The Tempest - Steampunked!

Name and Role: John Galea – Director/Producer.

Plug your show! Steampunk Tempest will explore the contemporary theme of the unnerving ubiquity of technology. It will expose the trap that our love affair with technology and control can create, by setting the classic play in the context of a Jules Verne-esque world, filled with whimsical but eerily threatening machinery.

Where did the idea for your show come from? I've been playing around with the idea of doing The Tempest for the last 10 years. I originally wrote a feature film script, using Shakespeare's original text, but set in a more traditional sci-fi universe. I had trouble getting it to fly, so I put it away and concentrated on other projects. This year I found the resources to mount my own independent theatre production, and The Tempest seemed like a natural choice. I discovered the Steampunk scene through creative friends and via the comics of Alan Moore. I realised that there was a whole subculture who were really excited about seeing Shakespeare in this old-but-new stylistic milieu.

What have the past few months or so been like in the lead-up to Fringe? Exhausting but amazing. How from virtually nothing we've gathered a superb team of creative artists and technical wizards who are all learning from and teaching each other. I've been amazed at the goodwill behind the show, and the odd coincidences, which seem to keep bringing us exactly the resources we need when we need them.

Artistically what inspires you? It might be easier to give examples – here's a short and slightly random list: fractal geometry, Pearl Jam, Sufi spirituality – Rumi, Hafiz, Nasruddin, Nikola Tesla, origami, The Empire Strikes Back, ancient and medieval poetry, Carl Jung, Terry Pratchett, M-Theory, Indigenous art, Shakespeare (obviously!).

What the most cringe-worthy thing you've seen on stage? Myself when I was 16 attempting a US accent in a school production of Guys & Dolls.

What other shows are you looking forward to at this year's to Fringe? Definitely want to see Bard To The Bone. Alarum is tickling my fancy too.

What excites you about being involved in the Sydney Fringe 2012? The thrill of generating something from scratch, the grassroots energy behind indie productions.

WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday 29 August to Saturday 8 September, Sidetrack Theatre