From Fawlty Towers to Frederick Fife

Early years treading the boards helped shaped Anna Johnston’s stories

My love for storytelling began in my parents' lounge room when I was five years old. While most kids were playing with Barbies or Lego, my closest friend and I would spend hours writing and performing plays and short films for our very patient families. This passion continued throughout high school, where I seized every opportunity to perform. Even in Physics class, my best friend and I would present all our assignments as plays, complete with Southern American accents—until VCE hit, and we could no longer get away with it!  

As a young adult, I became a part of Beaumaris Theatre, a place where I was able to stretch my creative wings and tell colorful stories on stage. This picture is from one of my favorite scenes in the stage adaptation of the iconic ‘Fawlty Towers’, where I played the role of Polly. My lifelong adoration of theatre and movies shapes the way I write. Before I type each scene, I envision it as a film in my mind, complete with a cinematic soundtrack! They say a picture tells a thousand words, so I do my best to listen to that picture and capture it on the page. I originally considered writing Frederick Fife as a screenplay, but I wanted to delve deep into the character's inner thoughts, which a novel allowed me to do. However, my greatest aspiration will always be to see Fred on the silver screen and maybe one day the stage! 

Anna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and emerging UpLit Aussie fiction author. Anna’s debut The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife was released on July 2nd with Penguin Random House. It centres on a bizarre case of mistaken identity that gives a desperately lonely old man one last chance at being part of a family. Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, a hilarious, life-affirming novel about forgiveness, redemption and finding family.

You can reach Anna at Insta @annajohnstonauthor, Facebook Anna Johnston Author, Website: annajohnstonauthor.com