Winding Up Programme

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WELCOME TO WINDING UP We hope you had a wonderful break, celebrating the New Year with your friends and whānau.

Happy New Year and welcome back to the theatre!

It is such an honour and a joy to be opening the first show of our 2021 season. We had such wonderful feedback and interest from Canterbury audiences when we had planned to do this show in late 2020, that we knew we had to reshuffle and find another time to perform it!

We’re so thrilled to be kicking off 2021 with a brand-new Kiwi play.

Winding Up is a heartfelt story that celebrates a long-lasting married couple and how they embark through the golden years – and speaking of long-lasting, we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year at The Court!

We’ll be running a range of celebratory events in Autumn, so make sure to save the date for 23 – 25 April, when we’ll be honouring this incredible milestone.

It takes a lot of mahi (work) to keep a marriage (or a theatre company) alive for half a decade – as you’ll see in tonight’s play or may even know yourself! We thank our generous core funders and sponsors for their continuous support, particularly tonight’s show sponsor, Sheffield.

I hope you enjoy Winding Up and we can’t wait to see you back at the theatre for Things I Know to be True – a stunning family drama that explores the boundaries of love and truth.

Sir Roger Hall has been the backbone of New Zealand theatre for so many years, longer than I have been alive, in fact! It is a pleasure to have another of his plays on here again, exploring New Zealand stories and characters. It is also a delight to be creating this show in collaboration with our sister theatre, Centrepoint (based in Palmerston North), and have their General Manager, Kate Louise Elliott, here to direct the show.

I hope you recognise moments of your own life, or those of your friends and family in this story, just like I did two years ago when I first read this play (the hearing aids, not the frisky bits thank you)!

I hope you enjoy it.

Ngā mihi nui,

Ka kite anō,

Barbara George

Dan Pengelly

Chief Executive | Tumu Whakarae

Artistic Director 03

KATE LOUISE ELLIOT T Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.

A collaboration between two theatres can sometimes be a great idea but not always practical or feasible. Theatres aren’t built the same, physically or resource-wise.

Having had the luxury of working alongside Dan Pengelly for two and a half years at Centrepoint Theatre, discussions on how this collaboration could go ahead went quickly from high-level concepts to practical facts.

This is the first time Centrepoint has partnered to this level on a production.

I have been nothing but impressed with The Court’s team in getting this production ready for Ōtautahi, and for Papaioea as well.

This is the ninth Roger Hall play I have either acted in, directed or produced.

Having directed Conjugal Rites with Alison Quigan and Tim Bartlett in 2011, I feel very comfortable with Barry and Gen. I’ve worked with them through their toughest time – and I’m very pleased they stuck it out!

I am so grateful to have had my Toi Whakaari buddy Jo Bunce to work with in the rehearsal room. Her clarity, insight and support has made this a truly collaborative process. Never underestimate the secrets a good stage manager knows!

I have the utmost respect for our actors, Mark and Darien. Their devotion to our industry must be heralded.

To The Court’s team, specifically Flore, Matt, Giles, Nigel, Julian, Richard, Bryce, Mally, Ryan and Nes – you are fantastic at your jobs, thank you.

And finally, to Barbara, Susan and Dan, thank you, you are champions.

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CAST Barry played by Mark Hadlow

Gen played by Darien Takle

PR ODUCTION

Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate Louise Elliott Set Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard van den Berg Costume Designer / Costume Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deborah Moor Lighting Designer / Operator / Head Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Giles Tanner Sound Designer / Composer / House Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Short Stage Manager / Head Stage Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jo Bunce Properties Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julian Southgate Construction & Premises Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryce Goddard Set Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seth Edwards-Ellis, Nigel Kerr, Richard van den Berg Scenic Artist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Le Blond Costume Technicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annie Graham, Charlotte McNulty Photographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Colvin Production Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flore Charbonnier

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Jed Parson, Riley Harter, Jessica Tippett, David Bunce, Dan Pengelly, Rachel Tully, Kate Louise Elliott and Giles Tanner.

