genres and all eras.

Belmont Sisters are tough women, action heroines, but at the same time they are not devoid of interesting personalities, intriguing backstory and of femininity (which are unfortunately elements of building the character that action movie heroines often lack in many productions). When you look for such movies and movie characters, which roles, which films do you find most convincing and inspiring?

I love the haunting quiet of Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia. I’m fascinated with end of the world movies. I find it fascinating how a writer approaches the idea. Another favorite is Stanley Kramer’s On the Beach from 1959. I’m interested in the exploration of the human condition especially in dire circumstances. 

Going on with the topic of well-developed characters, let me ask you: when you think of your favourite movie characters ever, which ones come to your mind? And what makes them so memorable?

I’m a huge Maggie Smith fan. I’ve loved her since The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and I just can’t take my eyes off her in Downton Abbey.  She is brilliant! One of my favorite movies ever is Sophie’s Choice. Talk about well developed characters. Meryl Streep is mind blowing in that movie and in most of her movies in terms of character.

I’d like to talk now about some of the iconic scenes from Night of the Comet. In the opening sequence Reggie is playing a video game. She is upset because she sees some “DMK” beat one of her high scores. In one of the scenes from the beginning of the second season of Stranger Things series Dustin, one of the main characters, finds himself in a similar situation when he discovers that his high score was topped by someone named “MADMAX”. I think that could be a little tribute to Night of the Comet, one of numerous easter eggs for fans of the ‘80s present in that show. Have you seen other similar references to Night of the Comet or to any other movie you played in?

Several of my movies from the ‘80s have been referenced in other shows. Weekend at Bernie’s has been referenced many, many times, from Friends to online political jokes. The Last Starfighter was acknowledged in the series Future Man. There was a Night of the Comet tip of the hat in the series The Walking Dead. One of the zombies was dressed and appeared exactly like the zombie that I fought in the alley. Joss Whedon has said that the character of Buffy in the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer was inspired by Night of the Comet.

In many interviews you mentioned that you weren’t a big video games expert or fan. I’d like to ask about something connected with this topic. These days, more and more movie actors are cast to lend their voices to computer game characters. Have you ever had a chance to try this kind of acting work? Or, if not, would you like to try it?

I play a character called Moira in Red Dead Redemption II. It was fascinating performing in “motion capture”. I had never done anything like that before. It was wild! 

When we meet your character, she’s working at a movie theatre. Imagine that you run your own cinema and can decide which movies are screened there – and you can choose from all the films in the history of the cinema. Which titles would you definitely include in your movie theatre repertoire? Which are the most unforgettable movies you’ve watched and you would like to share with others?

Apocalyptic genre: Melancholia, On the Beach

Dance and Musical genre: Turning Point, Fame, Jesus Christ Superstar

Classic genre: Sophie’s Choice, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Romeo and Juliet, To Sir, with Love

Silent Era: D.W. Griffith

Wow! That’s quite a diverse list! Let’s get back to Night of the Comet. When the comet finally arrives flying close to the Earth and most of the people celebrating and watching this spectacle are wiped out, Regina, who doesn’t know what’s going on yet, is attacked by a zombie, fights back and escapes on a motorcycle. I know that you did that fight scene on your own, you weren’t doubled by a stuntwoman. Was that sequence more of a fun or a challenge?

I loved the fight scene. I’m a trained dancer so I was prepared physically. Plus, the Zombie was a really good stunt guy (ŁG: Alex Brown) so I felt safe. It was a LOT of fun.

What about riding a motorcycle? Was that you or a stuntwoman?

I did have a stunt double for the motorcycle riding.  

By the way, sometimes you have to play doing something that you aren’t really doing in front of the camera (like playing the video game in Night of the Comet scene already mentioned) or probably can’t even do in real life (like piloting a plane in a movie titled Sharpshooter). How do you prepare for such scenes? Do you know any tricks to make them look convincing on the screen?

To look convincing, you have to ask questions of those who know how to play, or fly, or whatever it is you are doing that you are not an expert at. The director, DP and editor make sure it looks realistic.

Going back to memorable scenes from the movie, I’d like to move on to the scene in which Reggie and Sam test their guns on a car standing near by. Some of the Night of the Comet fans have noticed that you don’t blink while shooting, which doesn’t happen so often in case of actors and actresses dealing with guns. Did you undergo any special firearms training before the shooting of the movie? How did this preparation look like?

We did target practice with the MAC-10s so that we were comfortable with them. To me it’s essential that if it’s supposed to be second nature that your character can fire a gun or smoke a cigarette, or whatever it is, you MUST look like you are 100% comfortable with it and committed to the action.

Another unforgettable part of the movie is the sequence of scenes in the shopping mall, including the one of you and Kelli Maroney dancing to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” song while trying on different clothes. Was that scene totally scripted and planned or were you allowed some spontaneity and improvisation?

We kind of made it up as we went along. It was a collaboration between Kelli, me and the director.

And how were those scenes filmed? Were you using an actual clothes shop during the shooting? And, if you were, didn’t you accidentaly destroy anything that wasn’t supposed to be destroyed?

We shot in an actual clothing store in a real mall, but everything that appeared in the movie was a prop.  I can’t speak as to whether or not we wrecked anything. I didn’t have to clean up afterwards.

Speaking of clothes, is it true that, going shopping with a costume designer, you had a chance to pick the costumes you were wearing in the movie?

All the clothes I wore I picked out with the wardrobe person right from the store. It was great!  I loved those clothes and got to keep what I wanted!

You say you could keep whichever costume you wanted to keep. Which one was your favourite one? 

I think I kept pretty much everything from my wardrobe, aside from the stuff that got destroyed or stained during the shoot. I loved those little grey boots I wore. I wore those for years after the movie.

