By The Numbers: Ben Ashby

Ben Ashby is the co-director of a2 Company with Nadiyah Akbar. They make physical theatre and contemporary dance, and are currently touring Motion Sickness around Aotearoa. He is also currently acting in Waiora, on as part of Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts and Auckland Arts Festival.

1. How many podcasts do you subscribe to?

6 but I tend to burn through them on high rotation.

2. How many podcast episodes do you listen to on average each week?

10ish right now – I’m currently living alone while working out of town on Waiora and Motion Sickness which means I’m often listening to a podcast as I fall asleep.

3. How many people do you follow on Instagram?

1207, best one is A2_company.

4. How many caffeinated beverages do you consume, on average, daily?

1 plunger of coffee minimum.

5. How many books do you currently have checked out from the library?

0.

6. How many books do you have on hold from the library?

0. Fun fact I do have 4 different library cards because the Melbourne Library system needs to be centralised.

7. How many photos do you have in your camera roll?

6376.

8. How many screenshots do you have in your screenshot folder?

 421 (mainly accidentally my homescreen as I try to unlock my phone).

9. How many selfies do you have saved?

My phone says I am the third most photographed person in my phone library.

10. How many films have you watched so far this year?

None in the cinema, maybe six-ish.

11. How many books have you read so far this year?

3.5. Pōtiki, The Alchemist, James, and I tried to read a Court of Thorns and Roses HONESTLY with an open heart but had to give up. Shout out to my book club: My Neck My Paperback.

12. How many games have you played so far this year?

I’m a non-recovered “u got any games on ur phone” kid, so 5 but they are all phone apps.

13. How many songs do you have saved/liked on your music app of choice (Spotify/Apple Music/Tidal/Youtube Music et. al.)?

 1970.

14. How many playlists do you have saved?

62.

15. How many shows or live performances have you been to this year?

17.

16. How many streaming services do you pay for a subscription to?

3.

17. How many apps do you have a paid subscription for?

1.

18. How many newsletters do you subscribe to?

3.

19. How many news outlets or online magazines do you pay for a subscription to?

0. I paid for the Otago Daily Times to read a review of a2 company’s show Running Into the Sun last year (yes it does take writing about something I’m actually in to get me subscribed) and then was accidentally still subscribed until very recently.

20. How many unread emails do you currently have in your inbox?

23 in the personal, 2 in the work.

21. How many total emails do you have in your inbox?

45 in the personal, 7 in the work. I LOVE emails folders, recent convert – changed my life.

22. How many emails do you receive on the average workday?

Right now we are about to kick off the Motion Sickness tour so like 12-20, but more like 1-2 when we aren’t about to be touring.

23. How many emails would you send on the average workday?

Same as above.

24. How many contacts do you have saved on your phone?

296.

25. How many tabs do you currently have open on your main browsing device?

7.

26. How many voice memos have you sent in the last 24 hours?

3.

27. How long was the last voice memo you sent?

0.5 seconds it said “Ayee?”.

28. How many times do you go to the supermarket in a week on average?

1.

29. How many items would you purchase in an average supermarket shop?

12.

30. How many unread notifications do you currently have on your phone?

66.

31. How many instruments can you play?

Clarinet.

32. How many languages can you speak/understand?

English - plus Duolingo Spanish and high school Japanese, so – just English.

33. How many devices do you personally own that can connect to the internet? (eg. phone, laptop, console, smartwatch, tablet)

2. Phone and laptop.

34. How many screens are in your household?

12.

35. How many financial transactions would you make on the average day?

Maybe 3 in person and then god knows what’s going on in the background.

36. How many birthdays can you remember off the top of your head?

10.

37. How many passages of text can you remember or recite by heart?

Currently all of my lines in Waiora which I’m about to be performing in, and large chunks of Motion Sickness which I wrote and directed, and is touring around the country (Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Wānaka, and Dunedin).

38. How many keys (or equivalent) are on your keychain?

1.

39. How many passwords do you have saved on an app that saves passwords? (as in accounts, not individual passwords)?

176, unbelievably, including far too many funding application portals.

40. How many kitchen appliances do you have in your household?

We have double of every appliance because there are two coeliacs and two gluten lovers in our household.

41. How many pairs of shoes do you have?

I have a box of shoes in the garage that I can’t throw away but never wear. Apart from that 6.

42. How many pairs of socks do you have?

About two weeks worth.

43. How many condiments do you have in your fridge?

Many. I <3 condiments. Current favourite is lime chilli pickle.

44. How many pets do you have?

1 cat; Kai. Best cat.

45. How many plants do you have?

8 but only 3 that I’m in charge of.

46. How many steps are in your skincare routine?

1 on a good day.

47. How many skincare products do you use on a daily basis?

1 on a good day.

48. How many cushions/pillows do you sleep with?

3.

49. How many times have you been in love?

WHAT THE HELL SAM BROOKS. I thought all these questions were just gonna be fun little quirky guys take me back to the condiments questions. (Ed note: Sorry, lol.)

Romantically I’ve said I love you to three people and I meant it every time I said it, but Nadiyah Akbar, the love of my life has absolutely re-defined the meaning of it for me. So once.

50. How many hours on average do you sleep in a night?

Six.

51. How many schools have you attended?

Six.

52. How many addresses have you had in your life?

13.

53. How many qualifications do you have?

Depends who’s asking.

54. How many times have you broken a bone?

0.

55. How many standing weekly appointments do you have?

0. 

56. How many people do you message or check in with on a daily/weekly basis (choose most appropriate).

7 per week.

57. How many YouTube channels do you subscribe to?

59.

58. How long did it take you to fill out this questionnaire?

On lunch break at rehearsal for Motion Sickness.

Motion Sickness is touring New Zealand (Wellington, Auckland, Nelson, Wānaka, Dunedin, Christchurch) in March. Waiora is part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts at the end of February, before touring to Auckland Arts Festival in March.