Firing The Canon Pays Tribute To Aotearoa New Zealand's Playwriting Icons
New Zealand's most famous office comedy, a raucous play about rowdy high schoolers, a West Auckland tribute, a lesson on how to make rēwena, and a story about a girl who wants to make a cow out of leaves make up the five plays in this inaugural season of Firing the Canon, a series of five free playreadings at Basement Theatre that runs from July 8 - 12.
Firing the Canon presents five readings of plays from Aotearoa New Zealand's massive back catalogue – plays that are important to our history, plays that represent the best of the best, and plays that are just plain cool – and pairs them up with Basement Theatre artists new and familiar. Some of these plays are having their Auckland debut, some their Basement Theatre debut, and some are old favourites having fresh and exciting new outings. The common theme? They're all from New Zealand, they speak to the history of our theatre, and they're free to attend.
Firing the Canon will bring over 35 performers from Basement Theatre 's past, present and future together between July 8 - July 12 to breathe new life into stories that have lost none of their potency, vibrancy and humour since their premieres. It will also give audiences the opportunity to engage with stories that are foundational to New Zealand's storied history of playwriting.
The five plays being read are:
Glide Time by Roger Hall, directed by Sean Rivera on Tuesday July 8. A ground breaking comedy that changed the course of New Zealand theatre when it premiered in 1976. It follows life in the stores board of a department of the NZ Public Service, and examines the lives of those forced to work with each other every day in a job none of them likes. This reading will be Sir Roger Hall 's Basement Theatre debut, and the first time that Glide Time has been performed in Auckland since a Silo Theatre production in 2006.
Smashed by Tāwhi Thomas, directed by Mark Chayanat Whittet on Wednesday July 10. A spunky crew of teens work, groove, laugh and fight their way into the future in a punchy series of short theatrical vignettes with a theme of kids under pressure. Thomas is best known for plays Have Car Will Travel and Hui, and this marks this play's Basement Theatre debut.
Rēwena by Whiti Hereaka, directed by Katrina George on Thursday July 10. Maggie, the proprietress at the local gastro pub, The Thymus of the Lambs, is holding a class in Rewena making on the night of the final of popular reality TV series A Baker's Dozen. Rumour has it that the local boy finalist, Neill, was taught to cook by Maggie in this very kitchen; but Maggie's not one to gossip. Whiti Hereaka is an award-winning playwright and novelist, winning the most prestigious award for playwriting in New Zealand (the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award) and for fiction (the Ockham Prize for Fiction for Kurangaituku). Rēwena premiered at Centrepoint Theatre in 2013 to rave reviews.
The Packer by Dianna Fuemana, directed by Shay McKendrick on Friday July 11. A play about Shane, a white trash 'westie', is an unflinching look at suburban life 'in the hood'. Gin, weed, speed - everyone's got their poison - and mixed up with their culture clashes, next-door neighbours and sexual politics, it's a potent combination. The Packer premiered in 2004, and it has received acclaim in New Zealand, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Sydney.
Cow by Jo Randerson, directed by Nī Dekkers-Reihana on Saturday July 12. All Beth wants to do is make a cow out of leaves, but her efforts are thwarted by, amongst others, a father who thinks he's a cat, an interfering yuppie couple and a loud American tourist. A black comedy set on a farm. Cow returns to the Basement Theatre stage after a season in 2011 as part of Auckland Theatre Company's Young and Hungry programme.
This series is curated and produced by award-winning playwright and journalist Sam Brooks (Burn Her, Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys). He says, 'New Zealand has a massive and mighty canon of playwriting that punches well above its weight. Many of our plays are studied and performed in academic contexts but so rarely get seen professionally performed – or even read. This inaugural series of Firing the Canon will not only give an outing to work that has been so vital to the history of theatre, but a chance for artists and audiences to wrangle with it.'
All playreadings are free to attend.
This series is produced by Smoke Labours Productions.
All these readings are free, produced by arrangement with Playmarket NZ, and proudly supported by Auckland Council and the City Centre Targeted Rate.