Running time: 1 hour & 50 minutes, including a 20min interval.

Please note: Contains adult themes.

Winding Up was staged at The Court Theatre from 13 Feb – 13 March 2021.

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Roger Hall PLAYWRIGHT

Roger Hall was born in England in 1939 and emigrated to New Zealand in 1958. He is New Zealand’s best known dramatist and has written more than forty plays, musicals and pantomimes and more than sixty sitcom episodes for television in New Zealand and the UK. He worked as a teacher and editor with the Education Department before winning the Burns Fellowship at the University of Otago in 1977. Hall was based in Dunedin as teaching fellow in the English department where he taught the playwriting course, until he moved to Auckland in 1995.

His plays have been produced in many other countries, and he had Conjugal Rites produced as a sitcom in the UK. Perhaps his most well-known plays are Glide Time, which was made for television in New Zealand as Gliding On, and Middle Age Spread which was later made into a feature film. The stage production of Middle Age Spread went to the West End for 15 months and won the Comedy of the Year award from the Society of West End Theatres in 1979.

With Philip Norman and A.K. Grant he wrote the musicals Footrot Flats and Love off the Shelf.

His most recent plays include Book Ends, Who Wants to be a 100? (Anyone Who's 99), Four Flat Whites in Italy (which had a highly successful run at The Ensemble, Sydney - and ran for 11 weeks at The Court), A Shortcut to Happiness, You Can Always Hand Them Back (with songs

by Peter Skellern) and Last Legs. His memoir, Bums on Seats, was published in 1998, and he is supposed to be working on a follow-up volume.

Roger has been the recipient of many awards. In 2003 he was named Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services as a playwright, the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement (2015), and was made a Knight (KNZM) for services to theatre in 2019.

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DIRE CTOR

Born the last of six children into a musical family and beginning learning the violin at age seven, performing arts was always going to play a large part of Kate Louise’s life.

An older sibling winning the Mobil Song Quest in 1987 led the way, showing her that a career in the arts was possible. Two other siblings followed suit, which meant her father had little to no argument when Kate Louise left Teachers College to attend Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.

Upon graduating, Kate Louise joined the Centrepoint Company as an actor for three years under Alison Quigan. A firm grounding in theatre then allowed for stints in television where she played the first set of twins on Shortland Street. Acting, singing and directing gigs for the likes of Auckland Theatre Company, Downstage Theatre, Roger Fox and Outrageous Fortune all intermingled before Kate Louise returned to Centrepoint Theatre as the Artistic Director in 2008.

At Centrepoint, she became the first Artistic Director in the country to programme four consecutive years of Aotearoa work. Wanting to learn more, Kate Louise then worked as the Performing Arts Manager at Māngere Arts Centre, Production Manager at Auckland Council and then in Wellington as the General Manager of Creative Capital Arts Trust, which produced Cuba Dupa and the Fringe Festival.

Centrepoint called once more and in 2018 she returned and is the current General Manager and Artistic Director.

Kate Louise is passionate about building great team culture, believing that people are the greatest asset. She is grateful to her team holding the reigns while she has been in Ōtautahi and to The Court team for being so welcoming.

An integral part of the community for over 30 years

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Mark Hadlow, ONZM, is one of New Zealand’s best known actors. He has performed in countless theatre shows throughout New Zealand. Mark has made dozens of film appearances, several television series, commercials and radio voiceovers in the thousands. He has directed many plays throughout New Zealand, some independent productions and some for The Court Theatre.

Mark has been seen on screen playing the dwarf Dori in The Hobbit Trilogy, his third Peter Jackson movie. In Meet the Feebles he voiced Heidi the Hippo and Robert the Hedgehog and sang many of the songs. King Kong saw him rehearsing and performing the role of Harry in the vaudeville scenes opposite Naomi Watts and Bill Johnson.

His latest Peter Jackson movie, Mortal Engines, saw him playing the Auctioneer Stigwood.

He also played alongside New Zealand comedian, Billy T James in The Billy T James Show, a 26 episode sitcom.

