Lysander’s Aunty

or A Most Rageful Irreverent Comedy Concerning an Offstage Character from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

BY RALPH McCUBBIN HOWELL

Jumping from Athens to Aotearoa, with a cast of New Zealand’s finest comic and stage talent, in an uproarious wild ride of magic, mayhem and mutiny.

ACTS OF IMAGINATION

ASB Waterfront Theatre Dates: Thu 17 Mar – Sun 3 Apr Genre: NZ Theatre, Comedy Direction: Hannah Smith

In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, young lovers Lysander and Hermia defy the Duke by eloping to an aunt’s house in the woods. But, just who is this law-snubbing, free-loving aunty? What’s she doing in the bush? And what happens when the law comes knocking at her door?

This riotous reworking of Shakespeare’s most popular play takes a cannon to the canon.

More than a retelling, Lysander’s Aunty uses excerpts of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Elizabethan theatre form to poke fun at contemporary New Zealand culture. Part parody, part “State of the Nation”, Lysander’s Aunty has strong links to the Drama and English curriculum.

A co-production between Auckland Theatre Company, Trick of the Light, Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, Auckland Arts Festival and Brilliant Adventures. Commissioned by The Court Theatre. By arrangement with Playmarket. Teachers Workshop: Mon 28 Feb, 2 – 5pm Youth Night: Tue 22 Mar, 7pm School Matinees: Thu 24 Mar and Thu 31 Mar, 11am

In school Workshops: Thu 17 Mar to Thu 7 Apr CONTENT INFO

Approx. Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes, plus interval

Advisory: Contains strong language. References to drug use, some sexual references.

Suitability: Year levels 9 – 13

CURRICULUM INFO

Themes and Ideas: Activism and protest. Literary canonisation. Gender and sexuality. Challenging patriarchy. New Zealand culture & identity. Connection to the land and environment. Traditionalism & antiquity vs nature & the natural world.

Drama Connections: NZ Theatre. Comedy and farce. Large ensemble cast. Theatrical adaptation. Shakespearian comedy. Elizabethan theatre form. Silhouette and projection.

English Connections: Shakespeare. Language conventions. Adaptation.