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Scoop
4 hours ago
- Scoop
Firing The Canon Pays Tribute To Aotearoa New Zealand's Playwriting Icons
New Zealand's most famous office comedy, a raucous play about rowdy high schoolers, a West Auckland tribute, a lesson on how to make rēwena, and a story about a girl who wants to make a cow out of leaves make up the five plays in this inaugural season of Firing the Canon, a series of five free playreadings at Basement Theatre that runs from July 8 – 12. Firing the Canon presents five readings of plays from Aotearoa New Zealand's massive back catalogue – plays that are important to our history, plays that represent the best of the best, and plays that are just plain cool – and pairs them up with Basement Theatre artists new and familiar. Some of these plays are having their Auckland debut, some their Basement Theatre debut, and some are old favourites having fresh and exciting new outings. The common theme? They're all from New Zealand, they speak to the history of our theatre, and they're free to attend. Firing the Canon will bring over 35 performers from Basement Theatre 's past, present and future together between July 8 – July 12 to breathe new life into stories that have lost none of their potency, vibrancy and humour since their premieres. It will also give audiences the opportunity to engage with stories that are foundational to New Zealand's storied history of playwriting. The five plays being read are: Glide Time by Roger Hall, directed by Sean Rivera on Tuesday July 8. A ground breaking comedy that changed the course of New Zealand theatre when it premiered in 1976. It follows life in the stores board of a department of the NZ Public Service, and examines the lives of those forced to work with each other every day in a job none of them likes. This reading will be Sir Roger Hall 's Basement Theatre debut, and the first time that Glide Time has been performed in Auckland since a Silo Theatre production in 2006. Smashed by Tāwhi Thomas, directed by Mark Chayanat Whittet on Wednesday July 10. A spunky crew of teens work, groove, laugh and fight their way into the future in a punchy series of short theatrical vignettes with a theme of kids under pressure. Thomas is best known for plays Have Car Will Travel and Hui, and this marks this play's Basement Theatre debut. Rēwena by Whiti Hereaka, directed by Katrina George on Thursday July 10. Maggie, the proprietress at the local gastro pub, The Thymus of the Lambs, is holding a class in Rewena making on the night of the final of popular reality TV series A Baker's Dozen. Rumour has it that the local boy finalist, Neill, was taught to cook by Maggie in this very kitchen; but Maggie's not one to gossip. Whiti Hereaka is an award-winning playwright and novelist, winning the most prestigious award for playwriting in New Zealand (the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award) and for fiction (the Ockham Prize for Fiction for Kurangaituku). Rēwena premiered at Centrepoint Theatre in 2013 to rave reviews. The Packer by Dianna Fuemana, directed by Shay McKendrick on Friday July 11. A play about Shane, a white trash 'westie', is an unflinching look at suburban life 'in the hood'. Gin, weed, speed – everyone's got their poison – and mixed up with their culture clashes, next-door neighbours and sexual politics, it's a potent combination. The Packer premiered in 2004, and it has received acclaim in New Zealand, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Sydney. Cow by Jo Randerson, directed by Nī Dekkers-Reihana on Saturday July 12. All Beth wants to do is make a cow out of leaves, but her efforts are thwarted by, amongst others, a father who thinks he's a cat, an interfering yuppie couple and a loud American tourist. A black comedy set on a farm. Cow returns to the Basement Theatre stage after a season in 2011 as part of Auckland Theatre Company's Young and Hungry programme. This series is curated and produced by award-winning playwright and journalist Sam Brooks (Burn Her, Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys). He says, 'New Zealand has a massive and mighty canon of playwriting that punches well above its weight. Many of our plays are studied and performed in academic contexts but so rarely get seen professionally performed – or even read. This inaugural series of Firing the Canon will not only give an outing to work that has been so vital to the history of theatre, but a chance for artists and audiences to wrangle with it.' All playreadings are free to attend. This series is produced by Smoke Labours Productions. All these readings are free, produced by arrangement with Playmarket NZ, and proudly supported by Auckland Council and the City Centre Targeted Rate.
