The Grass is Meaner at Bats Theatre
MEDIA RELEASE:
WHAT: The Grass is Meaner by Edward
Campbell
WHO: shortscot Productions
WHERE: Bats
Theatre, Wellington
DATES:13-24 September 2016
The Grass is Meaner is a new NZ play opening at Bats Theatre in September. A black comedy thriller written by Wellington actor Eddie Campbell, the play moves between the backblocks of present day New Zealand and 1960’s London .Through the antics of our narrator, the charismatic Donkey Boy, we are skillfully guided through a first class thriller from the gangland world of London to the beauty and seclusion of a picturesque café known as the “House of Mince”. Owners, Alec and his wife, Mary are a loving couple about to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary. A looming snow storm and a last minute appeal for help from a British tourist transform their romantic evening into a nightmare. Clues lie littered amongst the scenes with characters like Vic Snow, a gangland boss whose reach extends to the ends of the earth and Sir Harold, a Westminster politician with more than a pot belly to hide adding to the international colour of this black comedy. In the manner of a thriller, everything is not as it seems and the audience is along for a stylish ride.
The playwright, Eddie Campbell, admires the work of Quentin Tarantino, and likes his quote “People don’t ever sit around talking about the plot in their lives, they talk about shit."
Write what you know! And so Eddie did. Using the influences of his own life, filled with travel and adventure, his experience as a commando, his notable acting career, black belt in Karate and boxing prowess, he created an entertaining piece of theatre that is seldom seen on stage: a thriller.
“The Grass is Meaner” is directed and co-produced by Geraldine Brophy. For the premiere production at Bats Theatre , she has assembled a superb cast: Eddie plays the lead role of Alec, Julie Edwards from Dunedin is his wife Mary, newcomer Hamish Boyle, award winning actor Brian Hotter making a welcome return to the stage, the versatile and talented Scott Ransom, and well known celebrated Wellington actor Phil Grieve.
Geraldine believes this play will have a wide appeal as its thriller nature, wrapped in biting black comedy will not only entertain but guarantee to intrigue audiences.
“The Grass is Meaner” runs at Bats Theatre Wellington from 13 September.