the Feast of New Theatre: Operate Trust

Operate Trust presents ... Playhouse on Sunday

A rehearsed reading of a new New Zealand play, every month at Court Two, 4pm. - Entry by koha. Playhouse on Sunday at the Court Theatre

The Playhouse on Sunday programme has finished for the meantime. We hope to begin again in August or September, with an expanded two-day rehearsal process. If you would like to submit your script for consideration, please send it to PO Box 22 427 Christchurch or operate@font.org.nz. It will be read by Elizabeth O'Connor and Kathleen Gallagher and 6 will be chosen for readings between now and March 2008.

Previous readings:

Angels by Tanya Muagatuti'a and Joy Va'ele, Sunday June 16

The Truth Game by Simon Cunliffe, Sunday May 6

The Truth Game by Simon Cunliffe is a topical and trenchant script about the commodification of news in the big business media age. Frank Stone is a no-nonsense middle-aged newspaper journalist, juggling his passion for the job with his adherence to rapidly fading ethics, philiosophies and friends, and his relationship with the smart, savvy and up-coming Samantha. World, newsroom and personal crises collide, as both overseas and local management horn in on the production of the paper and Frank realises he has to fight his corner - and the price will be high. The script is witty, pacy and authentic.

Simon Cunliffe is a scriptwriter and journalist with many years' experience in NZ newsrooms, including four years as deputy editor of The Press, where he is still a featured columnist (he now lives in Dunedin). The Truth Game has already received one reading in Dunedin and is being considered for production by a couple of NZ theatres.

This rehearsed reading will be directed by Ross McKellar, who directed Gloomy Sunday in Court 2 (and directs and teaches at NASDA), with a professional cast of actors.

The Truth Game (rehearsed reading) is open to the public at 4pm, Sunday 6 May, at the Forge (formerly Court 2). Enry by koha - no booking required. Enquiries, please phone Elizabeth at 027 370 2062.

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Out of the Ordinary by Lisa Norriss, Sunday April 15

A Colonial Vaudeville, by Karen Zelas

A Colonial Vaudeville is a well-researched drama about the settlement of Akaroa. The main character is Lavaud, a Captain in the French navy, who oversees the French settlers in Akaroa harbour, and negotiates with the British, while attempting to uphold his own high ideals, marriage, and relationships with the French crown. The play is framed by events in France, and Lavaud's attempt to justify to his wife Catherine his conduct in New Zealand.

Power struggles, culture, money, food, sex, morality and religion all have their effet on the new colonists and others in the harbour. Received ideas lose their sway. Lavaud is seriously challenged and changed by his few years in New Zealand.

This is an intense, naturalistic, moral drama, which has been developed over a couple of years' work by the playwright.

It is well worth hearing/seeing in a rehearsed reading - Playhouse on Sunday on March 4 at 4pm in Court Two.

The Whole Sun by Nigel Waters

Sunday 4 February, 4pm, Court Two

Six young people spend the night in a beach cave, to commemorate their friend, Josie, who died at a rave at the venue a year ago. Their entangled relationships, guilts, fears and aspirations make for intense, sad, funny and very moving theatre. The play starts in total blackness and ends at sunrise.

Director: Richard Bullock

Actors: Catriona Toop, Kelley Young, Cheyne Jenkinson, Laurence Wiseman and two others to be confirmed.

Dramaturg: Elizabeth O'Connor

Upcoming readings: March 4th, April 1st, May 6th, June 17th

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The first reading was held on December 10th. Bryan Aitken's Which Way Out

Evelyn, a bit of an intellectural snob and stubborn to boot, has been sent to a rest home, an old country homestead. She struggles from the outset with the unsympathetic nurse in charge, Brenda, relieves her stimulating life as a teacher, and her relations with her former lover, Sheldon. At first disgusted by the inert inhabitants of the home, she comes to value Stanley, who moves slowly but has a quick riposte, and she's devastated when he is forced off into hospital to die away from the place he knows. Encounters with Stanley, the honest but diffident chaplain, and a delightful replacement nurse (Betty) re-ignite her capacity to experience and give love.

She is humiliated when her attempst to express new feelings and intentions are misinterpreted, and when she realises her brother has put her here permanently - and in fact she may well be "losing her mind" - she is forced to contemplate drastic action.

Bryan conceived the play based on experiences of members of his own family, and stories told by friends. He thought it might have potential as a touring show, so wrote it for three actors (some parts doubled).

From the frist draft I read, I thought that this was dynamite material, incredibly topical and clearly personally informed, and just needing some serious script development. Bryan's original approach was the recording of Eve's journal - so most things happened off-stage. That's changed a lot, both before and since the workshop.

The team for the rehearsed reading on December 10, 2006, was

Writer: Bryan Aitken

Director: Stephanie McKellar-Smith

Actors: Judie Douglass, Lynda Milligan, Robert Gilbert

Dramaturg: Elizabeth O'Connor

Operate Producer: Lucette Hindin

We worked from 9am, getting the script on its feet, and teasing out ideas, problems, and tantalising suggestions. The rehearsal was very respectful of the script - Stephanie McKellar (director) referred to Bryan constantly in working out the essentials of what was going on. Actors gave valuable input on how they thought their characters might speak and act, without disrupting the overall task of getting something ready for an audience to see and hear.

At 4pm, a small invited audience gathered. They received the material well. There was some laughter and some people cried. The audience members identified with Eve, they were perturbed and distressed anbout choices re rest homes, they loved Stanley, and they were anxious to help Bryan to the right conclusion to his play.

I took notes, which I wrote up and emailed to Bryan later. He has worked through them and is (wisely) taking his time with the next draft.

Look for Which Way Out? - it is sure to be staged somewhere, at some time, in teh near future.

Elizabeth O'Connor, dramaturg.