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Scoop
Firing The Canon Pays Tribute To Aotearoa New Zealand's Playwriting Icons
New Zealand's most famous office comedy, a raucous play about rowdy high schoolers, a West Auckland tribute, a lesson on how to make rēwena, and a story about a girl who wants to make a cow out of leaves make up the five plays in this inaugural season of Firing the Canon, a series of five free playreadings at Basement Theatre that runs from July 8 - 12. Firing the Canon presents five readings of plays from Aotearoa New Zealand's massive back catalogue – plays that are important to our history, plays that represent the best of the best, and plays that are just plain cool – and pairs them up with Basement Theatre artists new and familiar. Some of these plays are having their Auckland debut, some their Basement Theatre debut, and some are old favourites having fresh and exciting new outings. The common theme? They're all from New Zealand, they speak to the history of our theatre, and they're free to attend. Firing the Canon will bring over 35 performers from Basement Theatre 's past, present and future together between July 8 - July 12 to breathe new life into stories that have lost none of their potency, vibrancy and humour since their premieres. It will also give audiences the opportunity to engage with stories that are foundational to New Zealand's storied history of playwriting. The five plays being read are: Glide Time by Roger Hall, directed by Sean Rivera on Tuesday July 8. A ground breaking comedy that changed the course of New Zealand theatre when it premiered in 1976. It follows life in the stores board of a department of the NZ Public Service, and examines the lives of those forced to work with each other every day in a job none of them likes. This reading will be Sir Roger Hall 's Basement Theatre debut, and the first time that Glide Time has been performed in Auckland since a Silo Theatre production in 2006. Smashed by Tāwhi Thomas, directed by Mark Chayanat Whittet on Wednesday July 10. A spunky crew of teens work, groove, laugh and fight their way into the future in a punchy series of short theatrical vignettes with a theme of kids under pressure. Thomas is best known for plays Have Car Will Travel and Hui, and this marks this play's Basement Theatre debut. Rēwena by Whiti Hereaka, directed by Katrina George on Thursday July 10. Maggie, the proprietress at the local gastro pub, The Thymus of the Lambs, is holding a class in Rewena making on the night of the final of popular reality TV series A Baker's Dozen. Rumour has it that the local boy finalist, Neill, was taught to cook by Maggie in this very kitchen; but Maggie's not one to gossip. Whiti Hereaka is an award-winning playwright and novelist, winning the most prestigious award for playwriting in New Zealand (the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award) and for fiction (the Ockham Prize for Fiction for Kurangaituku). Rēwena premiered at Centrepoint Theatre in 2013 to rave reviews. The Packer by Dianna Fuemana, directed by Shay McKendrick on Friday July 11. A play about Shane, a white trash 'westie', is an unflinching look at suburban life 'in the hood'. Gin, weed, speed - everyone's got their poison - and mixed up with their culture clashes, next-door neighbours and sexual politics, it's a potent combination. The Packer premiered in 2004, and it has received acclaim in New Zealand, Edinburgh, Melbourne and Sydney. Cow by Jo Randerson, directed by Nī Dekkers-Reihana on Saturday July 12. All Beth wants to do is make a cow out of leaves, but her efforts are thwarted by, amongst others, a father who thinks he's a cat, an interfering yuppie couple and a loud American tourist. A black comedy set on a farm. Cow returns to the Basement Theatre stage after a season in 2011 as part of Auckland Theatre Company's Young and Hungry programme. This series is curated and produced by award-winning playwright and journalist Sam Brooks (Burn Her, Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys). He says, 'New Zealand has a massive and mighty canon of playwriting that punches well above its weight. Many of our plays are studied and performed in academic contexts but so rarely get seen professionally performed – or even read. This inaugural series of Firing the Canon will not only give an outing to work that has been so vital to the history of theatre, but a chance for artists and audiences to wrangle with it.' All playreadings are free to attend. This series is produced by Smoke Labours Productions. All these readings are free, produced by arrangement with Playmarket NZ, and proudly supported by Auckland Council and the City Centre Targeted Rate.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Black Faggot's Victor Rodger on Destiny Church and why his groundbreaking play remains so relevant today
