Shakespeare? To be honest, I was a little out of my depth! I’m about as cultural as Vegemite mixed in with 2 Minute Noodles (gourmet cooking, right?). Regardless, I was keen to learn more about Actor, Director, Improviser and Shakespeare enthusiast Oliver Burton. It was time to dive into a world that I know very little about.

Graduating from The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA),  Oliver is best known for his acting, theatre performances and involvement in companies and projects such as The Post-Haste Players, Sport for Jove, and Impro Australia’s Theatresports School Challenge.

In addition to the world of creative arts, Oliver is a voice artist, MC and host for various projects and events. He has a diversified portfolio of work and he’s always ready to take on the next opportunity that comes his way.

We hung out at Oliver’s apartment in Sydney chatting about his earlier beginnings, his desires to be creative, and the hustling he does to make ends meet. This is all to ensure he lives the life of his choosing on his own terms.

In addition, we spoke about his love of Shakespeare. As noted earlier, my knowledge of Shakespeare was NIL and I was prepared to be completely left in the dust. Despite my apprehension, Oliver’s passion and hunger to present Shakespeare in a more modernised way for more people to enjoy was absolutely infectious. I came out of this chat with a whole new respect for English literature and I hope many of you will also be able to feed off Oliver’s energy and excitement, with a desire to discover more.

This is another great example of what my podcast is all about. Stepping outside the comfort zone, talking to new people and discovering that we all have an interesting story. Despite our interests being in different areas, we can all share perspectives and connect in ways that we may never have previously expected. Keep it coming, I say!

PS: I received a text from Oliver a couple of days after our chat – “For your interest, I picked the paid development in the end and will put the proceeds into a short film I’m writing. Make of that what you will :)” – This will make more sense after you listen to the episode!

Show notes

Contact Oliver – Main Website | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter |
The National Institute of Dramatic Arts – Oliver’s Profile

Literature recommendations from Oliver;

• A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro – Get the Kindle here.
• Year of the King by Anthony Sher – Get the Kindle and Paperback here.

The Post-Haste Players – Main Website | Facebook |
Sport for Jove – Main Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Google + |
Impro Australia’s Theatresports – Main Website | Facebook |