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Interview with Kiruna Stamell
Born in Australia but now based in Britain. Kiruna began her career as a dancer many years ago in Australia, training with the Berryl Ellis Dance Studios (later known as Ultimate Dance) and then continued at the University of New South Wales. In 1999 she got her first gig when she made her début in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge.
She used the pay cheque to move to England and study Shakespearean and Jacobean Theatre at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art over the summer. Years in the theatre have followed, working extensively in Britain, Europe and Australia.
What or whom influenced you to become an artist?
Having dwarfism was a huge influence for me. I think because I meet so much social discrimination because of my height I learnt very early on how my body was politicised. I explore this in my work as an actress, dancer and theatre practitioner, even if the work isn't about my disability because I am recontextualising my body and redefining it amongst a new set of given circumstances, character, situations and stories ... I transcend people’s confined ideas about my body by repositioning it socially and circumstantially ... maybe a doctor in one show or a lawyer in the next or playing a mother and a lover ... it repositions the constant reality and gets the audience to redefine their narrow view of what 'someone like me' is capable of or where were might exist in society.
Where do you do practice and how much time do you spend on your work?
I practice full-time in Britain, although I am Australian born and raised, there are more opportunities for me in Britain and Europe. This year I'll be dancing with and integrated dance company in Stockholm as a contemporary dancer, acting with Graeae Theatre Company (an integrated theatre company), performing with Ricky Gervais on BBC One in his new sitcom (Life's Too Short) and developing myself in my new field of expression – standup comedy – whilst developing Coffee and Sheep a one-woman theatre piece about a delusional woman/writer.
How do you develop your ideas and receive feedback on your work?
I have close ties to the disability arts community in Britain which gives me support via my peers, but it is also much better funded than Australia's scene. Disability is recognised as being a cultural experience and valued as such. I work closely with my boyfriend who is a professional standup comedian. I get feedback from my agent and audiences. I also use my blog, facebook and twitter to gauge opinion of my work and practice.
What did you do to build skills and confidence as an artist early in your career?
I studied at university and took as many courses in acting and dance as possible. I met a lot of discrimination from the major drama schools here [in Australia] who openly said there weren't many dwarf roles, I should stick to performance art. So I left Australia and have found huge success in Britain appearing in two major television programs: the BBC’s Heart and Soul and Channel 4’s Cast Offs, both showing in Australia and having a lead in both – unfortunately most Australians don't realise I am Australian. Travelling to Britain and making my career over here has been the biggest confidence boost. Sadly I wish I could establish this success in Oz.
How do you go about getting your work out there?
I get my commercial work, like Channel 4 and the BBC, through my agent and by auditioning. My self-directed work is greatly supported by DaDaFest, the international disability arts festival and the Arts Council. My standup work is much easier, as it is my words and a microphone, where I am struggling a little with this, is you really require a car and I don't have a modified vehicle I can drive in Britain and as I am aging my mobility is lessening: my support for this is back in Oz.
What are the challenges in your practice and how do you work to address them?
Discrimination. I pride myself on having a CV which is diverse and I tend to avoid dwarf-specific roles unless the character is well rounded. You wouldn't find me in a pantomime ... but the money for standing in a nightclub and being gawped at is huge, yet I have ethics and would never do that. My biggest challenge is financially maintaining those ethics, as I find the downtime between jobs difficult, as I meet as much discrimination going for a temping job as I do going for a non-disabled/non-dwarf role.
What advice do you have for someone starting out as an artist with disability?
Only do it, if you cannot see yourself doing anything else! Also be prepared to do it on your own without support for a long time, particularly in Australia. I hate to say it, but I would recommend going to a more developed country like England which sees the value in the disabled experience, and sees it as enriched culturally – get some credits to your name then return to Oz, where you might received recognition and your work valued as more than purely therapeutic or basket weaving.