He has performed in many musical theatre productions including My Fair Lady; Mr Cinders; Jesus Christ Superstar; Chicago; Kiss Me Kate; Sweeney Todd; Rocky Horror Show and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with John English.

Mark has been nominated for and won several awards, including Best Supporting Actor in a Television Comedy Series for Willy Nilly, playing the role of the challenged brother Harry in the three-season, top-rated sitcom.

He won Best Theatrical Performance of the Year in 1993 for the hugely successful one-man show SNAG and ultimately went on to win Entertainer of the Year in 1995.

He won Best Character Voice Over Artist in the 2010 New Zealand Radio Awards.

Mark has worked for Queensland Theatre Company and performed SNAG at the Adelaide Arts Festival and at the Edinburgh Festival in 1996. He loves the one-man show format and MAMIL, written by his best mate Greg Cooper, opened in 2014 and has since played to over 40,000 people with rave reviews throughout NZ. In March 2018 he completed a co-lead role with Jed Brophy in Stef Harris’ latest thriller, Blue Moon, filmed in Motueka. It has now been accepted and played in 18 film festivals around the world and received the award for Best Low Budget Film in the 2019 Houston Film Festival.

Mark played a supporting role as a South African kickboxing coach in the Shane Rangi short film Die Like a Shark, for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Award. The film is now being accepted into short film festivals internationally.

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D ar i e n Takle GEN

Darien is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (Bachelor of Performing Arts) Auckland University’s Elam School of Fine Arts (Fine Arts Diploma) and Unitec (Celta and Tesol diplomas).

This is a significant year for Darien as she is celebrating 50 years in the business as an actress, singer, writer and director – and what better place to celebrate than at The Court Theatre with Mark Hadlow, performing in her eighth Roger Hall play! She is also excited to be working with director Kate Louise Elliot for the first time. Her previous Court Theatre credits include Darien Takle Sings Brecht; Gypsy; Daughters of Heaven; Midnight in Moscow; The Women and Uncle Vanya.

Her other theatre credits include the 1977 UK Godspell Tour (Cameron MacIntosh productions); Edith Piaf in Piaf (Theatre Corporate); Educating Rita; Eva Peron in Evita (Stetsons); Fantine in Les Misérables (Cameron MacIntosh Productions, Melbourne); The Witch in Into The Woods (Watershed Theatre); Mrs. Sullivan in The God Boy; You Can Always Hand Them Back; Lysistrata (Auckland Theatre Company); Four Flat Whites in Italy (Auckland Theatre Company and Circa Theatre); Pink Hammer (Centrepoint Theatre and Tadpole Productions); Sally Bowles in Cabaret; Dorothy in Wizard of Oz; Cordelia in King Lear; Maria in Sound of Music (Mercury Theatre); Lady Macbeth and Gertrude in Macbeth (Shakespeare Alive). In England she has performed in The Country Wife; Jenusia; The Elephant Man and Songs for Lotte.

Darien’s television credits include Louise Carpenter in Possession (Australian TV Series); Cyrene, Xena’s Mother in Xena: Warrior Princess (Universal LA); Both Sides of the Fence; 12 Bar Rhythm ’n Shoes; Burying Brian; 800 words; Shortland Street; Mercy Peak; Typhons People; Marlon Bay and Power Rangers. Her film credits include The Ugly; The Lost Tribe; Deceit; A Song of Good; Heavenly Creatures; Christmas; Donuts for Breakfast; Bread and Roses; Hope and Joy; Manifesto; Sci-fi Betty and The Justice of Bunny King.

Darien’s solo shows include Songs for Lotte (a tribute to Lotte Lenya); Darien Takle Sings Brecht and Wings Over Water (about artist Frances Hodgkins).

Alternative theatre groups she’s been involved with include Elam Magic Show; Living Theatre Troupe; Amamus; HensTeeth Women’s comedy group and Paradise Mallard Productions.

Her awards include the AFTA Best Actress Film Award for her performance in Christmas (directed by Gregory King). She also has an album released called No Regrets.

