For anyone who eats vegemite, listens to ABC radio, and likes a good yarn, then Melanie Tait is the best friend you wish you had. Indeed, as I sat down to chat with her in the cosy surrounds of the Lonsdale Street Roasters, I felt like I was sitting down with a long lost girlfriend.
Melanie gained success as a playwright, authoring the comedy theatre production The Vegemite Tales, which has been touted as Australia’s answer to Friends. Taking her passion for storytelling, Melanie created Now Hear This; a fabulous night where eight members of the public share their extraordinary real life tales. Amelia Drew chats with her.
Amelia Drew: For those who don’t know, how did Now Hear This come about? And how did you get involved?
Melanie Tait: I am a massive podcast listener and I fell in love with a podcast called ‘The Moth’. For years I was trying to find a way we could do something similar on the ABC. I had one friend in mind who had a spectacular story on breast implants, so I knew she had to be our first person… Then one day it struck me; a story telling night! It all came to me: we’d video it, and it’d be an ABC event. So I took it to my boss, and without even thinking about it, she said yes. I think we just knew it was going to be great so we wanted to commit to it. Since then it’s changed, and evolved. The first time I don’t think we heard all the stories beforehand. They just got up on stage and did it… There were a couple of mistakes made. So next time we decided that we’d audition everybody. If a politician decides they want to be a part of it, they have to audition.
AD: Do you ever reject anyone?
MT: It’s not a case of liking or disliking them it’s a matter of, if it fits. For example the last one, ‘The First Time…’ we had four different people telling first time travel stories. They’re all great stories, but I had to pick one… I love Now Hear This. I would love to do it as my job! It is so fun and it’s a lovely night.
AD: Not to play favourites, but was there a stand out act from the latest Now Hear This?
MT: They all worked so hard, but the work that Ben O’Reilly did on his story was remarkable… When you think about it there is nothing that incredible about hair extensions. But now that story wouldn’t be out of place in a great short story journal, because he just made such a go of it. But they all worked incredibly hard, and all had their own individual merits… This is what I love about Now Hear This, is that it’s almost a stand-up comedy, but there is a real depth to all the stories.
AD: In 2012 the You Are Here festival – Canberra’s independent and experimental art festival — and Now Hear This have come together; was this a natural collaboration?
MT: Yeah it feels like a natural fit. I really like what they [You Are Here] are doing…What we really loved about coming together is that we’re sure half that audience last night was You Are Here, so it brought in a whole new crowd. One of the reasons I really wanted to join with them was to have access to a new audience, and for new people to come along and fall in love with it.
AD: The You Are Here festival has had a wide range of artistic events on over the last eight days. Have you been to many of the events, and if so, what have been your favourite?
MT: I’ve been to several of the visual art events and I think that this community’s visual arts scene is just incredible. Anything that George Rose has done I go and see and love. I went to Petite Public Art, which I enjoyed. It is such a brilliant idea by festival Co-Producer Yolande Norris. I managed to slip into the debate [We Gotta Get Out Of This Place] and I thought it was amazing. I think you could open the whole festival with that debate. I felt so excited to be in Canberra… I thought the whole program was amazing.
AD: Last year Now Hear This held four events, do you have any more planned?
MT: There is another one planned for May. We’re about to confirm the date.
AD: Finally, any ideas on a possible upcoming theme for Now Hear This?
MT: No. But one I’d love to do would be to do, ‘The Last Time…’ Except, I don’t want to jinx it and have that be the last time we do Now Hear This.
Brains behind now hear this? Really? Now hear this is a complete rip off what is already being done by National Public Radio in the US.
Er yes Ronald .. and I think she mentions this in about the second par ! But its onle thing to enjoy what is done elsewhere, but its another thing to be bold enough to start it up from scratch in a new place. I think Mel should be applauded for recognising the inestimable worth of raw stories and channeling her creative talents into making Now Hear This a reality in Australia. May it spread beyond Canberra and Sydney.