Mathilde’s culture list

Born in France, Mathilde López trained at Central Saint Martins, London and has directed work for some of the best theatres and festivals across the country. She is Artistic Director of August 012 and her work is bold, brave, and a little bit bonkers. Mathilde lives in Grangetown, Cardiff, with her family.

Now the Director of Petula, Mathilde shares her cultural inspirations from space travel to immersive installations.

Heroes

Yuri Gagarin [the first human in outer space] was, and still is my hero. I had the t-shirt, the poster, the postcard, I touched the suit he wore on Sputnik and I still light a candle on the anniversary of his death - which is 27th March by the way.

Obsessions

I’m slightly obsessed with all things space and things that fly. Vostok, the Sukhoi, Concorde, all of it. I grew up with images of it, pieces of it. I subscribe to Nasa’s weekly bulletin and follow all the developments about Mars. But my interest isn't technical. It’s more the fascination for our relentless attempts to reach the cosmos. And also, the hope that I’ll reach it too. 

Books

I’ve been devouring Manon Stefan Ros recently; The Seasoning, The Blue Book of Nebo. The humble scale of her work and the emotional heights she makes me reach is wonderful. I also regularly reread [French philosopher] Jean Baudrillard’s The Agony of Power and every time I do, I’m shocked by the pertinence and precision of what I manage to understand.

Music

I listen to Tim Maia and Jorge Ben Jor as much as I can. I also listen to my friend Katell Keineg, who is mesmerising.

Health

I like running, but realised that what I like about it is hearing myself breathe. And talking to ducks. 

TV

I loved Michaela Cole’s I May Destroy You. It’s a rare attempt at shaping difficult ideas on television, in all their complexity and multiplicity.

Film

Rocks by Sarah Gavron is an amazing film about poverty in London (next to so much wealth). It covers so many themes including immigration, childhood, motherhood, mental health, and has a lot of great improvised scenes by young actors.

Art

When I close my eyes and think of Petula and Pwdin, I end up surrounded by Juan Munoz’s sculpture Figura que escucha, Annette Messager’s Désarticulés and all of Pipilotti Rist’s work. It’s the loneliness of Munoz’ figure, the monstrous and beautiful children’s toys suspended in those lonely rooms of Messager, and Rist’s constant investigation into the micro-video scale and micro thoughts.

Local

Well, my neighbour and his children are at my door now throwing me some Pwnco with the Mari Lwyd trotting along - the Mari Lwyd being performed by his American wife.

Petula opens at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff on 12 March before touring to theatres across Wales.