Having moved to Canada in 2023, Matthew Mooney has already established himself as a rising actor. He has performed in multiple shows, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Mousetrap at Theatre Calgary, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Alberta Theatre Projects. He also appeared in February’s TD Amplify: Episode 2 at Werklund Centre.
“I want to put myself into new and unfamiliar places where I can only make discoveries,” he said. True to his words, his journey has been rich in experience: hitchhiking from Canmore to Calgary, working with a company to bring original theatre projects to 17 schools, and finally diving into acting. Today, he continues his artistic journey across theatres in Calgary and beyond.
What are you working on today?
“I’m currently working in Rosebud in a show called Hurry Hard. It’s about a divorced couple who have to curl together to compete in a bonspiel, a curling competition. I play a character named Johnny.
“I really enjoy the cast I’m working with, and the show is a lot of fun. It’s nice to do a comedy for a change. I’ve done some serious plays recently, so it’s refreshing to have an immediate opportunity to be silly on stage.”
What kind of artist did Glasgow shape you into?
“Acting has always been something I’ve enjoyed, whether creating shows, performing little sketches, or reenacting Jim Carrey movies for my family as a kid. Seeing their reactions and making them laugh instilled confidence in me early on.
“Glasgow shaped my self-deprecating sense of humour, which I think allows me to approach honesty through a lighter lens. It’s a city full of storytellers. Everyone has something to say, [and] everyone’s lived a life.
“It is an incredible place, and it’s always been home, but it’s also a difficult place to work as an actor. That self-deprecation can become negative, and people often feel limited in expressing themselves fully.”
What has Calgary changed in your practice?
“Canada has opened up a world where anything feels possible. I’ve been cast in more shows here than I ever was in Scotland. I can say that I’m a working actor now.
“I’ve also shared my poetry publicly for the first time. I’ve always written poems, but kept them hidden in a drawer. I’ve never read or performed them to anyone, and seeing how my words affect people was a new experience. I’ll continue to write and explore poetry because it feels necessary for me.
“Creatively, this environment has reinforced the importance of art and the public’s desire to consume it. That interest inspires me.
“I want to tell stories that entertain, engage, and leave audiences with something.”
You’ve described your process as “fluid and ambitious.” How does that look?
“Chaotic. Fluidity, for me, is being open to other ideas, and ambition is trying to improve every time. The director has an outside perspective, so I take notes and apply them. If someone has an idea, I think about how to apply it.
“The chaos also comes from observing the world and looking for new things you can bring to a performance. What’s this emotion? What’s the atmosphere? How does a louder voice help this actor get what they need out of this moment in time?”
What’s your dream for the future?
“To continue working full-time as an actor. It’s always been my dream, and I can’t imagine letting it go, which can be a bit of a nightmare sometimes. But that’s the duality of the life that I’ve chosen.
“If I call Calgary home, then I travel across Canada performing wherever the opportunities take me … that would be bloody marvellous.”
This Q&A was created in collaboration with Werklund Centre.
Catch Hurry Hard at Rosebud Theatre running until May 23.
Find Matthew Mooney on Instagram: @_moon_eh
