The Rodwell Monologues

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GONNE STRANGE CHARITY COOPERATIVE

The Rodwell Monologues - 28 February-7 March
Bats Theatre, 1 Kent Terrace, phone 802 4175, email book@bats.co.nz
Featuring: Carmel McGlone, Kilda Northcott, Lyne Pringle, Michelle Scullion and Vanessa Stacey.

Before the days of the Hens’ Teeth Comedy group that started in the late eighties, women comedians were literally scarce on the ground. The group - founded by Director, Kate JasonSmith - were galvinised into creating what comedienne Michele A’Court refers to as “character comedy” sketches, by the late Sally Rodwell of Red Mole Theatre who conducted a series of workshops to encourage women to devise and develop their comedic alter egos.

Expect the unexpected, when two of Rodwell’s own characters are given fresh interpretations by a group of well-known performers in the forthcoming Fringe show – The Rodwell Monologues - at Bats Theatre, late February to early March. Actresses Carmel McGlone and Vanessa Stacey, dancers Kilda Northcott and Lyne Pringle and musician Michelle Scullion are putting their personal slant on Rodwell’s characters, Rhonda Gonne and Stella Strange – two of the many creations Rodwell devised in reaction to what she called the “selfish 90s”.

Rhonda Gonne: “A former actor fallen on hard times, some say she’s all washed up. Unstoppable, a bundle of indignation, a nosy parker and opponent of the new privatised business world, Rhonda represents the underclass”.
Stella Strange: “She disliked Family, had miserable childhood memories and hated jandals, pavlova and holidays at the beach. She found her identity by making money”

Rodwell’s characters address the audience directly – so are not too far removed from contemporary stand-up comedy. But hers are idiosyncratic creatures – she once described how she created their physicality first “from the feet up” – starting by exploring the character’s energy, voice and carriage – so that the dialogue became “authentic”. The highly satirical monologues are taken from Rodwell’s book which she wrote with the late Alan Brunton - Gonne Strange Charity, published by Bumper Books in 2000.

ENDS

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