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Art and Sport can be friends after all.
11th August 2008
By Richard Thomas
After a sold
out opening night, Angels with Dirty Faces playing at the George
Fairfax Theatre, has sparked heated discussions about the issues
facing secondary school students. Set at the fictitious Chilton
Grammar, the play delves into sex, sexuality, drugs, ethnicity,
youth suicide and peer, family and personal pressure.
For most,
dealing with these issues while juggling puberty would make anyone
hide their head in the sand. But for Matt Green, who is one of the
stars in Angels, art certainly imitates life and he has lived to
tell the tale.
TP: How closely did your personal life mirror that of your
character in Angels?
MG: “They are
so similar it’s pretty scary. My character, Chris, was definitely
the “golden boy” if you will. While so many of the characters are
struggling with “dark” moments, Chris is the ideal student. I
personally had a great time in school. I enjoyed sports, theatre,
and my mates. I was Chris.”
TP: You played for Xavier College, arguably the most well known
football school (Australian rules), how did you make the jump from
football to the stage?
MG: “I grew
up playing football and grew up playing for the school. When I was
fifteen I decided to try the stage as well. I never had to jump
really. My coaches and directors were always really great about
scheduling so that I could do both. It wasn’t all or nothing. You
could try everything at Xavier. You know, Xavier has this
reputation for being a footy school and it was so much more. They
(Xavier) really encouraged me and kids like me to try new things.”
TP: You come
from a long line of footballers. Your father Michael Green played
for
Richmond
in four premier ships. You have one uncle who played for St. Kilda
and another who played for
Geelong?
With all of this familial tradition, did your family support your
interest in drama?
MG: Yes, of
course. It was never an issue in my family. My parents encouraged
all of us to do whatever we wanted. After high school I played
football for Essendon for two years until I screwed up my shoulder.
Although I still love the game, after my injury my heart was never
in it, and I began to perform more and more. My sister, Catherine,
is a film director. We actually just worked together in a play
where she directed me.
TP: You’re experience has been primarily in musical theatre. What
made you try out straight theatre? Tired of singing and dancing?
MG: (he
laughs) “No, I love musical theatre but I don’t want to be pigeon
holed as a guy who can sing and dance, as you said. It is so easy
to be pegged as this or that and I just want to avoid that. The
great thing about performing is you get to try so many different
things. Straight theatre is something new that I am really
enjoying. I have another show called Bomb Deposal which is going up
at the
Fairfax
as well. I’ve just booked a stint on Neighbors, which I’m excited
about. I’m on my way to being a jack of all trades…..I hope.”
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