For the third instalment of Pet Projects we are joined by actor and theatrical producer Nicole Garbellini for a fascinating chat.

Having been scouted in Italy and performing at the Venice Biennale, setting up her own theatre company in Hong Kong, and thereafter completing her acting studies in London, where she is now based, Nicole is not used to being upstaged. However, her beloved cat Marty McFly has done his best to compete with her in a way that only cats can: appearing alongside Nicole and her husband David in ‘Close Quarters’, a YouTube series from writer Ryan King born in the Covid lockdowns, during which our animals – to many of us – became more important than ever.

Some of the other subjects Nicole and I explore in this episode are the difficulties of transporting pets between countries; the challenges and joys of producing theatre, including ‘Mussolini’s Mistresses’, a play created in Hong Kong by Nicole’s Aurora Theatre from writer/director Clare Stearns, and how cats are not as antisocial as ‘the man’ tells us – Marty as a grandpa to younger felines? Why not? He can teach them how to skateboard for starters. For all budding actors/cat owners, there is much to learn in this episode about both. Enjoy!

Pet Projects is a collaborative project devised by writer and editor Peter Humphreys and artist and filmmaker Ana Rebolledo, who provides the artwork and video content. It is available on Spotify, SoundCloud and elsewhere. Please like and subscribe, and follow @petprojectspod on Instagram for updates and insights from the Pet Projects universe.

Some links related to Nicole’s life and work >>>

‘Close Quarters’ YouTube comedy-drama series starring Nicole, David and Marty: https://youtu.be/TeSb7QlslA8?si=0JHUANBmOAimFgFs

Aurora Theatre YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AuroraTheatreHK

‘Mussolini’s Mistresses’, interview with cast members: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw11NyuOUhU

Aurora Theatre, Hong Kong – latest news: https://www.auroratheatrehk.com/blog/