Hello Indie! Please tell us what you do and a little about yourself.

I am a multidisciplinary creative who explodes the mind and emotions through music and theatre. I have been playing and making music since I was a child. I began with classical instrumental training from 5, and began playing in various ensembles and groups from 9 years old. This was through the Lewisham Music Service, who were housed at the Albany at the time.

My year 6 performance of the Odyssey was performed at the Albany and i knew going forward that my love of performance art spanned more than just music. I later joined uncover ( now Sounds like chaos) and have been acting for over 8 years.

I am currently working on producing theatre and music projects. Both as a performer and as a producer of work. I have been recently acting in online shows; using open source code (zoom) to create unique experiences. I have also been working on an archiving project throughout the pandemic, collecting audio to document the experiences of young people in these times. I hope to display this alongside musical works also made in this time.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received

The best piece of advice… “If you’re asking me, then you already know the answer.”

Probably one that helped me trust in my own judgement. I did already have the answer within me, it was all about unlocking my own thoughts and tuning in to my emotions. 

So, tell us what your favourite biscuit is!

Custard cream hands down.

Do you think creativity is important?

More than important, I feel creativity is an essential part of Life. Being creative is intertwined into much of our daily lives, cooking, decorating, even choosing our clothes in the morning. 

Being creative at its best allows us to express (or deal with)  that which is difficult to understand or convey. For me, creativity is an integral part of my mental wellness. Both taking part and experiencing.

Who inspires you? Or who do you look up to?

I look up to my mum, I feel as though her journey to London was one to be proud of, one of success even. I am inspired by the fact that I grew up with more opportunities and options than she did, wanting to make the most of that fact.

I’m also inspired by Gemma and Roisin (SOUNDS LiKE CHAOS). They have been working tirelessly with young people for a decade. Through them young people have been able to devise and tour pieces of theatre for a number of years. They have supported many of us into arts spaces, allowing people to become empowered as professionals, in our own disciplines 

Ok, picture this. You’re about to go on a long car journey but you can only listen to ONE podcast. What would it be?

The Church Of What’s Happening Now With: Joey Coco Diaz.

I think its well rounded with comedy and a wealth of life experiences. I appreciate that Joey presents himself as flawed and faces aspects of himself he may have to change and grow. This is done in a way which is not too heavy and makes for easy listening.

And here’s the last question! If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation. It’s just a matter of convenience.

Telekinesis would also be cool I guess.

 

More about Indie Max:

Max has been performing with SOUNDS LiKE CHAOS for over 8 years now. He continued on with the company and featured in When it’s Night Time and Phenomena to name a few. In the last few years, Max has been active as a facilitator, and actor. He has Performed in SLC Productions Fire in The Machine (2017) and most recently in WOW Everything Is Amazing (2019).

He has worked within many organisations over the past few years in a freelance capacity. Working as an actor, host, facilitator, and music consultant. Some of these include the Albany, Tourreteshero, Heart n soul, KIT Theatre, Kings Digital Lab, Camden Youth Theatre and SE8 Sound Collective.

Back in 2015, Max was involved in a project with the NCB and The Science Museum and was a voiceover for an exhibit in the Who Am I gallery. He has also performed at the Lyric Hammersmith in Leave To Remain (2019). Max appeared on ITV news as part of the National lottery’s 25th anniversary (2020). He has been working on online shows during the pandemic.