Paul McGann: Social Media, Audio Drama, and Staying True to Your Voice (Part 2)

What happens when you realize the very things meant to connect us are actually stealing your creative spark?  

This week, we conclude our special 30th-anniversary archive release with actor Paul McGann. Originally recorded in 2020, this conversation remains a vital guide for anyone trying to navigate a creative life without losing their humanity to the digital machine.   Paul shares his prolific journey into audio drama with Big Finish, his reflections on the different regenerations of the Doctor, and the fascinating reasons he decided to walk away from social media entirely. From his "favorite" role in Our Mutual Friend to the "theatre of the mind," Paul offers a masterclass in staying true to your own creative fingerprint.

  I’m Nancy Norbeck, and I’m your Messy Muse Mentor. I help people feel alive again through creativity, curiosity, and play.   In this episode, we discuss:

• The Digital De-assimilation: Why Paul decided he didn't want to be the "kind of person" social media was making him.
• The Power of Audio: Why working in the "theatre of the mind" is qualitatively different and physically freeing.
• Richard E. Grant: A look at their rare on-screen reunion and the power of natural enthusiasm.
• The Next Story: Why for a professional actor, the most important role is always the one that’s coming next.

Ready to send your inner critic to summer camp for an hour? Join the Creativity Circle.   Episode breakdown:   0:00 Part 2: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the TV Movie 1:40 Digital recording & the "wooden rabbit hutches" of Big Finish 4:15 Working fast: How to record a script in 6 hours 10:20 Dropping the extraneous: Learning while doing 12:56 Why Paul never watches or listens to his own work 17:15 Revisiting old roles like "holiday snaps" 19:11 Reunited with Richard E. Grant in Always Crashing in the Same Car 28:30 Stepping into Tom Baker’s shoes for Shada 36:52 Jodie Whittaker: "She cracked it instantly" 40:10 Matt Smith: The "beautiful skinny 12-year-old" alien 46:33 The 1996 audition: Why Phil Segal couldn't tell the brothers apart 51:00 Eugene Wrayburn: The role that "fitted" perfectly 1:09:10 "Are you on Twitter?" (The 2020 Social Media context) 1:15:45 The Jaron Lanier lesson: 10 arguments for deleting your accounts 1:20:20 How social media makes you a person you don't want to be 1:24:45 Richard E. Grant: A master class in natural enthusiasm  

Want more? Here are handy playlists with all my previous interviews with guests in theatre and  Doctor Who.

Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and join us for the Follow Your Curiosity Creativity Circle.

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