The Selkie Project artists
ROBERT DRAFFIN (he/him)
Dr ROBERT (Draf) DRAFFIN - THEATRE DIRECTOR, PERFORMANCE TRAINING
Robert (Draf) Draffin, a trained Secondary school physical education teacher and professional footballer, found his way into Community Theatre through a youth theatre company in Wonthaggi (Victoria) and has since a created body of artistic work spanning 49 years. He has directed 74 theatre productions nationally and internationally, has taught acting and designed tertiary acting and theatre courses, is currently a casual teacher part time at Victorian College of Arts, University of Melbourne, and is co-artistic director of Liminal Theatre with Mary Sitarenos His work is defined by the corporeal and kinaesthetic state of liminality: the embodied creative energy held in thresholds and moments of flux.
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In 2019 he completed a Higher Doctorate at the University of Melbourne researching the corporeal and kinaesthetic states of liminality and performance: the embodied creative energy held in thresholds and moments of flux in Theatre making.
AWARDS
A recipient in 2010 of the prestigious Kenneth Myer Medallion (Outstanding services for the Performing Arts), he received in 2006 a three-year Fellowship from The Australia Council of the Arts and an Asialink residency to research the interchange between traditional and contemporary Arts Practice in Asia. In 2000 Draffin received the Melbourne University Teaching Excellence Award. In 2009 his co-production Kisah Seribu Satu Malam won the Tempo Best Theatre Production in Indonesia. In 1994 he was awarded The Age Best Independent Theatre Production for Rigoletto: a perversion.
ARTISTIC PROFILE
Has worked with the mainstream theatre companies Playbox Theatre Melbourne 1986/1990, Belvoir Street 1988, South Australian Theatre Company 1988, but primarily he works in independent and experimental theatre, focusing on theatre research and training practices. He was a Member with the Mill Community Theatre Company from 1980-82, Australian Contemporary Theatre Company (The Church) from 1984-87, and Whistling in the Theatre 1987-89. Draffin was Artistic Director of Theatreworks (Melbourne) from 1990-95 and Associate Director of Calculated Risks Opera Company 1997-98. Festivals where his work has appeared: Melbourne International Festival 1993, Canberra Australian Theatre Festival 1991, Nagoya World Park Festival 1995 (Japan), Sparks Festival 2004 (Esplanade Festival Centre Singapore), Brisbane Arts Festival 1998, Melbourne Fringe 1994, Adelaide Fringe 1989/2000/2012 and Castlemaine Theatre Festival 1996. In 2004 set up Liminal Theatre and Performance with Mary Sitarenos (Red Shoes, Damask Drum, Kantan, Sotoba Komachi, Antigone, Oedipus, The Drovers Wife). In 2016 he began a new training project, which has transitioned into a new performance work currently in development, the Selkie Project.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Has worked artistically and interculturally with theatre companies in Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and China. Has for tens year worked with professor Gu Yian (Shanghai Theatre Academy) researching actor training through the philosophic and practical lens of Tai’chi. In 2009 researched the harvest ritual with Aboriginal Amis tribe in Taiwan. Draffin is currently exploring an International intercultural Trans-urban Incubator with the Institut Kesenian Jakarta that will draw on artists from Asia Europe and the America to work in an intercultural intensive in Jakarta.
TEACHING AND COURSE DESIGN
Taught acting at University of Melbourne, Monash University, Latrobe University, Deakin University. In 1996 - 2000 he was Lecturer In Acting at the School of Drama at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2001- 2003 he was a founding acting teacher at Theatre Training Research Program in Singapore. In 2006/7/9/10/11/12/13/14 taught acting sessionally at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. 2015-19 Lecturer in Theatre in the masters programs at University of Melbourne VCA-MCM and worked at the Centre for Cultural Community Partnerships. In 2009 wrote and designed Bachelor Degree Course in Performing Australian Institute of Music and 2012 Graduate Certificate in Cultural Engagement VCA-MCM. In 2014 co-designed Masters courses in Directing and Dramaturgy University of Melbourne VCA-MCM.
