THEATRE is having a tough time of it in the capital at the moment. It hasn’t been a ‘vintage’ year (and I’m pretty sure I wrote the same thing this time last year).

Apart from the occasional hit, audiences have been disappointing – perhaps because they’re disappointed in what’s been on offer. We need a theatrical equivalent of King Kong or Narnia, something sensational that re-ignites excitement in what our extremely talented thespians have to offer. Peter – mate! Now you’ve got the big ape off your back and some time on your hands…

Bats has had a huge year and seems to have recaptured the energy and excitement of the late 1990s. For the second year in a row it’s hosted the Chapman Tripp Production of the Year, Best Director and Best Actor Awards – and rightly so for David Lawrence’s stunning production of ID. An absolute stand out in every way and recognition at last for one of Wellington’s most creative, energetic and thoughtful directors.

Lawrence’s political acceptance speech at the Chappies, where he thanked CNZ for inspiring him to go on by consistently NOT approving his funding applications, resulted in much intaking of breath and conversation over coffee at the ceremony.

CNZ says just this year it’s had to turn down something like 20 excellent theatre proposals though lack of money – well, without excellent theatre productions the artform is at risk of being swamped by other ‘sexier’ options available to potential audience goers. Catch 22 indeed!

Downstage Theatre sees the changing of the artistic directorial guard with the departure of Murray Lynch and the formal takeover in mid-January of Cathy Downes.

Several Court Theatre productions that did well in the Garden City during Cathy’s time there are likely to find a home at Downstage in 2006. She’ll want to stamp her mark on a theatre that’s had its ups and downs, so watch this space.

Circa knows its audience very well, though Bright Star in particular fell into an audience black hole. No such fate for the end of year Roger Hall panto.

Far more interesting, though, was the refreshingly politically incorrect and hugely entertaining The Tutor, commissioned from Dave Armstrong, another Chapman Tripp winner this year.

I believe there may be more directors given the chance to shine in 2006 in the nifty studio space, where it’s been great to see several ex-Bats shows restaged and introduced to a new – and I trust appreciative – audience.

As always, the 2005 Fringe Festival produced some memorable moments, some interesting homegrown failures (these being preferable to mediocre productions of West End hits) and some showing breathtaking originality and even audacity.

The solo performances by graduating students at Toi Whakaari are always worth a look, you know that some will go on to great things on stage and on screen and the ideas traversed in their 20-minute monologues never fail to amaze and intrigue.

From someone privileged to see all the work Wellington’s hard working theatre communities produce – thank you. It’s hard graft. Good reviews or bad from this critic, congratulations to everyone involved in theatre productions this year, whether in the spotlight or behind the scenes.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

DAVID Lawrence and The Bacchanals were the big winners at this year’s Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards.

The Bacchanals picked up production of the year for I.D., for which Lawrence earned the director of the year award, while the company also produced the actor of the year, supporting actor of the year, and the most promising female newcomer. Lawrence also won a joint award for sound design on Baghdad Baby!.

Lawrence raised applause and ironic laughter when he thanked Creative New Zealand for not funding The Bacchanals, again, in its latest grants – one of a number of gentle digs at the theatre industry that characterised this year’s presentation.

The crowd of mostly theatre practitioners was in stitches at a video series depicting a young playwright peddling his A Tree Falls in Manhattan around Wellington. Is it a musical set in a student flat, asked Playmarket’s Mark Amery as he pointed to a rubbish bin labelled "musicals set in student flats"? A drama about middle age and family life (points to another bin)? Or a good keen tale of blokes in a bach in the backblocks (tossing it in the third and final bin)?

"Oh, wait, I think there’s a Roger Hall in there."

After having the script reworked to have more "New Zild" flavour, the writer of the now titled A Tree Falls in Kelburn was savaged by Taki Rua’s Amanda Hereaka for being a white potato-eater with no right to characterise native trees – and tears of laughter and recognition could be seen.

Envelopes please for the critics’ choice of theatre in Wellington for 2005.

Mayor’s Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre
Dorothy McKegg

Allied Domecq Wines Award for Most Original Production of the Year
Head – BATS Theatre, Nightsong Productions and Theatre Stampede

Downstage Theatre Award for the Most Promising Male Newcomer of the Year
Nathan Meister – Kikia Te Poa

Circa Award donated by TACT for the Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year
Erin Banks – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Sovereign Award for the Most Promising New Director of the Year
Katie Wolfe – The Women

The Dominion Post Award for Costume Designer of the Year
Donna Jefferis – The Cherry Orchard

Theatrelight Award for Lighting Designer of the Year
Jennifer Lal – Hinepau

ArcHaus Architects Award for Set Designer of the Year
John Hodgkins – Bright Star

Western Audio Engineering Award for Sound Designer of the Year
Paddy Bleakley & David Lawrence – Baghdad, Baby!

Constance Scott Kirkcaldie Award for Outstanding Composer of Original Music
Stephen Gallagher – Hinepau

Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Playwright of the Year Sponsored by BATS and Taki Rua
Lauren Jackson – Exchange

The Absolutely Positively Outstanding New New Zealand Play of the Year
The Tutor – Dave Armstrong

The Museum Hotel Award for Supporting Actress of the Year
Jane Waddell – Bright Star

Chapman Tripp Award for Supporting Actor of the Year
Alex Greig – I.D.

In the performance categories:

Gibson Group Accolade for Outstanding Performance
Jason Whyte – The Tutor

Grouse Lighting Accolade for Outstanding Performance
Teodor Surcel – Gloomy Sunday

Chapman Tripp Award for Actress of the Year
Mia Blake – Bash

Gail Cowan Management Award for Actor of the Year
Malcolm Murray – I.D.

Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School Award for Director of the Year
David Lawrence – I.D.

