Theatre Students Shed Light on Dark Matters

victoria-university-of-wellington

Tue Oct 02 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Theatre Students Shed Light on Dark Matters

Tuesday, 2 October 2007, 10:08 am
Press Release: Victoria University of Wellington

This month, Victoria University’s Theatre Programme presents Dark Matter!, an exciting collection of black comedies which promise to be a strong conclusion to an academic year already marked by stimulating and satisfying productions.

Dark Matter! showcases the directorial debuts of three student directors. Lecturer Bronwyn Tweddle has been guiding her class of first-time directors through the highs and lows of preparing a full-scale production. “This course makes Studio 77 a production powerhouse,” she says. “Twelve plays in twelve weeks is a huge achievement. Frequently people say that it is impossible, but every year the students not only achieve it, but also amaze us with the standard of their work.”

The evening consists of three stirring works, ranging from a home-grown Kiwi comedy by Angie Farrow, a Polish play performed entirely in silhouette and a Spanish work critiquing religion. Criteria for assessment include ‘imaginative’ use of the theatre as well as strong artistic impact, so an audience can expect to see fresh and exciting approaches to the material. Ms Tweddle holds the talent and ability of her students in high regard, noting that she is “constantly surprised by their clever solutions” to the challenges of the course.

New Zealand Lamb is directed by Sophie Prebble. It is Grace’s wedding day and everything is going to plan except that Grace’s father, a butcher from Newtown, is nowhere to be found. This very physical comedy takes us on a fast-paced ride through the streets and suburbs of Wellington looking for the father of the bride and finding a whole lot more.

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Striptease is a shadow play by Slawomir Mrozeck and is directed by Ralph Upton. Inexplicable events force two men from the beaten track of their everyday commute into a small room with locked doors. Enter, stage left, a hand of supernatural size….

Orison, by Fernando Arrabal and directed by Matthew Nagel, offers a sharp critique on religion. A wicked farce, this production emphasizes the ritualistic side of theatre, as a young couple come to terms with the sudden death of their child.

Dark Matter! is playing at Studio 77 (77 Fairlie Tce, Kelburn) from Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13 October. Shows start at 7pm each night with tickets $12 waged and $8 unwaged.

For bookings and further information, contact Jo Bean on (04) 463 5359, or email theatre@vuw.ac.nz

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