Creative Thursday Gilly Roche

This week's Creative Thursday interview is with theatre producer Gilly Roche.

SSH: Where abouts in the Southside do you live?
I moved to Battlefield in January but have lived in the Queen’s Park/Strathbungo area for the last five years. I work at the Southside Studios on Westmoreland Street in Govanhill.

SSH: What do you do?
My job is to create platforms where artists can share work, explore ideas, take risks and be bold. It’s also my job to support those artists all the way through that process – from the first idea to the final show and beyond!

I’m currently working on a project called Team Effort! which will bring together six artists from theatre, visual art and music for twelve months of collaboration, process sharing, workshops and ideas at the Southside Studios. The six Team Effort! artists are Debbie Hannan, Fergus Dunnet (www.fergus-dunnet.weebly.com), Kim Moore (www.kimikomoore.com), Martin O’Connor (www.martinoconnor.info), Rose Ruane (www.roseruane.co.uk) and Stef Smith (www.stefsmith.co.uk). Together, we’ll try to create a more connected creative community, a support network and a better understanding of each other’s practice.

SSH: What is your background?

I graduated from Glasgow University in 2006 with an MA in Hispanic Studies, during which I focussed on protest theatre in Spain under General Franco. After that, I went to work for six months with a political theatre company called the San Francisco Mime Troupe in California and when I returned, I started working with the National Theatre of Scotland and training to be a producer. I went freelance in 2012 and since then I’ve continued to work for NTS as well as other fantastic artists and companies like Random Accomplice, Jenna Watt, Fire Exit and Oran Mor. 

SSH: Tell us about your favourite piece of your work?

I’m ridiculously proud of all of the artists and audiences who have come together for the first two IF events at the Southside Studios. The artists have been fearless in embracing the invitation to try out unfinished ideas or new material and the audiences have been generous, warm and creative in their responses. 

SSH: Do you have any new work coming up?

very other Saturday in June, July and August, we’re holding informal evenings of theatre, music and visual called IF at the Southside Studios. They have a lovely, friendly atmosphere that allows artists to have fun and take risks.

The next one is on June 29th – more information at www.facebook.com/teameffortglasgow

SSH: What advice do you wish you'd had when starting out?

In 2011, the American journalist Robert Krulwich delivered a commencement address to the graduating class at Berkeley University and said this: 

“So for this age, for your time, I want you to just think about this: Think about NOT waiting your turn.

Instead, think about getting together with friends that you admire, or envy. Think about entrepreneuring. Think about NOT waiting for a company to call you up. Think about not giving your heart to a bunch of adults you don’t know. Think about horizontal loyalty. Think about turning to people you already know, who are your friends, or friends of their friends and making something that makes sense to you together, that is as beautiful or as true as you can make it.”

It’s a brilliant set of rules to try to make work by, I think.

SSH: What is your favourite creative blog/ website or other source of inspiration?
I found that Robert Krulwich commencement address at www.brainpickings.org - a veritable treasure trove of interesting and inspiring bits and bobs.

SSH: Tell us your favourite place in the Southside?

Ugh! This question would be SO easy if the hotly anticipated new Buddy’s BBQ restaurant in Strathbungo was open. As it is, I’m going to go for Queen’s Park in its entirety. The walk through it to get to work in the morning, the sunny Sunday afternoon picnic/nap, kicking leaves in autumn and sledging in the snow.

SSH: Name another Southside creative whose work you admire?
Apart from the six, bold and brilliant Team Effort! artists, I’ve got to go for Caroline Newall. She’s Director of Artistic Development at the National Theatre of Scotland and she’s mentoring me throughout my work on Team Effort!. She’s an incredibly creative producer, she works tirelessly for the artists she supports and she can play Frisbee in six-inch high heels.

SSH: If money was no option what would you change about the Southside?

I’d reclaim all of the amazing disused buildings and turn them into fringe arts spaces: the Printing Works at the bottom of Pollokshaws Road; the old White Elephant cinema in Shawlands; every semi-derelict primary school, every shop front, garage and warehouse. We’d make the Southside feel like New York or Berlin. But better, because we’ve got chips and cheese. 

SSH: Tell us one other interesting fact about you?
My name (spelled “gili”) has an unfortunate meaning in Spanish. Google it.