Darien is a proud member of Actors Equity.

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W IN D IN G U P

Set in 2019, 29 years after Conjugal Rites, retirees Barry and Gen are planning a European cruise and a visit to London to see their son and grandchildren. Gen is struggling to arrange travel insurance, as Barry has recently been diagnosed with Leukaemia.

Before they go away, Gen gets drunk and discusses the future after Barry’s gone.

They try to fool around – but are hindered by his Apple Watch, which starts to call the emergency services, thinking Barry has had a fall!

After attending a bad funeral, Barry decides to plan his own – a process he commits to when he finds out he only has a 1 in 3 recovery rate.

A month later, Barry and Gen return from holiday, having seen their son – but not their grandchildren. Barry is tired and they receive bad news from the oncologist.

Throughout the play, Barry and Gen struggle to get in touch with their son, Phillip, who they want to meet up with in London. Gen encourages Barry to resolve things with Phillip, before it’s too late. Barry finally does so and commits to going to Europe, even though it means deferring his chemo.

We then see Gen reading a eulogy at Barry’s funeral – before she introduces Barry himself, who is attending his own wake! He ends his speech by inviting the attendees – the audience - to take a book home with them.

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45 YEARS OF KIWI THEATRE “Twenty-one years of marriage. They should give us a tax break.” – Gen, Conjugal Rites.

insurance, before taking up study at Victoria University - all while performing and writing amateur theatre.

29 years later, Conjugal Rites’ beloved couple, Barry and Gen, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in Winding Up! It’s a testament to Sir Roger Hall’s dedication and career longevity that these memorable characters are back on-stage. This production also marks a special milestone in his career, as Hall’s 27th play at The Court Theatre!

Over the years Hall has written over 40 plays, musicals and pantomimes, as well as more than 60 sitcom episodes for television in Aotearoa and the UK.

After graduation, Hall balanced work teaching at Wellington’s Berhampore School with scriptwriting and acting in New Zealand’s first comedy show, In View of the Circumstances.

In 1970, he decided to take the plunge and leave his job to become a full-time writer but in 1972, with a young family, returned to the security of a salaried job as an editor for the Department of Education.

It was here that he found inspiration for his breakthrough play, Glide Time, following the office antics of a group of Wellington public servants. The play proved such a hit that Circa Theatre had a waiting list of over a thousand people after opening night!

“Each new play is like starting a new marathon,” he told The AM Show in 2020.

“People think it gets easier, but you’ve still got to do the same journey each time."

Hall grew up with a desire to write and act, grown from his family’s interest in the arts and a love of post-war British radio comedies, such as Hancock’s Half Hour.

Born in Essex, Hall moved to Aotearoa in 1958, when he was just 19. He worked in 16

“Glide Time was the big break that allowed me to become a full-time writer,” Hall says.

Soon after its success, he moved to Dunedin to take up residency as the Burns Fellow at Otago University. Here, he wrote Middle Age Spread, a theatrical hit both nationally and internationally, running for 15 months on London’s West End, where it was awarded Comedy of the Year.

Laughing about how audiences react to his writing, Hall says, “I remember at one performance of Conjugal Rites, a couple left at half-time, saying we can get all this at home…”

It’s that couple, Barry and Gen, that he decided to revisit for Winding Up.

A keen observer of the way we live, Hall has become famous for his observations of middle-class Kiwi life. Talking about the essence of Hall’s plays, Mark Hadlow says, “he captures the soul of us and has this phenomenal knack to jumble it all together and make us feel all of the emotions, the ins and outs; fads and cringes.”

“I wanted to write a play about a couple in their 70s, facing all the issues that come up at end of life. I began writing it, but then realised that Gen and Barry were the perfect couple to do this, the right age, and once they knocked on my door, they wouldn’t go away.”

Even today, Hall sticks to his writing routine, getting up and making the five metre ‘commute’ to his desk in his Takapuna apartment – a living situation that inspired Barry and Gen’s home.

