sustained theatre

Candy Bowers is a Sector artist who explores the culture of hip hop through theatre

Candy Bowers is a writer, hip hop artist, social innovator, actor, director, arts worker, theatre maker, lyricist and social activist. Her dream is for the Australian stage, page and screen to be a place where everyone feels comfortable.

She came to Britain a few weeks ago as a result of the British Council 'Realise Your Dream Award' that supported six Australian artists to take up cultural leadership, travelling to Britain to connect, develop and grow their experiences as artists.

Sustained Theatre first met with Candy Bowers in Manchester as part of the Sustained Theatre South African poets masterclass workshop, a key part of the national 'Beyond Words' tour. Back in Australia, Candy provides everyone with a unique insight to her life, creative focus and spark that can be read below.

Candy Bowers Background WebLinks;

• New Work developed by Candy Bowers in association with Marion Potts of Minds Eye (credits: Resident Director Sydney Theatre Company, Theatre Board of the Australian Arts Council) a Bell Shakespeare Hip Hop version of 'As You Like It'
• Australian Stage review of 'Whose that Chik?' at the Melbourne Fringe Festival
• Australia Arts Hub Review of 'Whose that Chik?'
• British Council 'Realise Your Dream'
• For more new content from North West Sector Artists click this link; ONLINE: Sustained Theatre North West Regional Hub

'Chik Chik Chik' its Candy from Australia...

''I am an Australian Artist of South African heritage. My dominant bloodlines are Black African and Chinese Malaya with a some French Indian and German blood going three or four generations back. My father was born in Zimbabwe and my mother came from Kimberly in South Africa. My grandfather, Sonny Leon, was an important figure in the political history of the country. He was one of the first Coloured” (mixed) politicians in South Africa and held office as the Leader of the Labor Party in the early 70’s. Growing up with the cultural politics of South Africa in your background and the cultural politics of Australia in your foreground makes for some steady contemplation around the themes of identity and colour, to say the least. It has not been an easy ride growing up black with an afro and big dreams Down Under.

I was born in a small town called Dandenong (Victoria), my mum and dad migrated from South Africa in 1973 and moved to the upper-working class suburb just before I came along; the last of three girls. My sisters and I were very creative and our mother nurtured our talents, signing us up for dance class and art competitions, public speaking and guitar lessons. (Here's a nice slice of music from Candys sister,Via Tania from her album 'Moon Sweet Moon'. Now in the USA she should be touring the UK this new year. Click here for more Via Tania)

Frankly my parents really need to stop complaining that we all became Artists because they set the ball rolling during our childhood. My mother would argue that she was just trying to give us a range of experiences because they were not available to her growing up in South Africa, adding “only the really light skinned girls were allowed in Ballet Class back home…” Our mother constantly complains of sleepless nights worrying about the inconsistencies of the industry, yet she is always front and centre at our shows with lots of advice (from dramaturgy to costume design) so perhaps in the words of William Shakespeare: “the lady doth protest too much.”

It has taken a mammoth amount of resilience and self-belief to continue to work as an Artist in Australia where the industry is small and the racism is great. In 2001 I graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) into an industry that had no interest in me.

I did not receive an Acting Agent and on ringing directly was told, “we already have one black girl and she doesn’t get any work, what’s the point of taking on another?” So that was it! The front door of the industry was not open to me and I quickly learned that the windows and back door were also bolted shut. My entry into the scene can be likened to smashing through the skylight and once you make a mess like that, you really have to keep blowing things up!

Eight years later, I have worked as a writer, performer and director across the commercial and community arts sectors. I have taken original work to Edinburgh Fringe Festival, produced a hip hop comedy show for Australian and New Zealand pay-television (SHE TV Channel V Foxtel) starred in breakthrough productions of black theatre and continue to be a very loud protest voice about the lack of colour on the Australian stage, page and screen.

In 2008 I was one of six young Artists to receive a British Council 'Realise Your Dream Award'. This particular award is about leadership and creating links between the UK and Oz. My plan was to observe and make connections with other black artists and organisations that would inspire and influence my mission to bring the Aussie industry into the 21st century; to begin building structures whereby people of colour can work, see themselves reflected and feel welcome.

I set off on October 11th and landed home on November 20th 2009….

My trip was a mix of spoken word and physical theatre; drop in drama classes, hip hop Shakespeare, workshops and devised work, poetry and chats. Between London and Manchester some of my highlights were the Dare2Dance: B Supreme all-girl dance contest, Benji Reid’s The Devil has Taken Quentin’s Heart, Inua Phaze Ellams’ The 14th Tale, Make-Believe by Quarantine Theatre and meeting the Poet Laureate of South Africa, Keorapetse Kgositsile along with Lebo Mashile, Don Mattera and Phillippa Yaa De Villiers who performed their poetry for Theatres 'Beyond Words' tour…. on this I must elaborate.

I mentioned my cultural heritage earlier- my grandfather- my family history…it is difficult to express the emotions I went through on meeting the South African poets from 'Beyond Words'. I took Don Mattera’s workshop the day before the show at Contact Theatre in Manchester and from the moment I sat down my spine began to tingle. Don’s approach was simple- before one can write, before one can be a poet one must “find thyself, know thyself and love thyself.” The spirituality of this teaching hit everyone sitting in that workshop deeply and the atmosphere was tangible. As it turned out Don knew my grandfather well, they’d been in politics together and he saw the family resemblance…my Chinese eyes and round cheeks belong to the Leon side of the family. Don asked each of us “what we want more than anything else?” He said every poet has a mission and that it is linked to self-love and self-knowledge. I have always known what I want. I want to live and work as and an Artist, a poet, an actor, director and writer in an industry that embraces me, that acknowledges my culture that sees the beauty of diversity-

I want an industry of colour

Empowering the other brothers

Nurturing the creamy boys

And promoting the brown Mamas

Writers, Rappers, Artists, Actors, Lovers

I yearn for the rhythms no longer undercover

The beats, the breaks, the notes, the tones

Is what l hunger

Is what l hunger

Is what l hunger

The real Australia for the all world to see

I want to believe and breathe diversity

Believe they’ll be a time beyond the bigotry

So deeply entrenched and so difficult to see

So constant and yet so hard to perceive

I’m holding up a mirror l’m down on my knees

Please

The masterclass workshop with Don Mattero is were I learned about Sustained Theatre and the part that it had played in bringing Beyond Words to the UK. I was trying to imagine what life would have been like if my dad had chosen the UK instead of Australia…imagine being in a country that has Black Heritage month and companies and organiations that believe in black work.

I share the mission that Sustained Theatre are active in achieving, that is to ensure “…artists transform the future of our national arts landscape to reflect the diverse, rich and vibrant talent that exists in….” my country Australia. I am part of many discussion groups and initiatives that support black Artists in Oz, but frankly the country is so far behind it is clear to me that we need to strengthen the bonds between our nations in order to make the dreams of black Artists across the world a reality.

It is going to take some evenings on the back stoop with my notebook, dinner party discussions with friends and well planned meetings of minds before I have reached a full understanding of what I learned during my five week stay in the UK. I have indeed been inspired- so big love and thanks to all of the Artists and Facilitators, Producers and Arts Worker's who performed, educated, wined and dined with me on my trip…. I thank the British Council for identifying me as an Artist and Cultural Leader who will make a change in Australia. I see the light, the path and the necessity for an ongoing connection!