Australian Neil Case was born in a little wheat town in
Northwestern Victoria. He left his hometown at age 16 to further
his education and never returned. His first job was as a reader’s
assistant with The Ballarat daily newspaper in the hope it
would lead to a job as a cadet journalist. When it became
obvious that his intention in applying for the job was simply
to get him into the reader’s room, he left the newspaper
to write advertising copy for Myer, one of Australia’s
biggest retailers, which soon led him to Melbourne. Neil has
always had an interest in teaching, dramaturgy and choreography.
In his life, he has operated ballet schools and directed a
number of musicals and dramas. Presently he lives in Sanur,
Bali where he enjoys music, dance, drama, writing, teaching,
gardening and cooking.
When was your first trip to Indonesia?
In 1989, heading directly to Carita Beach on the Sunda Coast,
West Java. Since then, I have lived and worked in Java, Lombok
and Bali. I never liked the kind of traveling where people
say that they’ve ‘done’ Paris, London, or
wherever in 24 hours. I prefer to have an in depth experience
of the people, culture and environment of a place. My first
real engagement in Indonesia was on the teaching staff of
Sekolah Pelita Harapan in Karawaci near Jakarta.
Were you a teacher also in Australia?
I’ve been teaching since I was 16, though not always
in the classroom. Like in Graham Greene’s Hound of Heaven,
teaching has always pursued me. I began piano lessons at age
4 and have been learning and teaching the instrument ever
since. I always had strong interests in dance and drama; however,
I had to wait until I left home to study these, as only piano
lessons were available in my little hometown.
Where did these interests lead you?
I owned and operated three ballet schools in different places,
working towards examinations in the first half of the year
and an annual Dance Recital in the second half. As a result
of these recitals, I was offered engagements with community
groups and over a period of years directed, conducted and
choreographed such musicals as Oklahoma, Carousel, The King
and I; operettas including Offenbach’s La Belle Helene,
Lehar’s The Merry Widow as well as occasional evenings
of excerpts from Grand Opera. These were professional engagements
for which I was paid. I was a ‘good buy’ for such
groups as they got three for the price of one – direction,
musical direction/conducting and choreography. This led to
professional companies - The Australian Ballet - The Australian
Opera - Princess Theatre Management - seeing my work and periods
of employment with them.
Were you ever associated with international stars?
I had the great honor of meeting the late, great Master of
Mime, Marcel Marceau, when he first toured Australia In 1962.
I also had the privilege of working with Dame Joan Sutherland,
June Bronhill (the principal soprano with Sadler’s Wells
Opera, Royal Opera House and The Australian Opera), as well
as the ballet stars Lucette Aldous, Rudolph Nureyev and Gailene
Stock Gary Norman. I also had a close liaison with Don McLean
of American Pie fame when he first toured Australia in the
early 1960s.
Did any of these contacts result in interesting work?
I hesitate to claim Marcel Marceau as a friend. Our relationship
was more in the nature of guru and disciple, but Marcel did
me the great favor of allowing me attend as his guest many
of his performances. He toured Australia regularly and whenever
he was in Melbourne it was thrilling to sit in one of the
front rows or watch from backstage. I learned so much from
him. Often we would go back to his hotel room and talk. Usually
a period of private coaching followed. The Dean of the School
of Dance heard about this and offered me a part-time post
teaching mime to dance students. I spent three wonderful years,
1979 to 1981, teaching and playing for ballet or repertoire
classes.
What led you into full-time teaching?
In two words - economic necessity! In the best of times, the
world of theatre is a risky, insecure business, and by 1970’s
when I was in my 30s, I was married with two small children.
It was a good time to return to study. There was a shortage
of university graduates and the Labor government of the day
did everything possible to overcome this. Tertiary education
was entirely free, and mature-age students with responsibilities
like me were offered stipends sufficiently generous to make
it possible.
Why do you live in Bali?
I’m now retired and pensioned. For practical reasons,
it’s so much easier for me to live here than in Australia
which is now quite expensive for those on a fixed income.
But the main reason is that my heart is here. Physically,
I am much healthier living in a tropical climate; psychologically
I am captivated by the quality of my life here.
Neil Case may be contacted via his email
nfcase@yahoo.com
For anyone interested in being considered for Siapa, please
contact: <pakbill2003@yahoo.com>
