Lindsay Farris

Lindsay Farris
Born	(1985-10-18) 18 October 1985 Sydney, Australia
Occupation	Actor, author, director, musician.
Years active	Since 2002
Website	lindsayfarris.com

Lindsay Farris is an Australian-born actor, author, musician, voice over artist and entrepreneur who has been labelled as one of the young guardians of theatre.^[1]

Personal life and training

Farris grew up on the New South Wales Central Coast where he trained as a classical pianist from the age of five. He went on to attend the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music and Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, representing both institutions in numerous performing arts festivals and competitions around Australia. Farris commenced his acting training with the New South Wales State Drama Company, touring to Sydney, Europe and England performing in A Property of the Clan and The Norman Conquests. He continued his training with the National Institute of Dramatic Arts Young Actors Studio, and then went on to hone his craft under the tutelage of directors on set and on stage.

Career

Acting – Stage

Farris has an extensive background in Australian theatre having worked for several leading Australian theatre companies including the Sydney Theatre Company under Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton's Artistic Direction, La Boite Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, The Production Company and Christine Dunstan Productions.

Farris' recent theatre credits include the critically acclaimed^[2][3][4][5] title role of Hamlet in Sport For Jove Theatre Company production at the Seymour Centre for which he received a 2012 Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in an Independent Production.^[6] Farris received rave reviews with iconic Sydney arts reviewer and co-founder of the Sydney Theatre Awards Diana Simmonds stating "Lindsay Farris' Hamlet is the most electrifying, memorable, sustained and intelligent realisation of the tragic Prince of Denmark I've ever seen".^[7] In 2011 he appeared in the Australian premiere of Anthony Neilson's play Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness, a co-production between the Sydney Theatre Company and La Boite Theatre Company.

Farris also appeared as Dakin in the critically acclaimed Alan Bennett play The History Boys at the Sydney Opera House^[8] alongside Australian stage and screen icons John Wood, Paul Goddard and Heather Mitchell.

In May 2013 Farris reprised his critically acclaimed role of the Danish Prince in Sport For Jove Theatre Company's return season of Hamlet. Most recently Lindsay appeared in Noises Off and Mojo, both for Sydney Theatre Company.

Acting – Screen

Farris stars in Joseph Sims' highly anticipated feature film Observance alongside John Jarratt, Roger Ward, Stephanie King and Tom O'Sullivan which is due for release in late 2014. Following his critically acclaimed 2012 stage performance of Hamlet, Farris was selected to portray the Danish Prince for a modern-day feature film Hamlet which is currently in pre-production.

In 2011 Farris completed filming the Australian component of Geography of the Heart, an international project of five films, with five directors across five countries exploring the notion of intimacy. He plays opposite Australian actress Maeve Dermody. Bonnie Wright, Ginny Weasley from the Harry Potter, is the lead actress in the British component of the film.^[9]

In 2010, Farris starred in the Joseph Sims feature film Bad Behaviour alongside John Jarratt. The film was selected as the closing night feature for the 2010 Melbourne Underground Film Festival, and received five awards including Best Actor for Lindsay.^[10] Bad Behaviour also appeared at the 2011 Cinequest Film Festival, making its North American premiere and has since appeared at Cannes and Another Hole in the Head Festival in San Francisco.^[11]

His short films, including Peter Templeman’s Splintered and Rene Hernandez’ The Ground Beneath, have received much international recognition including a number of best actor awards. Splintered won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2005.^[12] Splintered and The Ground Beneath were in contention for the 2006 and 2010 Academy Awards for Best Short Film (Live Action) respectively.^[13][14]

Music

As composer, classical pianist and burlesque artist, Farris has performed at venues and clubs across Australia including the Sydney Opera House, Vanguard, Metro and Spanish Club.