Back in the ‘70s, however, cultural cringe was at an all-time high, with theatres advertising his plays with a note on the poster, telling audiences it would be ‘A New Zealand Play’.

Forty-five years after the debut of Glide Time, his fervent dedication and impressive output have led to his numerous awards, including a Knighthood in 2019 and the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in 2015 – making him the first playwright to achieve this prestigious award.

“Almost like a sort of Government health warning,” Hall laughs.

Now, Kiwi theatre has been normalised – in part due to Hall’s success and output, paving the way for Aotearoa scripts to become mainstream. “A New Zealand play isn’t a novelty anymore – which is as it should be,” he says.

Outside of scriptwriting, he’s also a fierce advocate for the industry, having helped create the first New Zealand Writers’ Week, and New Zealand Theatre Month in 2018.

A lot of that comes down to his apt characterisations that speak to our unique culture, something audiences were hungry for with a lack of Kiwi storytelling.

At 82, one could ask, is he himself ready to start winding up? With a new play in the works, retirement seems unlikely.

“Whether or not any of it will reach the stage is a different matter...”

A Shortcut to Happiness (2011)

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Richard van den Berg

Deborah Moor

In 2019 Richard returned to the theatre after a sabbatical freelancing around the country and is happy to be back as part of The Court Theatre team.

Deborah has been with the company since 2000. In that time, she has worked on many plays, musicals and children’s productions, both as a technician and designer. In 2019 she became the Costume Manager.

SET DESIGNER

COSTUME DESIGNER

His previous Court Theatre credits include The Dunstan Creek Seance; The Little Mermaid; Songs For Nobodies; The Littlest Ninja; Thumbelina; The Princess and the Frog (and the Robber!) and The Arsonists. Richard has also designed and built sets for St Andrew's College school productions, touring shows, the New Zealand Playhouse and the New Zealand Navy.

Some of her favourite shows have been My Fair Lady; South Pacific; Grease; Romeo and Juliet; Mary Poppins; Chicago; Wind in the Willows and, most recently, Jersey Boys.

Some of her favourite designs have been Hansel and Gretel; Puff the Magic Dragon; Glorious; Backwards in High Heels; Winston’s Birthday; The Littlest Ninja; Thumbelina and The Father.

Richard has a range of handcrafted clocks and art prints which sell in various gallery shops throughout New Zealand.

Deborah has also worked and travelled internationally on many projects.

Running on Friday nights at 10:15pm, SCARED SCRIPTLESS is an improvised comedy show that’ll have you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next!

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Giles Tanner LIGHTING DESIGNER Giles is a graduate of Hagley Theatre Company (Diploma in Performing Arts) where he concentrated on technical production. He is experienced in lighting, sound and audio-visual design.

He started working with The Court in 1995 as a casual technician working on various productions including Medea and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He operated his first co-production Speed-the-Plow in 1996 and designed lights for the co-production Molly Sweeney in 1997. He became House Technician in 1998 and designed lighting for his first mainstage production Kiwifruits in 1999.

Giles is currently Head Technician at The Court Theatre and has worked on more than 50 Court productions including The Father; The Pink Hammer; Fresh Off the Boat; The Wind in the Willows and A Streetcar Named Desire.

He also graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy.

Matt Short COMPOSER / SOUND DESIGNER

Matt began his career in London at the age of 23, working as a marketing rep for a major London record label. He has since worked professionally in broadcast television and other media platforms.

Matt returned to New Zealand to co-film, record sound and compose music for an adventure guide series for TVNZ. Over the last 10 years, he has composed music and designed sound effects for many major brand advertising and marketing films in New Zealand.

Matt joined The Court Theatre as the House Technician/Sound Designer at the beginning of 2018. His recent Court Theatre credits include Elling; Les Liaisons Dangereuses; The Arsonists; The Pink Hammer and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Growing up in North Canterbury, Matt developed a passion for music from an early age. He formed rock bands in high school and university, becoming an accomplished guitarist.