I’d like to ask you about one more thing in a way connected with the scenes we’re discussing. There was a short dance sequence in the fragment mentioned – of you and Kelli Maroney dancing around the mall. You‘re an accomplished dancer. In one of your Facebook Q&A sessions with fans you mentioned that you’d love to dance in Dancing with the Stars. Is there any particular dance style you would like to dance? Or any particular song to dance to?

I love all styles of dance. I suppose I would be most comfortable with “modern”, but I would love to learn ballroom dance and would enjoy the challenge of learning the different techniques.

In the last scenes of the movie we see your character who, we could say, changed from “Reggie” to “Regina”, becoming, at least probably in her opinion, the model mother of a post-apocalyptic family (a moment mocked by her sister Sam). Have you ever thought about her possible future? Have you tried to imagine what her later days and years could have looked like?

She is probably in for a rude awakening in terms of the responsibility of her new grown up role. Hector has his hands full with her too! It was fun to portray Regina as a kind of antithetical character to Reggie. I’m going to assume that Regina and Hector procreate at some point, but she has some growing up to do for sure. I love that the movie ended with the kind of fantastical fantasy of the perfect nuclear family, except of course for the rebellious Sam.

And what would Reggie be like now if you could play her in a sequel? What vision of her does your imagination bring?

It would be fun to see what a writer would come up with.

I don’t know if there are plans for the sequel, but I’ve recently found the information that Roxanne Benjamin is working on the script of the remake of Night of the Comet. Do you happen to know any details?

I think it’s been shelved, thankfully. It was to be a remake. I’m not a fan of remakes, and I didn’t get the feeling her script would have had any integrity to the original concept.  That’s a problem to me.

If not a remake, maybe a sequel? What do you think of such a possibility?

If anything, I would vote for a sequel, but Thom Eberhardt has no interest in being involved so that would be the deal breaker for me. Only he could create a worthy sequel.

One more element that comes to my mind when I think of Night of the Comet is its really awesome soundtrack full of great songs. What are your personal favorites as far as music goes? Which singers / bands, which kinds of music or particular songs do you like most?

I’m a big 60’s and 70’s music person. I do like Cindy Lauper.

Night of the Comet is one of those movies that never get old, but instead keep gaining new fans from new generations of movie lovers. You often mention that fans tell you that Night of the Comet and The Last Starfighter are the movies the love to which they pass on to their children. Were there any movies that you wanted to share with your children, to pass on to them when they were growing up?

We are big Bugs Bunny fans from the old days. Some of those classic Mel Blanc characters are timeless and awesome.

And have your children seen Night of the Comet?

They have seen Night of the Comet. They were quite young when they saw it last, I think, so I don’t know if they have an opinion about it, or have much of a memory of it, really.

The recent events unexpectedly changed the shape of this interview making me add some questions I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Empty streets in the places that used to be crowded, the atmosphere of loneliness, the lack of contact with many people we used to see very often – these are not only words that could describe the plot of Night of the Comet now. All these, although hopefully to soon be gone in some places, are elements of our everyday lives nowadays, our lives in the times of pandemic. You once said that you would like to direct a kind of apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic movie some day. Do you think that current situation, which in a way makes us think about the fragility of human life, may be an inspiration for movie makers?

Absolutely. There are so many elements of the human condition that remain dormant when we just carry on in our “normal” lives. This pandemic has awakened all sorts of life dimensions that are ripe to explore. I think this time will inspire all sorts of interesting creativity.

What is your way to survive these hard times? What do you do to find your inner strength and not to lose hope?

I am struggling with not being able to move around and socialize the way I’m used to. Not only on a day to day basis, but normally I travel quite a bit. I’m feeling a little trapped at the moment. I’m trying to stay creative and busy. It will pass at some point so we all just have to hang in there.

A lot of people share their dreams and plans for the times when everything goes back to normal. Is there anything you particularly miss now? Anything you plan doing when the pandemics is over or at least under control? Anyone you’re looking forward to seeing?

My priority is to see my kids up close and give them a huge hug and to see my dad in Canada. 

And what are your acting (or directing) plans for the near future?

I have three projects I’m developing to direct at the moment. One of which I will also act in.  Of course everything is on hold, but I’m keeping them moving forward.

Thank you very very much for this remote talk. I’m really glad you managed to find time for this correspondence interview. I’m really honoured and grateful and I hope this won’t be our last interview for this blog 🙂

by Łukasz Garbol, May / June 2020

Check Catherine Mary Stewart’s pages and social media:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Catherine Mary Stewart – The Official Site

You should also definitely visit this awesome website:

The Ultimate Night of the Comet Fan Site

Photo 1 by Tilden Patterson. Photo 2 is a movie poster to Night of the Comet. The rest of the photos are the frames and stills from Night of the Comet (copyrights: Atlantic Releasing Corporation & MGM Studios). Photos 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 from Catherine Mary Stewart’s archives used by her permission. All photo copyrights belong to their respective owners.

An interview with Petra Yared (“Sky Trackers”, “Mirror, Mirror”)

Nikki Colbert from “Sky Trackers”, time traveller Jo in “Mirror, Mirror” and warm-hearted Layla from “MDA” – and these are just a few roles in her rich filmography. In our interview Petra Yared reveals some secrets from the making of the cult youth TV series, goes back to her significant roles and speaks about some of the acting challenges she had to deal with. You will get to know which costumes she kept after filming and which movies and series she watches with her children. All this and much more in my newest “remote talk”!

Łukasz Garbol: Some time ago a short clip appeared on Facebook where we could see your first ever TV appearance in a TV show for children called “Choices”, together with, among others, Zbych Trofimiuk. Do you remember how you got a chance to appear in it? What was your first impression when you entered the other side of the film world that we watch on the screen?

Petra Yared: Ha! I remember a lot about this considering how long ago it was!. I was doing drama classes and someone (I guess a casting person) came and watched a class and then invited me to audition. I remember my sister telling me I got the part. We were very excited.

And do you remember the first time ever you started performing in front of any bigger audience, maybe something that took place even before your first appearance on the screen?