Chapman Tripp Award for Production of the Year
I.D. – The Bacchanals

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

Nominated by a theatre cluster comprising BATS, Circa, Downstage, Taki Rua, Capital E and Playmarket, the 2005 Mayor’s Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre goes to actress Dorothy McKegg.

Over 80 professional productions performed in Wellington theatres were eligible for awards this year. The following winners were selected by a panel of theatre critics comprising Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post), Mary Anne Bourke (Sunday Star Times), Lynn Freeman (Capital Times), Harry Ricketts (New Zealand Listener), John Smythe (The National Business Review).

And the winners are:

Allied Domecq Wines Award for Most Original Production

Head – BATS Theatre, Nightsong Productions and Theatre Stampede

Downstage Theatre Award for the Most Promising Male Newcomer

Nathan Meister – Kikia Te Poa

Circa Award donated by TACT for the Most Promising Female Newcomer

Erin Banks – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Sovereign Award for the Most Promising  New Director

Katie Wolfe – The Women

The Dominion Post Award for Costume Designer of the Year

Donna Jefferis – The Cherry Orchard

Theatrelight Award for Lighting Designer of the Year

Jennifer Lal – Hinepau

ArcHaus Architects Award for Set Designer of the Year

John Hodgkins – Bright Star

 

Western Audio Engineering Award for Sound Designer of the Year

Paddy Bleakley & David Lawrence – Baghdad, Baby!

Constance Scott Kirkcaldie Award for Outstanding Composer of Original Music

Stephen Gallagher – Hinepau

 

Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Playwright  Sponsored by BATS and Taki Rua

Lauren Jackson – Exchange

The Absolutely Positively Outstanding New New Zealand Play

The Tutor – Dave Armstrong

The Museum Hotel Award for Supporting Actress of the Year

Jane Waddell – Bright Star

Chapman Tripp Award for Supporting Actor of the Year

Alex Greig – I.D.

Gibson Group Accolade for Outstanding Performance

Jason Whyte – The Tutor

 

Grouse Lighting Accolade for Outstanding Performance

Teodor Surcel – Gloomy Sunday

 

Chapman Tripp Award for Actress of the Year

Mia Blake – Bash

 

Gail Cowan Management Award for Actor of the Year

Malcolm Murray – I.D.

Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School Award for Director of the Year

David Lawrence – I.D.

Chapman Tripp Award for Production of the Year

I.D. – The Bacchanals

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There is a crisis of success in the New Zealand theatre scene. In response to the new emphasis on the arts and creative industries, a new generation of dynamic practitioners have committed themselves to careers in theatre and the associated arts by gaining significant qualifications, developing specialist skills and staking their claims in the increasingly competitive and vital world of performing arts.

But there comes a moment when those who have been willing to live in poverty, as students and new entrants into the industry, seek a greater return on their not inconsiderable investment.

At this year’s Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards the Director of the Year, David Lawrence, revealed his Bacchanals theatre troupe had never been funded by Creative New Zealand and the chair of CNZ’s Arts Board, Alastair Carruthers, expressed frustration at having insufficient funds to support many excellent proposals from highly qualified practitioners.

"In the most recent funding round close to $1.1million of highly commended theatre projects missed out on project funding," he said. "We recognise that some of the most creative and inspiring new work comes through project funding; we hear the frustration of disappointed applicants and we would like to be able to do more."

David Lawrence won his award for directing Antony Sher’s I.D. at Bats (NBR 14/10), which also won production of the year, actor of the year (Malcolm Murray) and supporting actor of the year (Alex Greig). And the Lawrence-directed Bacchanals-at-Bats production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, (NBR 21/1) won Erin Banks the most promising female newcomer award.

Since their debut at the 2000 Fringe Festival with Aristophanes’ The Frogs, The Bacchanals’ commitment to text-based theatre that is economically, intellectually and geographically accessible has earned them consistently positive plaudits. With Shakespeare’s Othello, Titus Andronicus, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, and Measure for Measure; Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta, Jonson’s Volpone, Euripides’ The Bacchae, Nicholas St John’s Wealth and Hellbeing and Sarah Kane’s Crave to their credit, they have produced ten classics and three contemporary plays in less than six years.

The last three January’s have seen them take "suitcase productions" of Shakespeare shows around the North Island in two cars and a trailer. This year’s Dream tour covered Masterton, Dannevirke, Waipukurau, Wairoa, Gisborne, Rotorua, Cambridge, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, Raetihi, Wanganui, Havelock North, Tauranga, Whangarei and Hamilton.

The Bacchanals have walked their talk, paid their dues and earned the right to be seen as a significant feature on the theatrical landscape. Small-scale sponsorship from local government, Pub Charity and other organisations have helped them manage on shoestring budgets but next January there will be no tour because yet again Creative New Zealand rejected their funding application.

Aside from wages their overheads include venue hire, travel costs (petrol for two cars), lighting equipment and trailer hire, accommodation (hostels and cabins) and advertising. Given their policy of keeping ticket prices low ($15 waged, $10 unwaged) to ensure accessibility, funding support is an essential part of the equation.

CNZ has also rejected funding for the premiere of a new play by creator of the hugely successful TV series Insiders Guide to Happiness and Love, Peter Cox. Very Lucky People, which has already been developed through a Playmarket Playwrights Workshop, was to follow Fringe shows into Bats during the final stages of the New Zealand International Arts Festival then tour to the Herald Theatre in Auckland. The formidably talented production team was headed by multi award-winning director Katherine McRae.

In fact every independently-produced New Zealand play BATS wanted to schedule for 2006 had its application for project funding rejected in the latest funding round. It’s hard to understand why CNZ funds BATS as a pre-eminent venue for new homegrown work when it has no faith in their judgement.

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