On 22 May 2013 Farris was listed as the Number 1 National Classical Composer & Artist in Australia by ReverbNation.^[15]

Writing

As writer, Lindsay has completed the stage plays Sugar Bowl and Touch in 2006. Farris is also author of A young actor's guide to becoming a Wanker.^[16]

Directing

Farris was Founder and Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre Company^[17] and in 2010 worked alongside Bra Boy Sunny Abberton to develop a documentary on youth theatre in Australia.^[18] Lindsay is also Executive Director of The Australian Ministry of Theatre, a company dedicated to the development of cultural initiatives for the sustainability of theatre practitioners and audiences.^[19]

Farris has taught regularly at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and has worked with students in performing arts at primary, secondary and tertiary schools across Australia including National Institute of Dramatic Arts and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Farris is also a regular lecturer at intensive education programmes including the NSW State Drama Camp, NSW Riverina School's Drama Camp, Big Day Out, National Institute of Dramatic Art Young Actors Studio, NSW State Drama Company and NSW State Drama Ensemble. Farris also lectures regularly at schools and community centres on the importance of film, theatre, acting, and drama in education.

Community Service

Farris has had an ongoing commitment to improving the lives of Australians who have experienced exclusion, poverty, injustice and social isolation with a particular focus on youth and mental health. Farris was co-founder and Chair of the National Youth Theatre Company Foundation^[20] which was established in December 2011. Since the age of 17 Farris has provided hands-on work with the homeless and disadvantaged at organisations including the Matthew Talbot Hostel, and at age nineteen Farris undertook a national Australian tour with a program to reduce peer pressure, bullying and social inhibitors to encourage primary and high school students to adopt healthier lifestyle choices – this program had a particular focus on youth suicide prevention. Farris’ commitment to raising awareness of these important issues has extended through the roles and projects he attaches himself to such as 1 in 100, Inside Out and Splintered. These projects generate public comment and debate about the important social issues they deal with. Over a number of years, Farris has also provided support to a number of Australian charities including Legacy Australia, The Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation, SANE Australia, Life Without Barriers, The Schizophrenia Research Institute, Ovarian Cancer Australia, The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Foundation and The Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.

Interviews

“School of thought", Elissa Blake, The Sydney Morning Herald, METRO: Stage, 1–7 February 2013, p 11 – Lindsay Farris and James Mackay on the hard questions The History Boys, the latest production from the Peach Theatre Company to play at the Sydney Opera House.

“To be or not to be", Chris Hook, The Daily Telegraph, Best Weekend, 9 June 2012, p 4 – Lindsay Farris and Damien Ryan on reinterpretation of Hamlet for Sport For Jove Theatre Company

“A prince of players", Lauren Murada, Inner West Courier, 21 June 2012, p. Cover, 2 and 33 – Lindsay Farris on playing Hamlet in Sport For Jove Theatre Company's 2012 production

“Shakespeare’s Real Jester: Lindsay Farris on playing Hamlet", Samuel Webster, Mood of Monk, 26 June 2012, – Lindsay Farris on playing Hamlet in Sport For Jove Theatre Company's 2012 production.

“Only The Lonely", Matt O'Neill, Time Off, 18 May 2011, p 28: Interview for Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness (La Boite Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company)

“Leading by example" Garrett Bithell, AX National, 7 May 2009, p 3, 20–21: Interview about Lindsay Farris' career to date and in the future

“Pulling no punches" Garrett Bithell, SX, 9 July 2009, p Cover and 13, Cover story and feature interview to promote The Little Dog Laughed for the Ensemble Theatre

“Schizophrenia's long and difficult journey", Ron Cerabona, The Canberra Times, May 2007, interview for 1 in 100/ Inside Out

“Actors seek a deeper meaning in their work", The Glebe, 6 July 2006, p 15 – Lindsay Farris on being a young Australian actor

“Acting on an Ambition" Vanessa Santer, mX 9 February 2006 – on NIDA Young Actors Studio

Good Morning Australia, 7 October 2002, Amanda Muggleton and Lindsay Farris interviewed by Bert Newton about upcoming Production Company performance of Hello, Dolly!

Credits

Theatre

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

References

External links

• Lindsay Farris at the Internet Movie Database
• Official Website
• Splintered