Just doing school plays was a big buzz. I had to fill in for another student in the senior play at my school when I was younger than the other students and even that early I recall the camaraderie of a (student) cast and feeling part of something special as a cast member.

“Sky Trackers”, which brought your first really well-known role, is definitely one of the “cult” series, especially for viewers who were teenagers or around their teenage years back then. It was very popular in Poland and still has a lot of fans here, too. It’s also one of my personal favourites so at the beginning I’d like to ask you about at least some of the secrets I’ve always wanted to know 😉 Let me start from the setting. Great landscapes plus the huge dishes of the space tracking station created a really impressive surrounding. Could you say a few words about the places where you filmed the series?

We filmed all of the exterior scenes in Narrabri in New South Wales in the first couple of months of the shoot. The whole cast and crew were moved there from Melbourne and Sydney and filled all the motels and hotels in the town. It was my first time working away from home and it was really good fun. Then we filmed the studio scenes in Melbourne (home for me) and further exteriors all around the state of Victoria. The whole shoot was 9 months.

What did you think of Nikki Colbert when you read the script for the first time? What was your first impression?

I remember thinking Nikki was a bit of a grump sometimes! She was cranky with her little sister and Mike quite a lot but I liked her sass and intelligence.

Do you remember the very beginning of the shooting? Which scene was that? How did the first day of filming look like?

I do remember it! We had had a couple of weeks of rehearsals with one of the directors and the “family” cast so we were familiar with each other but it was still different to be on set for the first time. I wish I could remember what the scene was about! I don’t but it was definitely on the balcony of the Colbert house.

How did you like working with Zbych Trofimiuk (Mike in “Sky Trackers”)? There was certainly a “screen chemistry” between you two.

Zbych and I fought like brother and sister! But both felt a genuine warmth and affection for each other. Particularly in years to come when we would bump into each other I know we cared about each other very much.

The relationship between the characters played by you and by Zbych Trofimiuk (Nikki and Mike) had some quite dramatic and intense moments. For you as a young actress, were those more intensive scenes (for example Niki quarelling with Mike) more difficult to handle? Were they more emotionally demanding?

The quarrelling was the easy stuff!

What about Emily-Jane Romig, your sister in the series? The screen relation between your characters came in every possible shade of emotions: from sweet sisterly love to periods of bitter resentment. How did your relationship look in reality? What kind of duo did you make on set?

I remember Emily-Jane with the fondest love. Remember she was only 9 at the time so she needed a bit of extra support and patience. She felt like a real little sister to me. She was a darling.

Did anything funny happen during the filming? If so, what was your favourite moment / situation?

I can’t remember now, I’m afraid…it was a LONG time ago!

In “Sky Trackers” you rode a horse, rowed a rafting boat and dived. Did you have to learn any of these skills in order to prepare for the filming? Or had you already had some experience in them at that time and making the scenes involving them was something that came naturally?

I was already able to ride a horse and row and dive enough to get away with it. As I recall the most difficult thing for me was looking competent on a bicycle! For some reason I’d rarely ridden as a kid and always wobbled along terribly in the show. The props guy would have to push me into shot so I’d have a bit of speed up and if you watch those scenes you’ll notice me wobbling along hopelessly!

The series dealt with some important issues. A few times it presented ecological problems and in one of the episodes the main characters and their friend discovered an ancient aboriginal site. Did you feel that you added your little share to changing people’s awareness?

I think as children we were pretty oblivious to the messages of the show beyond knowing it was educational. We were more interested in what we got to do in each episode!

In the last episode the viewers could see the grand finale when Nikki attended Space Camp and made her dreams come true accomplishing her training mission with the help of Mike. Did you have to prepare for this episode in any special way? Did you train any of the camp drills and exercises in advance?

I don’t remember having to be able to do anything too well for space camp except sing! I was a bit nervous about recording the song.

Which episode gave you most fun? And which one was the most difficult (as far as acting challenges go or maybe for some other reasons) for you?

I’m afraid I barely remember them now. I should try and track them down and have a watch!

Your character wanted to marry Keanu Reeves. Do you remember who your idol back then really was? Whose poster did Petra Yared put on the wall of her bedroom?

Johnny Depp, I think, would have been the one for me that early! A couple of years later I “loved” Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, too. I remember having their posters on my walls. And Take That! Robbie Williams…There were a few!

Soon after “Sky Trackers” you created another unforgettable role in “Mirror, Mirror” – the story of two girls from different ages whose paths cross beginning the story full of adventures and unexpected twists. Probably you’ve already been asked this question a thousand times, but maybe some people don’t know the „hair story”, so forgive me that I ask it 1001th time 😉 Is it true that you were supposed to play Michala Banas’ character from 1919 (Louisa), but because you had short hair when the filming was starting, you got the role of Jo from the 1990’s?

Yes, that kind of was what happened! I had auditioned for “Louisa” and then some time passed and I forgot all about it and chopped all my hair off (much to my agent’s dismay!) so they asked me to come back and audition for Jo.

How did you like working with Michala Banas?

Michala was lovely. Very sweet. We became close friends during the shoot.

You played the 20^th century character but please think for a moment about the world and the times your character moved to (1919). If you could take something (something material or inmaterial, like manners) from those times and bring it to our times, what would that be?

Perhaps a better relationship with nature and greater simplicity in our day to day life. Less social media and more face to face interaction!

In “Mirror, Mirror” you travelled back in time, but you also moved in time, so to speak, while studying for your degree, as you graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Could you say which subject, which epoch you were interested back then?

I mainly studied contemporary history, so the last 200 years or so. I ended up with a bit of a focus on the Middle East. Terrorism in modern conflicts and the Arab-Israeli conflict were two subjects I was interested in amongst others.

And if you could move back in time and start a new life in another historical period, where and to which times would you travel? And why?

