En— Light— Enment Thanks to Our Supporters
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ON— Vol. 1 No. 5 STAGE May 2015 EN— LIGHT— ENMENT THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS FUNDERS PRINCIPAL CORE FUNDER PARTNERS PRESENTING FUNDER NIVERSITY PARTNER U ARTISTIC M A J O R Proud to be NZ’s Most Awarded Official Caterers of Official Telecommunications SUPPORTORS Winery and Sponsor of Auckland Theatre Company Partner Auckland Theatre Company DIRECTOR'S NOTE Colin McColl MEDIA PARTNER AJOR VENUE PARTNERS M Welcome to Enlightenment, the third Auckland Theatre Company mainstage production for 2015. Shelagh Stephenson’s marvellous and engrossing work has continued to thrill audiences since its premiere at Ireland’s Abbey Theatre several years ago. UPPORTING PARTNERS It’s every parents nightmare. Just as your child breaks free of family S ties, off on a life of their own, they take a step too far and are lost to you. Maybe forever. For Lia, the emotional core of Enlightenment, there can be no closure. Her backpacker son has disappeared and no amount of Mangere Arts Centre – Ngā Tohu o Uenuku education, intelligence, civilized learning or rational thinking can assuage Q Theatre her grief. 0 15 V E N U E PARTNERS SKYCITY Theatre 2 We are honoured to have a cast of this calibre to bring Enlightenment thrillingly alive for you. Many thanks to Rachel, Stephen, Catherine, David, Anna and Jordan for their sterling work. Thanks too to director Andrew Foster, and his talented and committed design team. Sit back and absorb damned good, skilful storytelling. A fable 0 15 ATC Patrons and Supporting Acts 2 for our time. BENEFACTORS 1 EN— LIGHT— ENMENT CAST DIRECTOR'S NOTE Lia — RACHEL NASH Nick — STEPHEN LOVATT Andrew Foster Joyce — CATHERINE WILKIN Gordon — DAVID ASTON Shelagh Stephenson’s rich and layered text reveals more each day we work with it. Joanna — ANNA JULLIENNE Her mystery is profoundly human, her characters complex and challenging. There’s Adam — JORDAN MOONEY something of Shakespeare’s dissection of the human condition in her sagaciously observed unfolding of a family’s journey into the unknown. CREATIVE This play is set in the here and now. In the chaos of post 9/11, and the anonymity Director — ANDREW FOSTER of consumerism. But Stephenson’s examination takes place on a molecular level. She Set Designer — DAN WILLIAMS cuts into the hearts of her characters and never once lets them sleep. Lia and Nick know they have lost their son, but they may never know what happened to him. Lighting Designer — BRENDAN ALBREY There’s a phrase I’ve just learnt: ‘pareidolia’, which describes the perception Sound Designer — PAUL McLANEY of patterns in random data, essentially seeing animals in clouds or figures in the Costume Designer — LISA HOLMES shadows. I think that in many ways this captures the ephemeral nature of this Audio Visual Designer — TOM BOGDANOWICZ tragedy. Without a form to their loss, this couple’s fears overwhelm their reality. Fight Choreography— ALEXANDER HOLLOWAY They find themselves lost inside the basest of human questions. I’m always reluctant to write director's notes. I suppose preferring to let a play speak for itself. But for those who will engage in this beautiful play’s deeper PRODUCTION questions, I offer the words of James K Baxter: Production Manager — ANDREW MALMO Alone we are born Acting Company Manager — ELAINE WALSH And die alone; Stage Manager — HOLLY CHAPPELL Yet see the red-gold cirrus Technical Operator — JAMIE JOHNSTONE Over snow mountain shine. Technical Manager — BONNIE BURRILL Props Master — NATASHA PEARL Along the upland road Set Construction — 2CONSTRUCT Ride easy, stranger: Surrender to the sky AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING FOR Your heart of anger. THEIR HELP WITH THIS PRODUCTION: Andrew Keegan for his drum performance, Tania Anderson, and Paul Lim. I feel lucky to be doing my job. There is something very special about the relationships formed when working together on a play. I’d like to thank my cast and Enlightenment is the third Auckland Theatre Company mainbill production for 2015 and opened on May 30th at Maidment Theatre. Enlightenment is approximately 115 minutes with 20 minutes interval. crew for being so open to getting inside this text with me. Thank you for making the Please remember to switch off all mobile phones, pagers and watch alarms. experience human and enjoyable. 