The Intricate Art of Actually Caring

The PlayGround Collective presents

The Intricate Art of Actually Caring

By Eli Kent

10 – 22 February 2009

Performed in Eli's Bedroom

 
Meet at Glover Park. Walk to Eli's bedroom. Take your seats. Witness: Two boys, hanging out, drinking beers, riffing on Wellington, popular culture and girls. The death of their friend sparks a journey to Jerusalem, and the bedroom becomes a car, the North Island, and James. K Baxter's grave.
The Intricate Art of Actually Caring is a new script by New Zealand playwright Eli Kent (2008 Chapman Tripp winner – Outstanding New Playwright of the Year for Rubber Turkey). A comedy about apathy, it tells the story of two young poets on a trip to Jerusalem to see the grave of our nation's greatest poet. It explores James K. Baxter's prophecy of a country void of love, asking - has what he preached come to pass?

A two man show, the story is told through narration, poetry and original music to explore the themes of masculinity, growing up, death and loss. Kent: "We wanted to explore our identity – young Kiwis growing up with no icons of our own – Baxter's kind of the Kiwi anti-icon, but he's still an icon. These characters want an identity and they misguidedly search for that in Baxter".

Last year, Eli brought the script to director Eleanor, and they began thinking about venues. Suddenly they thought "Let's do it in Eli's bedroom…it'll be intimate, it'll force us to be imaginative with our staging, it can be surreal – you'll be on the bed but it'll be a car – the Wanganui river rushing past outside".

Eli Kent and Jack Shadbolt perform the play – and they play 'Eli' and 'Jack' – larger than life versions of themselves – unemployed, lacking direction and drinking far too much. Kent is also an accomplished actor (Armslength, The Cape, Falling Petals) and Jack is Eli's best friend and a PlayGround Collective acting staple (Rubber Turkey, Familiar Strangers, The Henchmen). The Intricate Art of Actually Caring is the third production by The PlayGround Collective (Rubber Turkey ("incredibly intelligent and astute" – Lumière Reader), The Hunting of the Snark ("fresh creative energy" - Theatreview). They are a Wellington theatre company dedicated to making darkly comic work which challenges conventional dramatic forms as well as developing New Zealand playwriting and young practitioners.

Tuesday 10 – Sunday 22 February (no show Monday)
Two shows per night – 7:30pm and 9:00pm
Performance takes place in Eli's bedroom

Meet at Glover Park (off Ghuznee Street)

$12 Full / $10 Fringe Addict

Bookings Wellington:playgroundcollectivenz@gmail.com
ends

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