I think the 1960s look pretty fun! Quite liberal and progressive and but somewhat innocently so.

Going back to the series mentioned before, do you keep in touch with any of the actors from “Mirror, Mirror” or “Sky Trackers”?

Michala and I cross paths a little. We are both living in Melbourne again now so we see each other at industry things, auditions etc occasionally. I think that’s about it from those very early days though. A lot of the cast of “Mirror, Mirror” were New Zealanders too so we lost touch a long time ago.

One of the things that “Mirror, Mirror” and “Sky Trackers” had in common were fantastic adventures. In “Mirror, Mirror” you travelled back in time and in “Sky Trackers” your character experienced an encounter with UFO. However, those weren’t your only encounters with fantasy and science fiction genres. Later you played in the TV version of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and in 2002 you appeared in one of the episodes of “BeastMaster” series (picture below). I’d like to talk a little about that last title. In your episode you had to move quite a lot, fight and work with animals. As for the physical / stamina side of your acting performance, you looked really well prepared for this challenge. Did you train, prepare in any special way for this role?

Gosh, no! I wasn’t particularly fit at the time and remember being mortified when I saw my tiny little costume and hadn’t been to the gym in a while! I absolutely loved working with the animals. Especially that monkey (although she did wee on me in a take once!)

Talking about working with animals, I can’t forget about the dog from “Neighbours”. Was it a good acting companion?

Those animals are terrific! So well trained and obedient. I love dogs so I’m always happy to work with them.

The landscapes we can admire in “BeastMaster” look really amazing. Where did you film that episode?

It was very beautiful. In tropical Queensland.

And what about other locations where you had a chance to work throughout your career. Was there any place you liked really a lot? Any place you’d like to return to if you had such a chance?

New Zealand is a very special place. I’d return there in a heartbeat. And as mentioned, beautiful parts of Queensland. But all throughout Australia I’ve found myself in lovely spots. And even unlikely shoots like I did a car ad once where I had to do absolutely no acting. I literally sat in the passenger seat as “the driver’s girlfriend” and we filmed it all over South Austrlia in the most beautiful locations in the state. It was such a pleasant (easy!) job.

Going back to “BeastMaster”, did anything dangerous or funny happen on the set of the episode you played in?

Not that I can remember. Sorry! Again, it was a long time ago. What I do remember is that September 11 happened during filming that. I had a terribly early call time (like 5am) and my boyfriend at the time rang and woke me up to tell me to turn on the TV.

As we’ve said, you had quite a lot to do with such genres as science fiction and fantasy. And do you like reading fantasy or science fiction books or watching films of these genres?

Not so much. I’ve watched a bit of “Game of Thrones”. Who hasn’t?! And am enjoying revisiting all of Harry Potter’s adventures with my children now but I wouldn’t say it’s a particular favourite for me.

1996 brought a series in which you appeared in one episode, but with a really impressive performance. In “Ocean Girl”, another fantasy / science fiction production, you played a blind girl with overprotective parents. How did you prepare to that role? And did that experience change your perception of blind people?

Yes, that was an interesting little role to play. I met with a blind woman and observed her and chatted with her which was helpful in preparation.

The nineties was also the time when you played in “Neighbours” for the first time. “Neighbours” is a series in which several great internationally known stars used to play, like Margot Robbie or Kylie Minogue. It’s also a hugely popular series with a large group of loyal fans. Why do you think it’s been so popular? What makes it appeal to so many people?

I don’t know what it is about “Neighbours” but I’ve had a ball both times I’ve been a cast member on that show. I suppose it’s relatable, dramatic in a non-threatening way and easy-on-the-eye!

Another title on your rich list of TV series roles is “The Secret Life of Us”. It has become an important series for the people of the generation it was portraying back then (young people – 20 something). What would you say let it steal the hearts of these viewers?

It was uniquely real and quite edgy for its time. The characters were all doing the sort of stuff we were all doing as twenty somethings in Melbourne then. The scripts were good and the cast were great. What’s not to like?!

Talking about your significant roles, I think one of them was also your character in “MDA”. You played Layla – a warm-hearted and funny character who had her own, special style – also as far as the way of dressing goes. She wore diverse classy clothes. Did you have any influence on the look of the character, the kind of outfits she was dressed in?

Our wonderful costume designer on the first series of “MDA” had a lot of fun with Layla! She was the only character who didn’t have to be in conservative, corporate clothes so the designer enjoyed dressing her! I remember she had friends at fashion school and she would occasionally use their designs. I loved Layla’s earring collection too! I remember one occasion when a different designer dressed Layla for an episode that I felt I needed to remind the department that even though she was colourful, she was also religious! Things were heading in a wacky, very sexy direction for a minute!!

And, looking back at your movies and TV series so far, which character’s costumes were your favourite ones? Which costume would you like to keep and take home if you had such a chance?

I kept quite a lot of Nikki and Layla’s clothes. You’re often allowed to if you’ve been a regular on a show. It’s a great perk! The most fun to wear are the period ones though. My “Mirror Mirror” dress and the costumes from a stage production of “Pride and Prejudice” I did were gorgeous.

Throughout your career you’ve already played several tough, resolute girls / women, starting from Nikki who consequently realized her plans and followed her dreams in “Sky Trackers” through Zoe from “Rescue Special Ops”, a tough woman who is not only good at guns handling but who’s also bringing up a 9-year old son on her own, to the lady – car driver Beryl Routledge in “The Doctor Blake Mysteries” (on the left). These are certainly the characters than can be role models for your female viewers. Have you ever had any messages from the teenage girls or women saying that your performance, the roles you created, inspired them or helped them in any way?

I have had a number of really lovely letters, emails etc from people who have been grateful, inspired or helped in some way or another by characters I’ve played. Often for totally unexpected reasons like they were very lonely and took solace in something one of my characters went through or they were young and religious and felt reassured by Layla being on a similar path or gay and loved seeing me play a lesbian in “All Saints”. It brings me great joy to hear those things although I have never thought of those things when I’ve been playing a character, only trying to make them appear truthful.

