Giema Contini

 

"Contini’s consistently engaging character work has always been typified by an open and expressive generosity of spirit."
- MJ O’Neill

 

"Contini is an exceptional performer, just magic to watch … Contini’s imaginative approach to storytelling, and her energy and originality is what live theatre is all about."
- Xanthe Coward, XS Entertainment
Giema Contini

Biography

Giema Contini is an actor and theatre maker with experience across multiple disciplines including theatre, film, cabaret, puppetry, children’s theatre and physical theatre. Giema is an actor in the La Boite Theatre Artist Company having performed in Away (Daniel Evans) and Caesar (Sanja Simic) in 2021. She has worked with international companies such as Punchdrunk (UK) and Red Leap Theatre (NZ) and her solo cabaret show Awesome Ocean Party was nominated for Best Cabaret at 2016 Melbourne Fringe.

Giema has trained with national and international artists and companies including world-renowned acting coaches Larry Moss, Welker White & Damien Young (The Moving Frame), Carl Ford (Susan Batson Studio), Anne Bogart & SITI Company (Suzuki, Viewpoints & Composition), Second City Chicago (Comedy Improvisation), Dr. Brown (Gaulier Clown), Barney O’Hanlon (Body Mind Centering).

 Giema also tutors as a sessional staff member at the Queensland University of Technology within the Bachelor of Theatre Studies degree.

Credits

Theatre

2021

Leonie | Camper | Fairy Away La Boite Theatre Company, Daniel Evans

Calpurnia | Actor Caesar La Boite Theatre Company, Sanja Simic

Bluey Bluey's Big Play AKA Productions & Ludo, Rosemary Myers

2020

Peabody The Lost Lending Library Punchdrunk, Imaginary Theatre & Brisbane Festival, Thom Browning

Bluey Bluey's Big Play AKA Production & Ludo, Rosemary Myers

Ensemble That's What She Said The Good Room, Daniel Evans

2019

Chili (Mum) Bluey's Big Play (Creative Development) QPAC, Ludo, BBC & AKA Productions, Marc Parrett

2018

Ensemble The Arrival Red Leap Theatre & QPAC, Julie Nolan

Peabody The Lost Lending Library Punchdrunk & Imaginary Theatre, Pete Higgins & Thom Browning

2016

Kylie | Dean | Mel The Caped Crusader Camp Quality, Elleni Karagiannidis

Jill | Dragon King | Susan Shimchong: Daughter Overboard World Theatre Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Jeremy Neideck

2015

Ratani The Children's Monologues Digi Youth Arts & Back Bone Youth Arts, Alethea Beetson

2014

Bridesmaid Or Forever Hold Your Peace La Boite Theatre Company, Dave Sleswick, Motherboard Productions

Woman Six Women Standing In Front Of A White Wall Little Dove Theatre Art, Chenoeh Miller

Narrator | Hooded Man | Old Man The Harbinger (National Tour) Dead Puppet Society & Critical Stages, David Morton

2013

Anna Shadow Thief LATT Children's Theatre Company (Seoul, South Korea), Paul Matthews

Tris Divergent Promo Hoodlum, Michael Griffin

TAB Punter Ladbrokes Campaign Kiosk, Ryan Renshaw

2012

Princess Happy & Mister Somebody The Harbinger La Boite Theatre Company, Matt Ryan & David Morton

Clytemnestra iWar The Danger Ensemble, Queensland Theatre Company & Brisbane Festival, Steven Mitchell Wright

Ensemble | Birthday Girl The Flying Orchestra Out Of The Box, QPAC, Peter Wilson

2011

Old Man The Harbinger Dead Puppet Society, David Morton

Candice Shit Two Hours Traffic, Morgan Rose

2008

Gemma Several Words Associated With Revenge Metro Arts, Daniel Santangeli

2007

Vampire Dracula Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, Steven Mitchell Wright

Rehearsed Readings

2020

Claire | Ensemble Return To The Dirt Queensland Theatre, QPDA, Daniel Evans

Stephanie Daylight Savings Queensland Theatre, Daniel Evans

Lisa The Parable People La Boite Theatre Company, Sanja Simic

2019

Ensemble The First Ten Pages La Boite Theatre Company & Screen Queensland, Todd MacDonald

