Interview of Megan Wilding by Freya Bennett // photo by Giulia McGauran
Hi Megan, how are you today? Where are you speaking to us from?
Yaama. I’m good. Tired. Just finished a great day of rehearsals and cooked some pasta in my little apartment in Melbourne.
What inspired you to write Game. Set. Match., and how did the idea of a two-hander rom-com with a dark twist come about?
I wanted to have a conversation that didn’t hold back. Two people who are there to flirt, fight, and finish it. Not afraid to have opinions. I wanted to write something that felt like one of the best dates you’ve ever been on, with chemistry, heat, and banter, but then completely punched you in the guts. I didn’t want to shy away from the scary stuff.
Tell us a little bit about the character Ray. How did you approach writing Ray’s voice and navigating her dynamic with Joshua?
Ray is in her late 20’s and on the precipice of greatness. She has decided to finally go after the thing she has wanted her whole life. She is flirty. She is fun. She is fierce. And she is braver than I’ll ever be. Finding her voice was an interesting process, it’s a combination of me, the matriachs that came before me, and my sisters that surround me today. Ray is the anchor of Game. Set. Match. She came first and then Joshua. It’s been fun to have them both challenge each other because they’re both so stubborn.
How do you maintain that tension between comedy and the unexpected “sucker punch” ending?
I like to think about things as reflections. The height of the mountain must also be the depth of the roots. If we can go one way we can go the other. And as long as everything is rooted in truth, real truth, the balance maintains itself.
As a proud Gamilaroi woman, are elements of your own experience or perspective reflected in Ray or the story?
Yeah, I mean, I think I write from a place where my heart bleeds into the text. I think it’s always going to be that way. In some ways she is an absolute reflection and in others she is nothing like me. I think Ray could be every Aboriginal woman. I think she is. She’s got the heart of a matriarch.
You’re both the playwright and lead actor, how does performing your own script change the way you approach the character or the play overall?
It’s hard. I feel like I’m constantly having conversations with myself and both the actor and the writer are making valid points. My director, Jess Arthur, and I have a system in place where we tell one of them to stay at home until the end of the day. I feel like as I’ve gone further into rehearsals though the actor has started leading. New writing needs bold choices. So we’re just trying to negotiate that at the moment. It’s hard, but can I let you in on a secret, I love it ☺
How does it feel to open your new play in Melbourne, and what excites you most about performing at the Malthouse?
I’m so excited!!!! Malthouse feels like Game. Set. Match. I feel like it couldn’t have had it’s debut anywhere else. Game. Set. Match is a vibe and I think Melbourne is a vibe. I love every time I’m down in Naarm. I think it’s correct. Did I mention I’m excited?
Megan Wilding appears in Game. Set. Match. from 1 May. Tickets available via Malthouse Theatre.
