An Unseasonable Fall of Snow

Actor Jed Brophy tells drama on the waterfront why An Unseasonable Fall of Snow is important to him.

I have had a love affair with Gary’s writing for many years, much of which has its roots here in the Capital. He has a streamlined style that wastes no words, and a handle on the Kiwi psyche and vernacular like no other. And there is such poetry as well. It is writing you want to do justice to.

I toured his seminal Skin Tight for nearly 10 years, and both of my sons got to visit me on tour in their early years. About two years ago, Riley, my elder son, came to me wanting a monologue to use as an audition piece for Long Cloud Youth Theatre, and I gave him my copy of the three-play book, which included Skin Tight, Mo and Jess Kill Suzie and An Unseasonable Fall of Snow. There are some fantastic monologues in both Skin Tight and Snow for young men and he liked the fact that the central character Liam in An Unseasonable Fall of Snow was his age and dealt with topics that effect his demographic, and was relevant within his circle of friends.

When he jokingly said we could do the piece together I readily agreed as I have waited to be the right age to play Arthur ever since seeing it in 1998 during the Festival. However he had to wait for a couple of years for me to finish work on a large film being shot in Miramar. I am grateful he was patient.

Riley used to catch the train from Kapiti every day so he could pursue drama at Wellington High School, and I have caught that same train into work on and off for nearly twenty years. We have both walked the route and so this play has a warm familiar feel to it. The Wellington waterfront is a very big part of the geography of Snow. The story played out largely between the railway station and Courtney Place and back again. Past this very establishment. It is a walk many do everyday when catching the train into the capital.

And so it is fitting that we should be right in the heart of the beast to perform it.  From the upstairs dressing rooms at Circa Theatre, you can see many of the landmarks that pepper this cerebral thriller.

It is not an easy piece, emotionally, for either of the characters and I do think it helps that we have an implicit trust in each other. We also have a huge amount of respect for Geraldine as a Director, having both been guided by her in the past. So if like many, you are wandering past from the station into town, why not stop and take in this taste of amazing New Zealand theatre.

An Unseasonable Fall of Snow opens in Circa Two on 24 September, and runs until 4 October. To book, visit www.circa.co.nz or call the Circa Box Office on 801-7992.

An Oak Tree: "It’s fucking brilliantly written!"

Tim Spite takes a moment from the daunting task of being the only actor in An Oak Tree who actually knows the script to tell drama on the waterfront about the challenges, the highlights and the mishaps of this intriguing and original play.

DOTW: What is the basic premise of An Oak Tree?

TS: A father loses his daughter when she’s hit by a car, possibly her fault. He can’t accept her death; he returns to the scene by the road and in his mind turns a nearby oak tree into his daughter. He later visits a hypnotist for help. Turns out the hypnotist was already involved.

The actor who plays the father has never seen the script before; a new actor every night.

Michele Amas before taking a turn as the guest actor in An Oak Tree.

DOTW: What was the rehearsal process like? How could you rehearse without another actor who knows the script?

TS: Lonely. I had so many lines to learn and so many more lines and directions to learn for the guest actor. My stage manager played the other part for several weeks. By the end of rehearsals she knew the part better than I did. We had to brace ourselves for the first performance with someone entirely new, and, sure as eggs, unprecedented things started happening which were very challenging.

DOTW: The concept seems like it would be quite challenging for an actor; what has been the biggest challenge of performing this play?

TS: Having to think of the other actor and show a duty of care. I usually couldn’t care less about what the other actors are going through as long as they give me my cue lines. Showing a duty of care to another actor as well as yourself needs a much more intense concentration than usual.

DOTW: How have the guest actors responded to An Oak Tree? Have there been any stand-out moments?

TS: Some have been very emotionally affected by the content. Some have found it a real crack-up. Stand out moments were Gavin Rutherford’s Liberace impersonation and Geraldine Brophy’s almost autistic ability to make perfect sense of, and give full emotional weight to a cold read.

Geraldine Brophy before her turn in An Oak Tree.

DOTW: Have any mishaps occurred during the season so far?