Jo Bunce STAGE MANAGER

Jo graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School with a diploma in technical production in 1996 and has been working in theatre for over 25 years.

She freelanced for many years in Wellington as a lighting designer/operator and stage manager as well as working overseas in London and Edinburgh and in film.

She was an on-set production assistant for King Kong.

Jo is the Head Stage Manager at The Court Theatre and has been involved in over 50 Court productions going back to 1996 including Cabaret; Othello; Art; The Seagull; Amadeus; Pacific Post; The Motor Camp; End of the Rainbow; Blood Brothers; One Man, Two Guvnors; Niu Sila; The Ladykillers; Waiora; Steel Magnolias; Venus in Fur; Easy Money; Stephen King's Misery; Elling; Les Liaisons Dangereuses; Fresh Off the Boat and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Jo graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Arts in 1994.

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of extraordinary theatre We will be celebrating an incredible 50 years of treading the boards at The Court Theatre in April 2021!

With a series of celebratory events planned, we encourage you to save the date for our birthday week.

There will be meetings of old faces and new, plenty of laughter, memorabilia and – of course! – top class entertainment.

Save the date...

Friday 23 April Theatre Alumni Event Saturday 24 April Theatrical Black-Tie Fundraiser Sunday 25 April The Supporters Celebration A special event for our Supporters, including a theatre debate, and the launch of our new branding as Friends of The Court Keep an eye on our website for more details courttheatre.org.nz

Written by Andrew Bovell “She thought about love and how sometimes you could give too much and sometimes you couldn’t give enough and that knowing the right place in-between wasn’t easy.”

For Fran and Bob Price, life should finally be slowing down. It’s time to sit back and smell the roses... until the lives of their adult children come crashing through the back door.

Intimate, heart-warming and unforgettable, Things I Know to be True is an internationally acclaimed drama from the writer of When the Rain Stops Falling.

“This is the best play I have read in the last 12 months,” The Court’s Artistic Director Dan Pengelly gushes. “It is stunning, gritty and touching... Need I say more?”

Starring Lara Macgregor and Stephen Lovatt, don’t miss Things I Know to be True.

Things I Know to be True runs from 20 March – 17 April.

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25

CO–PRODUCED WITH

WITH MARK HADLOW & DARIEN TAKLE Before the show started, we sat down with stars Mark and Darien to talk all things Winding Up!

The Auckland Theatre Company tour was like three different seasons! So, in a way, three opening nights, which was fantastic.

The show was incredibly well-received, so, armed with a Sir Roger Hall script already proven and with Darien Tackle for this production, we can’t wait to perform!

After four years, how does it feel to be returning to The Court, Darien?

What do you love about this Kiwi comedy?

Darien: It feels great to be coming back to one of my favourite theatres. I have always loved working at The Court and feel a special bond having experienced the earthquake that shut down the play I was performing in at the time, Midnight in Moscow. This was also the last play in the beautiful original Court Theatre. I have been back several times since then and it’s always a joy. I have always loved the atmosphere at The Court Theatre and the family feeling. It’s a safe haven for actors.

Darien: This is my eighth Roger Hall play and I salute Roger for writing ‘actors of a certain age’. This is a sweet play with bags of heart – it’s very moving as well as funny.

Mark: It’s about us. We love laughing at ourselves and our wonderfully Kiwi peccadilloes. With an ageing population, so many of the issues in the play that are confronted by Barry and Gen are topical and provide a window into the complexities of getting older! It’s funny, poignant and above all honest.

Following the North Island tour you were part of, how does it feel to be bringing Winding Up down south, Mark?

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Why do you think the two of you will make a convincing married couple?

Just when they think all is well, they find the stage door is locked again. We are very lucky that we are able to return to our theatres here in New Zealand. Live theatre feeds the soul and there is nothing like it. As an actor, it is my happy place. I was amazed at how many people created their own theatre, little performances and mini-films for Zoom and YouTube during lockdown. It showed how much the creative spirit needs to be fed and how many performers and non-performers provided their own theatre during Covid.