And did you yourself have any role model when you were a teenager?

I can’t remember who I felt inspired by in the media as a teenager. I’m far more aware of female role models on TV now that I’m raising a daughter and sometimes despair at the type of women celebrated in the media! But then we also have some terrific intelligent women on TV, too.

Playing positive heroines is one thing, but, on the other hand, you also had a chance to play nasty characters like Marcia Huntly in “The Genie from Down Under 2” (photo below). Some actors say that playing evil or nasty characters may be even more interesting than portraying positive heroes or heroines. From your experience, is it true? What do you think about it?

Yes, I’ve always enjoyed playing nasty. It’s fun!

We’ve been talking mostly about your screen roles, but I’d like to ask you also about your radio and voiceover experiences. From your perspective, how much does it differ from the film acting? What did it give you? How did it enrich you as an actress?

I love voice acting. It is quite liberating to free yourself from any consideration of how you look. In recent years with young children at home I’ve been mainly working in voiceover and it’s a different skill. Complementary to acting but a little different and I do love it, too.

When you have some time to sit with your children and watch a film or TV, what do you watch with them? What’s your family favourite now?

I’ve just done a long haul flight with my children and loved my 5 year-old daughter watching the original “Annie”, “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” and “Mary Poppins”! She loved them and they were some of my favourites when I was little. And my little boy is loving the Harry Potter films which I’m only seeing for the first time because I was all about the books when I was young.

Thank you very much for this ‘remote talk’. I’m really happy I had a chance to talk to you 🙂 And I hope we’ll see you in more great roles soon.

by Łukasz Garbol, August-October 2018

As usual, some useful links:

Petra Yared Official Website (great page, definitely check it!)

Petra Yared on Facebook

Petra Yared’s IMDb profile

I’d like to thank Daria, who runs Petra Yared’s official site, for all the help and support in making this interview and for the permission to use the photos  from her web page. Huge thanks, Daria! For the detailed information about the photos see the info below.

Most of the photos from Petra Yared official page
(once again big tahnks to Daria for the permission to use them):

Photo 1 Lisa Mann Creative Management website (courtesy of Petra Yared).
Photos 2 & 3 “Sky Trackers” Courtesy of the ACTF.
Photos 4, 7, 12 “Sky Trackers” – footage supplied by ScreenSound Australia, the National Screen and Sound Archive.
Photos 13 & 14 “Mirror, Mirror” – Courtesy of the Gibson Group.
Photo 16 capture from “Journey to the Center of the Earth” by Starman*.
Photos 19 “MDA” (ABC), capture by Starman*.
Photos 20 “The Doctor Blake Mysteries”, episode “The Open Road” (December Media).
Photos 21 from “The Genie from Down Under 2” set by Greg Noakes.
Photo 22 & 23 thanks to Petra Yared.

The rest of the photos:

Photos 5 & 6 are frames from “Skytrackers” (ACTF). Photos 8-11 – frames from “Sky Trackers” (ACTF). Photo 15 – a frame from “BeastMaster”, episode “Dispossessed” (Alliance Atlantis Communications,Coote Hayes Productions,Tribune Entertainment). Photos 17 & 18 – frames from “Ocean Girl”, episode “Gamma Level: Radioactive” (Jonathan M. Shiff Productions, Network Ten, Westbridge Productions)

All photo copyrights belong to their respective owners.

An interview with Robert J. Harris (the creator of “Talisman”, writer, storyteller)

If you think of the things that managed to become cult ones, one of them is definitely a board game called Talisman, played and loved by myriads of fans all over the world. One summer holiday afternoon, back when I was a kid, I opened the box with its Polish version inside and entered a completely new, amazing world, joining them myself. All those who play or used to play Talisman probably know the secrets of the game, others may have heard the title, but how much do we really know about its author? In my newest “remote talk” I had a chance to talk to the man behind it all – Robert J. Harris, the creator of Talisman, an accomplished writer, a great storyteller and interlocutor, as you can see for yourself reading this interview. What does Talisman have to do with school? Who could play Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the movie version of the game and which character would suit Emily Blunt? What was the first game that impressed Robert J. Harris? What are his favourite books, comics and films? How was it like working with Jane Yolen on young adult novels? And what on earth is “Quantum Fridge Audio”? The answers to all these questions (and even more) can’t wait to meet you, so don’t keep them waiting and start reading 😉

Łukasz Garbol: Imagine that someone is making a movie about you and they want to show the origins of “Talisman” and the moment when the idea to create it came to your mind. What would such a movie scene look like?

Robert J. Harris: It would just be a young man staring out a window deep in thought. To liven it up you’d have to use CGI to show all the heroes and monsters romping around inside his mind.

Is it true that Talisman was based on your earlier game, the plot of which was taking place at school? What was the aim of players in that game?

The game was set in my high school Morgan Academy in Dundee. It was called Rectocracy because the Head Teacher of the school was called the Rector. Each player controlled a teacher who moved around the outer region of the board collecting points. Each teacher had a special ability, e.g. the gym teacher added 1 to his die roll because he was fit and could move fast.

The squares in the outer region were all classrooms. When he had enough points the teacher moved into the inner region which were the heads of departments rooms. Finally, you made it to the centre of the board which was the Rector’s office.

By the way, what did you like most at school and what did you hate most back in your school days?

It was a pretty dull time. I wasn’t happy about being forced to play rugby.

When did you play a board game for the first time? Which game was that?

I must have played Monopoly because I know I made my own version of it set in my home town of Dundee.

Do you remember the first board game that really impressed you?

My favourite was called The Bugs Bunny Adventure Game, a race game in which Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester and Tweety made their way around the board. The fun but was you kept changing characters all through the game. I fist played it when out camping with my parents and my cousin George. I still play it today.

