Miriam, tell me a bit about your new show – how did it come about?
It’s a show that I wrote in 1989. It’s based on the life and works of Charles Dickens and I play 23 characters that tell this story. It’s a very personal show. It is my take on Dickens and I both love and hate him.
Why the hatred?
Because he was a real prick. He treated his wife very badly, he wasn’t a good father, he had violent arguments with people, he was very self-important and quite arrogant.
But there was another side to him too. He was a warm and loving man with many friends, he loved parties and social events, he was generous, an incredibly active do-er. He set up schools for prostitutes so he could teach them a living so they could leave the game and go on and make lives for themselves. He was the greatest writer in prose we have ever had I am absolutely sure about that. He had an amazing, fertile imagination – he created over 2,000 characters. But he was like two people: Mr White and Mr Black.
Are you playing any men as well?
Only two.
You’ve played men before haven’t you?
[Laughs.] They are very popular. I’ve only played men a couple of times but nothing seriously. I’m too fat to play men basically.
But your voice! It’s liquid gold…
Yes I can do them vocally but not physically.
You started as a soft porn voice artist and have played everything between that and a glowworm. Do any of those abstract characters come into play here?
[Laughs.] Well I certainly hope not. I’ve got a good, flexible voice. I use my voice to delineate character. I use my intelligence to show particular classes.
Do you think that resonates with Australians though?
I think Australia’s is very largely a classless society, but I think Australians are very interested in it, even if they don’t see them in their own society.
Do we have to brush up on our Dickens before seeing the show?
No! Audiences don’t need to know anything else except what I give them when they come into the theatre and the curtain goes up.
As an activist for gay and lesbian rights, what’s your opinion of the same sex marriage debate currently raging in the country?
I don’t want to get married. But I think it is not a matter of conscience, it is a matter of human rights. How dare somebody deny someone else the right to get married if they wish to? What difference does it make? If two heterosexuals want to get married does it affect me? Not in the least! It’s not a political matter, it is personal.
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