FRINGE '04: Golden Boys

Golden Boys, a new play that explores the rites of passage for young men growing old is being performed at BATS Theatre from the 22nd to the 26th of February at 6.30 pm. The play is about the death of children both real and metaphorical, and the brutal abduction and murder of twelve year old choirboy and central character Keith, becomes an allegory for the death of innocence for the entire generation.

Young star Kieran was cast as the murder victim in a televised crimescene reconstruction of the killing. Two years afterwards, now an entertainer on a successful children’s variety show who is feeling the first pangs of adolescence, Kieran is mistaken for Keith in a shopping mall appearance and the boy he thought of as just a role suddenly becomes real.

Crispin is a pre-schooler whose sleep-time is disturbed by dark thoughts of death ever since he saw the murder investigation unfold through the television news before bedtime. Childish comforts can keep him feeling safe, but only if he listens to his intuition can he be saved from what is surely inevitable…

The unconnected activities of these two boys form the skeleton of the play. They are only tangentially linked to the central tragedy, but as time passes on, are inexorably drawn into it. As the multi strand plot meanders in and out of their lives, the last day of the murder victim, and the attempts by family and friends to cope with the loss, all the while a killer waits.

Paul Rothwell, who grew up in Levin, was inspired to write Golden Boys after the Teresa Cormack murder mystery was solved. His formative years are strongly coloured with memories of national and international child murders. He has written several other plays dealing with a wide range of issues. Last year at the Fringe were Paul’s Parables and Cut Out.

Golden Boys is brought to life with the talents of two young actors, Kip Chapman and Robin Hall.

Chapman began a performing career in his boyhood as the head soloist of the Cathedral Choir in Christchurch. In 2003 he acted in several major theatre productions in Auckland including Hamlet and Play 2.03, a short film version of Cut Out and the television series of Serial Killers, which screens soon.

Robin Hall has just finished studying acting this year, at the UNITEC School of Performing and Screen Arts. He is also a musician who enjoys rapping.

ENDS

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