33 2 3 SYNOPSIS Adam, a 20-year-old student, Joanna, a television producer has gone missing while travelling who is making a series about on his OE. The last his parents missing people. heard from him was a vague email Then, unexpectedly, a young mentioning Jakarta. His middle- man suffering from amnesia class mother, Lia, is devastated appears at the airport, looking and seeks solace from a psychic. uncannily like Adam and holding Adam’s stepfather, Nick is equally his passport. Lia invites him to upset but more level-headed. stay at their family home until Wanting to help, Lia's father his memory returns. But all is not Gordon (a former Labour MP) what it seems and gradually a dark introduces his daughter to truth emerges. Left Field wines, birthplace of the unexpected, the weird and the wonderful. Enjoy Left Field responsibly. leftfieldwines.com 4 LF1504-861_atc_advert_210x148mm.indd 2 16/04/15 1:05 PM CAST STEPHEN LOVATT (Nick) Stephen has performed in in Anne Boleyn, and Colonel theatre, radio, television and Malone in Once On Chunuk RACHEL NASH cinema throughout New Zealand Bair. Other theatre highlights and Australia over the last 27 years. include When The Rain Stops Falling, (Lia) Television appearances include Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, Top Of The Lake, Hope And Wire, Angels In America and The Only Harry, Spartacus, and 5 years as Max Child produced by Silo Theatre. on Neighbours. Stephen has recently He will be appearing next in Rachel began her journey into Jinx Sister, The Map Reader, Ashes finished playing Sir John Hunt in Auckland Theatre Company’s acting at Theatre Corporate Drama to Ashes, The Vagina Monologues Great Southern Television’s soon upcoming production of David School in 1986. Since then she has and The Songmaker’s Chair with to be released Hillary - a six part TV Williamson’s comedy romp Rupert been involved with a wide variety Auckland Theatre Company. series about Sir Ed. directed by Colin McColl. of projects in theatre, film, TV, Rachel is delighted to be Previous work for Auckland Stephen was awarded radio and teaching. back at ATC working with such a Theatre Company includes ‘Excellence In Performance’ at the Some recent highlights for splendid cast, a fabulous director Fallen Angels and The Motor Camp, 2014 Auckland theatre awards for Rachel include The Almighty and a wonderful play. Member as well as particular highlights his work throughout that year, and Johnsons, The Cult, Abandoned, of Equity. including playing King James is a proud member of his union. 6 7 CATHERINE WILKIN DAVID ASTON (Joyce) (Gordon) Catherine began her career as a (Basement Theatre). Her latest David has been an actor for the One For The Road and The Jungle. student at the Mercury Theatre in appearance for ATC was in the last 25 years and has an impressive Other works include Yes, Prime Auckland in the seventies and since 2014 production of Trees Beneath and varied career, with films Minister (Australian and New then has worked extensively in The Lake. including Underworld 3 and Zealand tour 2013), Where Are You theatre, television, film and radio Credits for television in The Matrix, this year's 3 Mile Limit, My Only One? (Basement Theatre, as in New Zealand and Australia. Australia include Flying Doctors and television appearances producer and actor), The Crucible, Highlights in theatre have (Best Actress award), Rafferty's Rules including Soldier, Soldier (UK), A Clockwork Orange, A Shortcut to included Hedda Gabler for (Silver Logie), Mcleod's Daughters, Shortland Street, Duggan, Street Legal Happiness, Copenhagen, Arcadia and Downstage Theatre, which toured The Saddle Club, Halifax, and and Gloss. A Midsummer's Dream and musical to Oslo, Edinburgh, London and The Magistrate. And in New Zealand: Among his many stage credits theatre Oliver!, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sydney; The Graduate (Downstage), Children Of The Dogstar, The Case are lead roles in Yours Truly, Blood Brothers (Australia & NZ), Dinner, Lady Windermere's Fan Of Katherine Mansfield, Gloss, Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet, Blue Westside Story, Sweeney Todd and (Circa), Equus, The Pohutukawa Tree, Marlin Bay, Swimming Lessons (Best Orange, A Number, Total Eclipse, Phantom of the Opera (Japan tour). The Importance Of Being Earnest, Supporting Actress), Outrageous Major Barbara, Closer, The Caretaker, Member of Equity. Who Wants To Be 100 (Auckland Fortune, Leo's Pride and Tangiwai. Theatre Company), The Raft Catherine was nominated for Best (Centrepoint), The Misanthrope, Supporting Actress at the 2013 Moa Burnt Piano (Melbourne Theatre Awards for the film The Weight Of Company), Tribes (Silo Theatre), Elephants. She has been a member Death of a Salesman (Peach of Equity since 1975. Productions) and Girl In Tan Boots 8 9 ANNA JULLIENNE JORDAN MOONEY (Joanna) (Adam) Anna's previous appearances Salesman, The Vagina Monologues Proudly a Hamilton-born and Lord of the Flies and Once On Chunuk for Auckland Theatre Company and View from a Bridge. bred actor, Jordan made the move Bair. In the past year Jordan has include playing the lead in Interspersed amongst these to Auckland in 2009. His first worked with Fractious Tash in Anne Boleyn, the frustrated shows she has found time to work production with Auckland Theatre the Q Theatre sell-out season of Doctor's wife in In The Next in television, including the new Company was that year in the Earnest and has completed filming Room (or The Vibrator Play), and Australian drama 800 Words, Young & Hungry season of Shortland Street and Hillary.