For creatives, being flexible about work is always a plus. Dane Quixall, Stewart Charlesworth and Kristin Atherton are three British actors who have taken the leap of leaving the UK for jobs – and ended up on cruise ships, Cats and the Austrian stage. They talk about the pros and cons of acting abroad...
Dane Quixall is a swing on the German tour of Cats...
I saw the video of Cats when I was 16 and it changed my life.
For the last 10 years I’ve been working to get this job. I paid a lot of money to do my auditions – £1,000 to fly to Vienna, Dusseldorf and Hamburg, and for singing and German lessons, but it all worked out in the end. Out here they really look after you – hotels, coaches to take us to and from places, and no tube strikes! I’m in a Cats bubble.
When I auditioned I’d learnt a lot of the show and I think they were impressed I’d made the effort. My German was awful, but the fact I’d made the effort to learn the show helped them know I was willing to work at it. You can never prepare enough.
The biggest culture shock is the language. I tried to buy a train ticket to see my friend in Wicked in Bochum and I missed the show, because I couldn’t understand the machine. My German lessons only helped me with the show. I still can’t order from the bar, but I can sing Skimbleshanks or The Naming of Cats for you!
Stewart Charlesworth is a performer on the cruise ship Seabourne Odyssey...
If someone offered you $5,500 a month to travel to hot exotic places, eat gourmet food and do something that you loved, would you take it? That’s my life. Yes, it’s a hard graft to begin with, as you have six solid weeks of rehearsals, but the rewards are amazing.
I decided to come on board as I am saving for my mortgage – where else could I save so much money tax-free? We earn slightly more than performers in town or on tour, and have no outgoings. I get paid to play – we also have the opportunity to go on tours, zip-lining in the rainforests in Chile, or jungle tours in the Amazon.
The biggest adjustment, after dealing with the motion, is the realisation that you can’t escape. The ship is your life. Routine things like cabin inspections and boat drills can be quite bizarre to begin with, but you soon learn how it all works.
On the Odyssey, you’re not just a singer – you’re a major part of the entertainment team. You pitch in and do deck games and bingo every now and then. You are never off duty. That’s fine, but some days you just want to read your book and sit in the sun.
Kristin Atherton spent last winter starring in The Woman in Black in Vienna...
Like most actors, I go wherever I am lucky enough to get a job – I auditioned for jobs in London, Manchester and Austria, and got the one in Austria!
Working abroad is a useful thing to do because it gives you the opportunity to experience a new culture and have adventures, while having the stability of a job. But be aware that UK casting directors can’t see you in shows and the contacts you make will be mostly outside the British theatre industry.
The laidback attitude took me by surprise – in the hotel, you can tell them that your hot water isn’t working and it’ll be days before the problem gets sorted. The hardest thing is being out of contact with people at home. Mobile providers charge a fortune, so I resorted to phone cards, email and letter-writing.
Go with an open mind, don’t let the little differences frustrate you too much and don’t expect things to be the way they are at home, and you’ll have an amazing time. Bring a few home comforts, bond with your cast, and remember to keep some time for yourself.
Image courtesy of timeyres on Flickr.