TS: Yes, but only because someone who was using the theatre during the day, walked off with one of the small scripts that I give to the guest actor. We couldn’t find it anywhere. Do you think there was a back up script somewhere? No! In the mad scramble to assemble a new script just before the show, I accidently omitted one page of that script. It made for some pretty hair-raising improvisation. Suddenly it wasn’t just the guest actor that was in a play that they didn’t know the lines to! Did anyone notice? I don’t think so. I think they thought it was all part of the conceit of the play. Weird!

DOTW: Finally, what should the audience know about An Oak Tree?

TS: There’s no audience participation. It’s only an hour long. It’s not as dark or weird as it sounds. It’s fucking brilliantly written! You’ll be mesmerized.

Gavin Rutherford before taking the role of the guest actor in An Oak Tree.

An Oak Tree runs in Circa Two until 30 July. The guest actors for the week are posted every Monday on www.circa.co.nz/site/Shows/An-Oak-Tree. To book, call the Circa Box Office at 801-7992 or go online at www.circa.co.nz.

The Birthday Boy

One of New Zealand’s leading actors (Grumpy Old Women, Second-Hand Wedding, Dancing with the Stars), Geraldine Brophy returns to Circa  for the first time since 2009’s Blood Wedding to star in The Birthday Boy. She takes a moment from her hectic rehearsal schedule to tell drama on the waterfront all about Carl Nixon’s fantastic comedy.

DOTW: What is the basic story of The Birthday Boy?

GB: The Birthday Boy examines the friendship between two men over a 25-year period from their fortieth birthdays until they are 65. Their lives play out very differently when one becomes a father and both of them deal with the successful careers of their respective wives.

DOTW: What was it about this story that drew you to the play?

GB: Carl’s script has elements of traditional key male and female roles in reversal. He examines these from opposite perspectives. Parenting and Partnerships. I liked the fact that he has pushed some interesting boundaries with his approach to these role changes – male and female capacity for nurture and empathy, for example.

DOTW: What can you tell us about your character?

GB: My character, Kathy, is the embodiment of the modern woman who tries to have it all – motherhood and a career. She is more conflicted early on when her children are smaller, but as they mature and her career shoots to the stars, she copes by absenting herself both physically and emotionally with a single focus.

DOTW: How is it to work with director Jane Waddell?

GB: Jane has been a delight to work with as a director. She has a gentle but solid hand on the tiller. The play is the current contemporary mix of comedy and drama, so navigating the moments when we play both can be tricky. You want an audience to laugh but also for the subject matter to resonate, in order to feel for the character’s plight. Jane is very cognizant of this.

Geraldine Brophy and director Jane Waddell.

DOTW: The Birthday Boy has a very strong cast of talented actors; what can you tell us about your fellow cast members?

GB: My fellow cast members are experienced and talented artists. Some of us have worked together before many times and this is often a short cut to convincing ensemble work. Coming to work and moving through the story each day is a pleasure. They make the job look easy and that is, of course, the great skill of such people.

DOTW: Finally, what should audiences know about The Birthday Boy?

GB: Audiences should know that The Birthday Boy is another fun New Zealand play in the style of “Theatre of Recognition”, but that it provides, as all good comedy should, the possibility of a great conversation post-show. And if anyone’s having a birthday, we have a couple of great packages to help celebrate!

Tickets are now on sale for The Birthday Boy, 9 October - 6 November. Call the Circa Box Office at 801-7992 or visit www.circa.co.nz.

Celebrate your birthday at The Birthday Boy!

Circa Theatre and Wharfside Restaurant are happy to offer some very special options throughout the season of The Birthday Boy (all include ticket price based on groups of 6 or more):

Bubbly and Birthday Cake - $45.50 per person
Nibbles, Bubbles, Coffee and Cake - $57 per person
Birthday Dinner - $75 per person (not including wine) $80 per person (including a glass of wine per person)

And a special surprise treat for the birthday person!

For more information about our birthday packages, contact Cara Hill, Audience Development Director, at 801-8137 or carah@circa.co.nz.