Darien: Mark makes me laugh and we both have a sense of what allows the audience to laugh and cry. Mark is very supportive and will make a fine husband!

Mark: Darien and I have worked together three times before and I’m very excited about being in a two-hander, so I get to work with a very talented lady on her own! Greedy, but I can’t wait.

Mark: Covid has given us, by good fortune, a real chance to get Kiwis back into our theatres all over the country to see New Zealand work and New Zealand actors on stage. Our views, our prejudices, our politics, our love, and our origins are vital as we move into a post-Covid future. Live theatre is our moral fibre; our code of ethics right or wrong.

Local is vocal and live theatre is personal and in your lovely face.

With many theatres around the globe closed indefinitely, why do you think live theatre is important?

Darien: My London friends are actors and are waiting for their theatres to reopen.

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ROGER HALL PLAYS HAVE YOU SEEN AT THE COURT THEATRE? HOW MANY

Glide Time (1977)

The Book Club (1999)

Cinderella (1978)

Take a Chance on Me (2001)

Middle Age Spread (1979)

Twenty Years to be an Overnight Success (2001)

Prisoners of Mother England (1980) Fifty-Fifty (1981) Hot Water (1982) Footrot Flats (1983 / '84 / '85) Love Off the Shelf (1987) The Share Club (1987) Conjugal Rites (1990)

By Degrees (1993) Market Forces (1996) Social Climbers (1997) C’mon Black (1998) Dirty Weekends (1998)

Middle Age Spread (2003) Spreading Out (2004) Taking Off (2005) Who Wants to be 100?

(Anyone Who’s 99!) (2007) Four Flat Whites in Italy (2009) A Shortcut to Happiness (2011) You Can Always Hand them Back (2014) Easy Money (2018) Winding Up (2021)

YOUR TOTAL:

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The Court Theatre OUR VALUES M ĀIA TA N G A COURAGEOUS EXECUTIVE Chief Executive Barbara George Artistic Director Daniel Pengelly General Manager Susan Rendall Chief Financial Officer Paul Dawson SENIOR LEADERS Production Manager Flore Charbonnier Food & Beverage Manager Princely D’cunha

MANAAKI TANGA WE LCOMING

WHĀN AUN GAT AN GA B ELONGI NG

Campaign Assistant Ruchika Gulati

Jeff Clark Emma Cusdin Trubie-Dylan Smith Kirsty Gillespie Criss Greuber Millie Hanford Robbie Hunt Scott Koorey Henri Nelis Daniel Pengelly Ciarán Searle Jarred Skelton Andrew Todd Gabby Wakefield Vanessa Wells

Administration Fiona Haines Education Coordinator / Head Tutor Riley Harter Customer Experience Administrator Erin Hills Set Construction Nigel Kerr Marketing Assistant Lynette Lamprecht-Smith Barista Petra Laskova

Marketing Manager Mally Goldberg

Costume Manager Deborah Moor

Artistic Adviser / Lead Director Ross Gumbley

R & M Support Terry Preddy

Jester Musicians Deen Coulson Frankie Daly Kris Finnerty Criss Grueber Andy Manning Hamish Oliver Jack Page

Sponsorship Manager Layla Moutrib

Customer Experience Box Office Rebecca Radcliffe

Accountant Ben Nair

House Technician Matt Short

Programmes Manager Rachel Tully

Graphic Designer Ryan Smith

Customer Experience Manager Rachel Vavasour

Jesters Manager (Artistic) Trubie-Dylan Smith

COMPANY Stage Manager / Assistant Production Manager Erica Browne Head Stage Manager Jo Bunce Project Manager Tom Clisby Set Construction Seth Edwards-Ellis Construction & Premises Manager Bryce Goddard Kaihautū Ahurea Vanessa Gray

Properties Manager Julian Southgate Head Technician Giles Tanner Content Writer Laura Tretheway Set Construction Richard van den Berg Client Manager Andrea Winder Theatre Chaplain David Winfield COURT JESTERS Brendon Bennetts Emma Brittenden Kathleen Burns