And what was your first contact with fantasy genre in general? Was that a book? Or a film? Or maybe something completely different?

Reading The Lord of the Rings. Some friends and I were members of a wargames club and played historical wargames with metal figures, usually with Greeks, Romans and Persians. We made out own rules for playing Lord of the Rings battles and this was long before anyone head of Dungeons and Dragons.

If someone who hasn’t played Talisman asked you, “What is it about? What do you do in this game?”, what would you say? How would you answer in one sentence?

Enter a fantastic world where you and your friends can be heroes or villains battling against monsters and ghosts to become the ruler of an enchanted land.

What were your main sources of inspiration when you created Talisman?

Playing D&D (Dungeons and Dragons – annotation by ŁG ). I wanted a board game you could just take out of the box and have an adventure as exciting as a role-play.

Who is your favourite character from the game?

Assassin.

Do you remember your best experience of playing Talisman? When and where was it? Who did you play with?

For a long time it was just something I played for fun with my friends before somebody suggested I get it published. I have very happy memories of my second visit to Games Day in London by which time the game was becoming something of a cult. It was my first chance to mix with enthusiastic fans and play with them.

Polish version of Talisman published in 1988 and in 1991 by Sfera had different illustrations than the original version, the illustrations created by Grzegorz W. Komorowski. Some players even say they prefer this version to the original one. Have you ever had a chance to see that Polish version, titled Magia i Miecz (Magic and Sword)? How do you like its visual side?

It’s great to see alternative versions of the characters and creatures.

By the way, do you have your favourite fantasy illustrators?

Chris Achilleos, Gary Chalk.

I know that Talisman inspired some of its players to try playing traditional RPGs. And what is your favourite role-playing game?

When I decided to run games as a games master, I used the Tunnels and Trolls system which I though was simple and fun. I added skills and other aspects to create my own RPG world. Much later I had great fun running games of DC Heroes RPG.

Which character class do you usually choose when you play role playing games?

Something roguish.

Let’s unleash our imagination for a moment. Imagine that someone offered you a chance to make a movie based on Talisman. Who do you think would be the perfect director for such a movie? Who would be the main characters and who would ideally play them?

I would get Kenneth Branagh to direct and it would star Dwayne Johnson (Warrior), Dolph Lundgren (Troll), Emily Blunt (Prophetess) and Mira Sorvino (Elf).

And if you were to choose your favourite films (of any kind), what would you pick?

Favourite films from my childhood are Zulu, The Long Ships, The First Men in the Moon. Some of my favourite films now come from the Far East: from Korea War of the Arrows and The Good, the Bad, the Weird, from Japan Black Butler and 20^th Century Boys.

Let’s get back to board games. You say that your children also designed their own games, that you helped them make their ideas come true and you later played them with the whole family. One of your sons created a game based on the popular movie cycle Fast and Furious. Do you remember what that game itself (and playing it) was like?

I remember that all 3 games worked well on the first play, but we didn’t push it after that. It takes a lot of work to create a game that plays out well consistently.

Board games have great myriads of fans all over the world. In Poland, for example, they are gaining more and more popularity among adults, too (which wasn’t so obvious several years ago). However, there are still some people who are sceptical about this kind of pastime. What would you say to them if you’d like to convince them to give board games a try?

Board games are a great way to have fun with family and friends, giving you all an immersive adventure but still leaving you free to talk and joke while you play. It is very sociable.

And, telling from your experience, which board game would you recommend as a good choice for playing something in the family circle?

Labyrinth, Riddle of the Ring. Sadly I don’t think Sorcerer’s Cave or Mystic
Wood is available now, but they are two of my favourite games.

You are known mostly as a creator of the games, but you are also an acknowledged writer. How did this part of your creative work begin?

When I first met my wife she was writing a fantasy novel. (It was her idea that we buy a D&D set, so she also inspired Talisman). When she became a professional author I would help out by roughing out some of the chapters. Our friend and fellow author Jane Yolen decided that I should write my own stuff which led to me writing eight teen novels with her. From there I went on to write my own books.

*And who were your favourite writers when you started writing your own stories?

I learned a lot from working with Jane Yolen and my Leonardo and Will Shakespeare novels were a continuation of the historical fiction she and I had been writing together. Diana Wynne Jones’ comic fantasies were the inspiration behind what became my trio of novels about Norse god Loki unleashed on modern St Andrews, where I live now.

My Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries are (obviously) inspired by Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. I have just completed my second novel for grownups featuring the further adventures of Richard Hannay, the classic action hero created by the great Scottish thriller writer John Buchan.

What about now? Whose books do you enjoy most?

I enjoy Dean Koontz’s thrillers, especially his Odd Thomas series. Mostly I read really old books, such as the classic mysteries of John Dickson Carr and am finally reading the classic novels of Sir Walter Scott.

Speaking of writers, I ‘d like to ask about J.R.R. Tolkien. In one of your texts available on the Internet you mention that when you were young fantasy consisted mostly of Tolkien’s books with introductions by Lin Carter and some old classic stories. Do you remember your first contact with Tolkien’s books?

I think I was fourteen when I discovered Tolkien. I remember reading the first chapters of The Lord of the Rings and realising that this was like nothing I had ever read before and that I was entering a whole new world.

And do you have your favourite Tolkienian books and characters? Maybe also particular favourite moments from the Professor’s stories?

I can only say that The Lord of the Rings is a work of true genius and more people should realise that what it is really about is the psychological battle against the corrupting power of despair.

Let’s talk a little more about your own books. Recently The Vanishing Dragon, the second book from the series about Artie (young Arthur Conan Doyle) has been published. What can your readers expect from this story?

Fun, adventure, twists and turns and an ingenious and constantly surprising mystery. Does that sound good?

Sounds absolutely awesome! Arthur Conan Doyle isn’t the only famous person being a main character of your books. You also wrote about the adventures of young Leonardo da Vinci and young Will Shakespeare. Is there any other famous real person you would like to make a character of your book?