Cabaret

2019

Lead Awesome Ocean Party Wonderland Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Self

2016

Lead Awesome Ocean Party Melbourne Fringe & The Butterfly Club, Self

2015

Lead Awesome Ocean Party Anywhere Theatre Festival, Self

2010

GiGi Emma Dean & Her Imaginary Friends Harbour Agency, Dale Thorburn

Musical Theatre

2013

Shadow Thief Shadow Thief LATT Children's Theatre Company (Seoul, South Korea), Paul Matthews

2010

Street Rat Pennies & Beggars The Danger Ensemble, Steven Mitchell Wright

Dance

2011

Bus Stop Dancer Fifteen La Boite Theatre Company, Liesel Zink

Ensemble A Collection of Various Selves Metro Arts, Liesel Zink

Music

2019

Guest Vocalist Young Hearts Run Free Home Of The Arts, Tom Dickins & Band

Guest Vocalist Young Hearts Run Free Brisbane Festival & The Tivoli Brisbane, Tom Dickins & Band

2017

Guest Vocalist 20th Anniversary Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet Melbourne Fringe & The Lithuanian Club, Tom Dickins & Band

Feature Film

2016

Jack's Fan Girl That's Not Me Moccasin Film, Gregory Erdstein & Alice Foulcher

Short Film

2021

Bougie Mum If I Were You Kiosk & Kate O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan

2020

Lacey Cult Following Amy Parry & Sebastian Gonzalez, Amy Parry

Commercial

2020

Fashion Designer Officeworks: Enabling Work From Home Life The Producers, Luke Bickley

2019

Busy Mum (Hero) Terrywhite Chemmart Kiosk, Ryan Renshaw

Awesome Ocean Party

Awesome Ocean Party is a one-woman cabaret created and performed by Giema Contini and featuring original music by Nathan Stoneham (지하 Underground). It tells the story of a young woman who believes with all her heart that she is half-octopus.

This half-human/half-octopus host invites you into the depths of her three hearts. Through song, storytelling and an ocean-themed birthday party, she weaves together a tale of love, loss, longing and legends of amphibious family histories.

Awesome Ocean Party is an exploration into people’s ability to overcome pain and adversity through imagination, silliness and a genuine connection with others.

Awesome Ocean Party has been developed with the assistance of Australia Council’s JUMP Mentoring Program alongside leading UK theatre director Pia Furtado, Fresh Ground at The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts and Metro Arts with creative provocation from Deborah Leiser-Moore. 

In 2016 Awesome Ocean Party was nominated for Best Cabaret at Melbourne Fringe Festival. 

Reviews

"As one of Brisbane’s more celebrated performers, Contini’s consistently engaging character work has always been typified by an open and expressive generosity of spirit. Her initial work as lead creative sees that same expressive generosity extended to an entire production – with additional lashings of colour, joy and a certain surreal silliness only adding to the work’s already-delightful energy. A promising debut.” – Matthew O’Neill.
"Contini is utterly engaging thanks to her original performance and spot-on timing, creating humour and suspense alike in the most minor of moments.” - Meredith Walker, Blue Curtains Brisbane
“Contini is an exceptional performer, just magic to watch … Contini’s imaginative approach to storytelling, and her energy and originality is what live theatre is all about” - Xanthe Coward, XS Entertainment
"Contini is hilariously awkward and extremely likeable. The story itself is touching and will make you laugh, then cry, then laugh again.” - Maddie Nixon, Anywhere Theatre Festival
“This is a gorgeous show, a surprisingly full-on show, and a warm experience of the cool ocean blues that I cannot recommend highly enough” - Johnathan O’Brien, Anywhere Theatre Festival

Creative Team

Creator and Performer: Giema Contini

Producer: Annie Bourke Hot Mess Productions

Composer: Nathan Stoneham

Designer: Genevieve Morrow Ganner

Dramaturg Support: Morgan Rose & Robbie O’Brien

Gallery

Showreel

Voice Over Demos

General Voice Over Demo - Giema Contini

Corporate Voice Over Demo - Giema Contini