Jester Apprentices Maddie Harris Riley Harter Aaron Jelley Hillary Moulder TRUST BOARD Chair Steven van der Pol Secretary Susan Rendall Board Annie Bonifant Tony Feaver Erin Jamieson David McBrearty Anne Newman Georgina Toomey Steve Wakefield FOUNDATION BOARD Chair Catherine Boyer Secretary Laura Palomino de Forbes

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KOT AH IT AN GA ONE TEAM Board Hall Cannon Tina Duncan Cilla Glasson David McBrearty Christopher Weir SUPPORTERS Patron Dame Adrienne Stewart DNZM, QSM

Chair Annie Bonifant Deputy Chair Allanah James Honorary Secretary Charles Duke Honorary Treasurer Lynn Vandertie Honorary Membership Secretary Jay Pollock Committee Pat Braithwaite Wendy Carryer Tony Feaver Cheryl Colley Liz Lovell John McSweeney David Winfield ASSOCIATES Bryan Aitken Stuart Alderton Paul Barrett Judie Douglass Tony Geddes Derek Hargreaves MNZM Joe Hayes Geoffrey Heath Elric Hooper MBE Maurice Kidd Avril Lockhead Yvonne Martin Lynda Milligan Eilish Moran Stewart Ross FELLOW OF THE COURT John Harrison ONZM

WITH YOUR HELP! Picture yourself on opening night, a glass of fine wine in your hand, waiting in anticipation and excitement for the bing bongs to announce the doors are open, for the first time, to the inaugural Court Theatre production in our new home in the City - close to Christmas 2023.

Our new home will be an architectural and living expression of human creativity, reflecting and serving the many faces of the Canterbury community, in beautiful Aotearoa. We can’t wait to show you around - the beauty of natural timbers, the warmth of textured walls, the comfy understated upholstery, and wow, these floors are lovely!

There will be so much to choose from - so many different types of productions, events, coffee and dinner, a place where friends and whānau can gather together.

We invite you to choose how you would like us to use your donation to The Court.

Gifts to: • The Court Theatre helps us keep ticket prices accessible for our community, so that as many people as possible can enjoy our productions.

• The Court Education Programme enables us to positively impact the lives of children and adults through classes, performances and workshops.

• The New Court in the City will ensure that generations of theatre lovers will continue to gather at The Court to share stories, laughter and life.

Prefer to FOR donate online?

Simply courttheatre.org.nz/donate PROOFS SELECTION FOR MEDIA RELEASE - NOTvisit FOR CIRCULATION or contact us at donations@courttheatre.org.nz

We can’t wait to welcome you to our new home!

FOR CIRCULATION

is an award-win with an international reputation f design

is an award-winning arch NEWS with an international reputation for intellig Haworth Tompkins selected by One Housing for Kingsb design 33

Sponsors + Funders HOURUA WHAKAIHUWAKA

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

SE A SON SPONSOR

CORE FUNDER

MEARES WILLIAMS LAWYERS

34

Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.

With your food basket and my food basket, the multitudes will thrive.

To inquire about how a sponsorship relationship with The Court Theatre could add value to your business, please contact our Sponsorship Manager Layla Moutrib at Layla.moutrib@courttheatre.org.nz

Elizabeth Ball Charitable Trust Farina Thompson Charitable Trust

Pamela Webb Charitable Trust

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

AND

LEADERSHIP

Gabrielle Tasman John Rhind Ltd

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Whether you’re new to enjoying wine or a seasoned connoisseur. Whether you

TIMELESS.

wine sweet, dry, light or full

SMOOTH.

GENEROUS.

LIVELY.

PL AYFUL.

prefer white or red or like your bodied - there’s always been a Giesen wine for you.

Now with a refreshed look, the Giesen crest remains a tried and true mark of quality.

Wherever you see it, you’re sharing in 40 years of passion and craft.

So, the next time you choose wine, look for the mark of quality.

W E N H K S E OO R L F