I have a couple in mind but I’m keeping it a secret.

Your wife is also a writer. Do you two sometimes exchange ideas while working on new books? Is your wife your first reader and the other way round?

We discuss plots and she edits everything I write before it goes to the publisher.

Another important part of your literary work is writing about mythological heroes and gods. In Young Heroes cycle, created together with the famous fantasy writer Jane Yolen, you wrote about heroes from Greek mythology while in The World Goes Loki about Norse gods. Why have you chosen these particular mythscapes?

After our first collaboration Queen’s Own Fool was published, Jane was asked to write a series based on Greek mythology. Since my academic background was in classics she suggested we write these together.

When I started work on a novel of my own, I delved into my long time interest in Norse mythology. The original version of The Day the World Went Loki was the first solo novel I wrote but the third to be published.

And what was it like to work on those young adult novels with Jane Yolen? Was your cooperation full of idyllic atmosphere or rather like the “clash of the Titans”?

We always got on really well as our talents complimented each other. Even though it’s some years since we wrote together we are still the very best of friends.

Having written stories about Loki, how do you like the newest movie (although comic-based) version of Loki portrayed by Tom Hiddlestone in Marvel cinematic universe and his duet with Chris Hemsworth as Thor?

When I visit schools as an author I do have to make sure that the children understand that Marvel comics did not invent those characters and that my versions of them are different.

Thanks to Loki we went to another field of your creativity. I’ve read that during school times you used to make your own comics. What stories did they tell? Could you say a few words about the heroes you invented back then?

I always loved Batman comics, so I drew my own comics about my own hero the Owl who had an Owl Cave and an Owlmobile. Eventually I created my own world full of superheroes.

What about your favourite comics? What were the best titles you’ve ever read? Do you have your favourite characters from comic books?

My favourite have always been any title from DC featuring the Justice Society of America.

In the last several years many comic book heroes and heroines have been appearing on the cinematic screen. Which of the movie adaptations of comic books have been your favourite ones so far?

The three Captain America films.

They are among my own favorites, too. And is there any superhero or superheroine that hasn’t appeared on the screen yet and you would like to watch his / her adventures in a film / TV show version?

Yes, Booster Gold.

From the screen let’s move to so-called “theatre of imagination”. Together with a few more people you run “Quantum Fridge Audio – Podcasts for the People”. Could you introduce those who haven’t heard about it yet to this project? How did it come into being? And why did you decide on such a name for it?

Some years ago my friend Alan and I wrote some comedy shows for BBC radio. Later we developed other scripts we decided to do ourselvesand put them on the internet. We have four shows running now on our site Quantum Fridge Audio.

The name is a real scientific term but we use it to mean that your shows are so ‘fresh’ it’s like they just came out of a fridge.

Radio adaptations of famous sci-fi and fantasy books and radio series of these genres used to be very popular before the rule of TV began. I’m curious if you’ve ever listened to any of those classic radio shows – those British or American productions. If so, which of them are your favourite ones?

I am a great fan of old time radio and fortunately those old shows are all freely available on the internet. I have all the episodes of “The Shadow” and Sherlock Holmes (with Basil Rathbone).

And in general, do you think this kind of entertainment can still be attractive to the public nowadays? What can it offer that other media cannot?

I would recommend people today to listen to the old shows but also to go to Decoder Ring Theatre where they can hear the adventures of Canada’s greatest superhero The Red Panda, which are recent shows written by Gregg Taylor.

We’re talking during summer holidays – for many an opportunity to travel more. You had a chance to visit several different countries. Which of those visits was the most unforgettable? Which place did you like most? Maybe you will inspire someone to see these places next summer?

I would recommend anyone to visit Greece and in 2000 we had a family holiday in Florida which we still share memories of today.

Could you recommend our readers something worth reading and something worth playing this summer (or in the summer time in general)?

Read any or all of my books. Read the science fiction of Eric Frank Russell and the mysteries of John Dickson Carr.

At the end of our “remote talk” let me ask you a question of a different kind. Imagine that you are to leave your words forged on a magical stone that will not perish till the end of the days. What message would you leave for the posterity if you had such a chance?  

Being alive is a great adventure.

Thank you very very much for the talk. It was a true pleasure and honor 🙂

Check Robert J. Harris’ page and follow him on Twitter:

Harris Authors – the website of Robert J. Harris and Deborah Turner Harris

Robert J. Harris on Twitter

by Łukasz Garbol, August – October 2018

*If you quote the interview or use some information from it, please just give the usual credits: my name and / or the name of the blog plus the link to the interivew. Thank you 🙂

Photos of Robert J. Harris by Kirsty Nicol.

Photo of the Bugs Bunny Adventure Game: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/bugs-bunny-adventure-board-game-1849125763

Photo of Dwayne Johnson and photo of Dolph Lundgren by Eva Rinaldi
https://www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography/

Both under CC licence: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Photo of Mira Sorvino by Manfred Werner – CC by-sa 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

Photo of Emily Blunt by Pete Morawski
https://www.flickr.com/zenimagery/

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0

Photo of Magia i Miecz cover:

Magia i Miecz (SFERA) – zawartość pudełka

Book covers from Robert J. Harris’ Twitter, Amazon and GoodReads.

All photo copyrights belong to their respective owners.

An interview with Kara Conway (singer, songwriter)

After a long break I’m back with a brand new interview. I talk to Kara Conway – a young, beautiful and incredibly talented singer and songwriter from Scotland. She does not only record awesome covers of greatest hits by famous artists, like Amy Macdonald, Birdy, Bruce Springsteen or Adele, but also writes and sings her own songs. We talk about her inspirations, her favourite music, writing lyrics and unforgettable concerts. Kara will also share with you some ways to keep both your body and soul warm during winter. Check this promising artist because she definitely deserves more attention. I’m sure we’ll soon have a chance to hear about her more often.

