MAA #084: With Isabella Valette

Mental As Anyone

Interview with the delightful Isabella Valette, who sings, acts, dances, improvises and more! Isabella started out with a degree in Musical Theatre in the UK, performed a sketch show at Edinburgh Fringe and then started writing one-woman shows. Isabella is part of the Melbourne Impro group Impromptunes, who amazingly improvise one-hour musicals. She is also part of The Big HOO-HAA! who perform shorter-form improvised shows. In the past year Isabella has started stand-up comedy, including a show in 2019’s MICF and Melbourne Fringe called How Far I’ll Go, about her life as a kid’s entertainer. And if you’re after more podcasts with Isabella, you can catch her on the Impromptunes Podcast and Off with the Fairies.

We discuss: The overlap between Impro and Counselling skills, the impact of capitalism and consumerism on mental health, views on modern romantic consumerism, the philosophy that life is a package of experiences, close family and friend connections, being mindful of comparisons and living up to social milestones, the gift and curse of self-awareness and knowledge that we are going to die, the dangers of mimicking emotional and financial behaviours from the media, the benefits of teaching independent and practical living skills at school, domestic violence and the book See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill, the higher level of living by appreciating others’ success and building each other up by exchanging positive energy, The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, Ariana Grande’s message that money and fame do not equate to happiness, Keanu Reeves’ down-to-earth approach to life, the importance of kindness and simplicity, Isabella’s super power, appreciation for the unconditional love and support from her parents, Isabella’s love of Queer Eye, the importance of spreading kindness, and Isabella’s message that you can change the game by changing what you value.