What shows or projects have you done with ETT?
Reasons to Stay Alive
Where is home for you?
London
Where is your home away from home?
Yorkshire
How did you bring home with you on tour?
I brought myself. Home is where you happen to be.
Which city was your favourite to visit on tour with ETT?
Bristol
What gem did you discover on tour with ETT (could be a landmark/park/cafe/pub etc)?
Printed Goods in Bristol.
Touring is important because all audiences have the possibilities to be provoked, inspired and affected.
“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage”
Which artist(s) do you most admire and why?
Bob Fosse- The vision, diversity and boldness of his work.
What music inspires you?
All types. Daft Punk to Nina Simone, Rachmaninov, Rufus Wainwright, Benjamin Clementine to Joan as Police Woman.
What piece of writing or quote inspires you?
At the moment, James Baldwin’s writing and, as a quote, “to create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage” – Georgia O’Keeffe
What, for you, makes a good piece of art?
An engaging relevance that effects an audiences way of seeing.
What have been your career highlights so far?
Highlights are good but I try and look at my career as an ever evolving process of learning. If that is happening then it is a highlight.
If you were cast away on a desert island, which 5 plays would you take with you and why?
5 new pays! Unseen and unread.
What would you say to emerging artists to encourage them to take their work on the road or join an ETT tour?
The way work is received and changes from place to place is a really valuable experience. This, alongside the incredible support from ETT and the team, make the road less travelled more fruitful and engaging.
Window or aisle seat?
Aisle
Favourite way to travel?
Walking
If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?
To be able to make humans experience others lives in a split second in order to cultivate more empathy.
Our industry is currently experiencing an incredibly challenging time. Do you have any recommendations for others of how to stay hopeful and creative during this time?
The challenge is to keep going anyway you can. Keep talking, keep relationships and ideas flowing in anyway you can.
Further reading:
www.jonathan-watkins.com
Twitter @justwatkins
Insta jonathan_watkins_