The Christmas time is over, but here, in Poland, we traditionally sing Christmas carols till the beginning of February, so let me go back to Christmas for a moment. Do you have your favourite Christmas carols or Christmas songs? Do you sing any?

Ah, in the UK it’s the opposite; Christmas songs start playing right after Halloween and stop soon after Christmas day! My favourite Christmas songs are “Walking in the Air” and “Fairytale of New York”, though I used to sing in choirs so I know my fair share of carols!

We’re talking at the beginning of the New Year. Did you make any resolutions when the clock struck twelve and 2018 began? Could you share any of them with the readers?

I didn’t – I don’t really do the whole “New Year, New Me” thing!

And what about 2017? Were there any moments in music, any outstanding songs, albums or performances that will stay in your memory for long? Did you discover any interesting artists last year?

The album I listened to most was Lorde’s Melodrama! I also got to see a couple of my favourite artists live! Interesting artists … Kathryn Joseph and Jade Bird.

It’s my little tradition to ask artists about their beginnings. It may be a little difficult question, but maybe you’ll manage to find the answer in your memory: who was the first artist that impressed you when you were a little girl? What was your first favourite song back then?

I loved The Sound of Music so anything Julie Andrews!

And what about now? What are you mostly listening to? Which artists are the most often guests on your playlists?

Most often on my playlist would have to be: Graham Nash, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Amy MacDonald and Gabrielle Aplin.

Do you remember the very beginning of your musical journey? When was the first time you thought you would like to sing and make music?

I’ve played piano since I was little, but it wasn’t until I went to high school that I really got into music. While I was there I had two great music teachers that were really encouraging about the singing.

You sing, but you also play the guitar. Do you remember the first piece of music you learnt to play on your guitar? When was that?

It was Oasis’ “Wonderwall” and that was two and a half years ago!

And what was your first ‘bigger‘ performance like? A concert at school? A performance for your family or friends? Or maybe something completely different?

It was probably doing a solo performance at the school’s Christmas concert!

I remember that Birdy, one of the artists you cover, once sang some of her songs at Amsterdam Central Station, surprising the passengers waiting there for their trains. I was lucky enough to catch the final part of it and watch it live on Facebook. Have you ever sung in any unusual places or situations? Or maybe you have taken part in some unusual concert as a listener?

The most unusual concert I’ve been to was a Tommy Emmanuel one because we were watching him play guitar for a couple of hours – which you would think might get a bit much after a while – but he was just doing the most incredible things! It was amazing!

You’ve already covered several great songs, including “Wings” by Birdy, Amy Macdonald’s “This is the Life”or Bruce Springsteen’s classic “I’m on Fire”. When I listened to all of them one by one, I realized how diverse your choice was and how wide a palette of vocal possibilities you have. Which of the song you’ve covered so far has given you most pleasure, most satisfaction?

At the time they’ve all given me a sense of accomplishment. Some of the songs I had really liked and wanted to learn for myself, others I hadn’t been sure of but had been asked to do and ended up really liking them!

And what is on the top of your “must-sing” list as far as the future covers go?

Definitely some Amy Winehouse!

We’ve talked about your cover versions of famous hits. Let’s move on to your original songs. You’re not only a singer, but also a songwriter. What or who inspires you to write lyrics?

I’m inspired by things that have happened to me as well as people watching!

Could you share some of your writing process secrets with the readers and tell us in a few words the stories of the lyrics to “Dreamers in Disguise” and “Bitter”?

One was written on piano and the other on guitar! “Dreamers in Disguise” is about a couple of different things and “Bitter” is about someone I was frustrated with!

In both of your original songs available on YouTube there’s quite a lot of sadness and contemplative atmosphere, I would say (although, of course, I find also other emotional shades there). Is it the kind of mood you would like to stick to in your music, or are you planning to try also something completely different?

I think that was the right mood for those songs, but I don’t restrict myself to that.

By the way, can we count on your next original song any time soon?

Yes, there’s one going up very very soon!

Amy Macdonald, one of the artists you’re covering (and one of my favourite artists, too), won the hearts of the listeners all over the world when she was about 20. When you think of young Scottish singers, who would you say can be the next such a star? Of course I wish you to be one in the near future J But what about other young Scottish talents worth noticing?

Check out Sara ‘N’ Junbug!

Some of your fans wrote in the comments on FB that you should go to “X-Factor”. Have you thought about starting in this, or any similar, talent show? What do you think about such TV shows in general? Can they give young artists a chance to get some more recognition?

I’ve auditioned for “The Voice” before and didn’t get through, but it’s not something I had set all my hopes on – I think you have to be realistic about those sorts of shows. But yeah, there are a small number of people who have gone on to achieve great success from them.

If you were to imagine your inner musical world as a magical land, what would it look like? What would a traveller to such a land see while visiting it?

Lots of glitter!

And, in one sentence, what is music for you? 

Fun.

Apart from music, what do you love or like doing? What are your hobbies, passions? What do you do when you have some free time?

I love running and spin classes!

Coming to an end of our interview, I’d like to ask you about something different. We’re talking during winter and in some parts of the world this particular winter is really harsh. What’s your way to stay warm and healthy during winter’s freezing cold?

Warm cadies and hot water bottles!

That’s something for the body. What about the spirit? Which song (or songs) would you recommend to keep our hearts warm during wintry days?

I only discovered this recently, but Hannah Grace’s cover of “Praise You”!

Thank you very much for this “remote talk”. I hope more people will get to know about you and your music and I’ll be definitely looking forward for your new original songs and covers 🙂

Check Kara Conway’s YouTube channel, follow her on Instagram

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I used screenshots from Kara Conway’s YouTube clips and photos from Kara’s private archives (by her permission) – for which, and a chance to make this interview I’m really grateful – thank you so much, Kara 🙂 All photo copyrights belong to their respective owners.

by Łukasz Garbol, January 2018