Like a lot of young homosexuals, it made me feel a lot of self-loathing. But I wasn't raised to denigrate people who were gay. My mother was very young when she had me – she turns 72 this year – but she elected to keep me and I'm so grateful she did. She let me do swirly swirlies in her blue dress when I was going through my Deborah Kerr phase, from The King and I, and she got me the Barbie dolls I craved as a young fella. She was still surprised when I came out when I was 26, but she's always just let me be. When Destiny Church led its 'Enough is Enough' march on Parliament in 2004 against the Civil Union Bill [giving legal recognition to same-sex relationships], I knew without a doubt that at least one of those young men would be gay. Hating on themselves and marching against themselves. I wanted to write something metaphorically for that kid. Then, in 2012, there were more protests against the marriage equality bill, with members of the Pasifika community coming out against it. I knew it was time to finally get over the line. Victor Rodger: "Some seriously appalling things are going down in our own backyard." Photo / Dean Purcell Black Faggot premiered at Auckland's Basement Theatre in 2013. I wanted it to be funny, which it is, and I also wanted to diversify the spectrum of Samoan queer characters, who until then had often been typified by fa'afafine as objects of mirth, with no complexity or layers. Two actors play multiple roles, mostly queer Samoan men, from super camp to super butch and everything in between. There's also a fa'afafine, a Samoan mum, and a pumping iron straight brother, but the spine of the show is a relationship between a young Samoan man on the down low and an out-and-proud Samoan man. When I heard The Court Theatre in Christchurch wanted Black Faggot on its programme this year, I wondered if it was still relevant. I'd thought about doing it myself in 2023, for the 10th anniversary, and had asked myself the same question. A few years ago, I was a dramaturg on a trans rom-com about a Tongan fakaleiti at high school and the captain of the First XV, who takes a bet that he can make her fall in love with him. When we did our first showing to a group of students, they were just so invested in the trans main character having a happy ending. For me, as an older, queer person, I was blown away because that never would have happened in my era. Destiny Church members wearing Man Up T-shirts disrupt the Auckland Rainbow Parade on Ponsonby Road in February. But as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I was in the UK when I saw the headlines: 'Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church pride protests: Te Atatū witness describes terror inside library'. I wasn't expecting something like that to happen, but it didn't surprise me, either. We are living through a period in history right now that is as startling as it is unstable. And here in Aotearoa, we can't kid ourselves that we're in a position to look overseas and say 'Well, at least it's not that bad here', because some seriously appalling things are going down in our own backyard. Back in 2013, I wanted to pull Black Faggot. I was unravelling over all sorts of other life stuff and had convinced myself it was the worst piece of shit that had ever been committed to paper. Everything felt pretty grim and dark. The premiere got a standing ovation, but even that offered no relief. With this new season, I've been able to engage with the show from a much better place. I forbade my mother from seeing it, but she disobeyed me and went to the opening night in Christchurch, which is where I grew up. She's always been concerned with the amount of swearing in my work and that people will think she raised me to talk in the gutter. I did that all on my own. She's also not a great fan of sex, and there's a lot of sex talk in the show. But she coped and was blown away by the two actors, one of whom is the son of a family friend from the same church. There are moments in it when you can hear a pin drop, like when the young Christian character keeps praying to God to be made straight. That resonates with so many of us who've been through the same thing, just wanting to be #normal. On the night I went, there was recognition and there was laughter, but the overriding emotion was celebratory. That's not a word I would have used, but seeing it now, I thought, yes, this is absolutely a celebration. And a necessary one. Victor Rodger is an award-winning playwright based in Wellington and a 2024 Arts Laureate. The new production of Black Faggot, directed by Anapela Polata'ivao (who starred in the feature film Tinā), has just completed a four-week season at The Court in Christchurch and is on at Auckland's Q Theatre from June 25 to 29.
