Meg Washington on adapting How to Make Gravy, becoming an ‘art machine’ and voicing Calypso in Bluey
The Brisbane-based singer, songwriter and screenwriter on adapting a film version of a Paul Kelly classic, becoming an ‘art machine’, and voicing a teaching dog in ‘badass’ cartoon Bluey.
Brisbane singer, songwriter and screenwriter Meg Washington, 38, on adapting a Paul Kelly classic, studying Stoic philosophy, becoming an ‘art machine’ and voicing a teaching dog in ‘badass’ cartoon Bluey.
Preparing for my upcoming orchestra concerts is… feeling really good. Because I have so much jazz in my bones, I generally like to leave my shows quite unstructured, and with a lot of space for me to change my mind in the moment – but obviously, with 85 people who are all reading (sheet music), a symphony orchestra show is the complete antithesis of that. The last time I did some of these shows, I thought I was too young to do a “best of” (setlist), so I tried to do some new material. Now, I realise the reason everybody does that is because it’s the “best of”… options. (laughs)
While writing the script with my husband for a film adaptation of Paul Kelly’s How To Make Gravy… we really wanted to treat the song’s lyrics like texts – like Shakespeare – and to interpolate everything that is in the movie from that text itself. It was a bit like doing a Mr Squiggle, because there were all these existing elements that had to be true – and it was our job to connect them with some lines that create something that makes sense. I do consider what people will think, but we have a logic, and a way of explaining every decision we’ve made, that links back to the text and its origin.
My philosophy on designing music merchandise is… I only really make merch that I would want to wear, because I feel like if I would want to wear it, then other people might, too. Now I don’t even make merch with short sleeves; I just make everything with long sleeves, because I need to be sun safe, and I provide that service to everybody else, too. (laughs) I’m always thinking of your wellbeing.
The first money I made was… teaching a Tiny Tots singing class at a performing arts studio in the Redlands on Saturday mornings, when I was 14. I didn’t last very long. At 16, I also sang jazz standards at The Gap Coffee Club on Thursday nights. We would get a little bit of money, and we always got some sweet potato wedges and unlimited lemon, lime and bitters.
Becoming a parent has made me…an art machine. I think it was harder for me to be creative when I had all the time in the world to be creative. Now, because I only have between 9am to 3pm, I get it done. I’ve always loved the energy of a deadline, and I guess having a child in the picture is a perpetual deadline. It’s like that “world record” line they show on the swimming (TV broadcast): you’re trying to be always just ahead of it.
The dumbest thing I do for fun is… watch the shopping channel. We just laugh at people trying to sell you the sparkly rings, or the funny sandals, or the stupid appliance that you don’t need. I’ve never bought anything from them, but it’s so funny to me. Next time you see it, really sit down and imagine they’ve gone, “Lights, camera, action” – and then it’s you, and you’re there, trying to sell this “fantasy dream turquoise necklace” … What the f..k? (laughs) We’re on a rock in space, and this is what you’re doing?
I’m reading… Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday, who is a Stoic philosopher and writer who loves to talk about Marcus Aurelius and all the Stoics. We’ve been really enjoying learning more about that, and finding ways to incorporate that into our lives. Covid really brought a massive tidal wave of people to his door looking for something to believe in, myself included. (My husband) Nick (Waterman) reads Ryan’s Daily Stoic book every day, and will often tell me the “thought for the day”. He’s a light for us; we think he’s amazing.
When I was asked to voice a teaching dog named Calypso on the cartoon Bluey, my response was… “Sure man, no worries.” I usually say yes to everything Daley (Pearson, executive producer) asks me to do; it’s always something I’ve never done before. But I only got my (voice acting) lines, and I never had a sense of how exquisite the show was – until I watched an episode, just like everybody else. It’s just become more and more magical to me, and it’s been such a precious, wonderful thing to be part of. I am very proud of that show, and it’s really inspiring to see how badass they’ve kept it, and made it all from here (in Brisbane), and compromised nothing. I think that’s really rock ‘n’ roll.
Meg Washington performs with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra at Wrest Point in Hobart (January 30), the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at Sydney Town Hall (February 3), and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Hamer Hall (February 9).
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