A Christmas show so funny it’s criminal…

A Christmas show so funny it’s criminal…

The Outfit Theatre Company in association with STAMP at THE EDGE present A Criminal Christmas

5 – 18 December. Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, THE EDGE

This Christmas, The Outfit Theatre Company, in association with STAMP at THE EDGE, are delivering their Christmas present early: a raucous and riotous festive farce to help put shopping nightmares and end-of-year stresses on hold.

The method is simple; take a setting that we’re all familiar with, load it with a powder-keg of the funniest characters possible, add a little conflict, light the match and watch as all hell breaks loose in an explosion of hilarity. Let Outfit Theatre help you laugh it out in the best way possible with their latest show, A Criminal Christmas, by going where no Kiwi Christmas farce has gone before… a rest-home.

As part of an innovative new community service rehabilitation-through-theatre scheme, a dysfunctional group of rag-tag criminals are sentenced to spend their Christmas Eve providing entertainment for the elderly residents of a financially-troubled rest home. With the slimy rest home director determined to see them fail, and the performance fast approaching, the crims must put their differences aside and join forces to create their own version of the traditional Nativity story.

“It’s going to be ridiculous, laugh-out-loud and a breath of fresh air for the pre-Christmas rush” says producer Ema Barton. “We are having plenty of fun creating a bunch of kooky crims, rest home staff and residents. It’ll make you feel like no matter how crazy your family gets at Christmas it’ll never be as nuts as this".

The Outfit Theatre Company, recently touted as “one of Auckland’s slickest young companies” and whose sold-out 2009 Christmas farce, The Office Xmas Party, was described by Theatreview as “an utter explosion of fun”, have shaken up another comedic cocktail in A Criminal Christmas. With more than 10 successful shows under their belt since 2008, The Outfit Theatre Company are building momentum with a growing reputation for fast-paced, laugh-out-loud ensemble theatre. Not afraid to tackle taboo subjects or push the envelope with shows like The Sex Show - a sold-out smash hit at the Auckland Fringe 2011 - The Outfit also have a knack for creating fun, action-packed shows for the whole family to giggle over, such as Treasure Island "a production of elegance and hilarity" and King Arthur "brilliantly batty” (Theatreview).

The company pride themselves on their unique devising process which is collaborative between the cast, director and crew; a key ingredient, being their ‘Resident Ensemble’ of 25 actors, writers and directors who make up the majority of each cast.

"We have been working together for years, share a similar sense of humour and are like family, so creating shows together is great because we share a common language. We have built up trust and a comfortable environment in which to play in which always makes it fun" says Ema.

Earning the auspicious reputation of being New Zealand’s most rowdy theatre company, The Outfit, with their genre-spanning and critically acclaimed shows, offer a certain style that is now expected of them,- boisterous, bawdy, raucous and universally-entertaining. When it comes to letting-off that endof- year steam, this is definitely the crowd you want to party with.

If the maddening Christmas rush gets you stressed, A Criminal Christmas is surely the best medicine, so let this rowdy bunch of gifted comedic performers distract you from your festive woes and enjoy an end of year farce so funny…. it’s Criminal.

A Criminal Christmas
From 5 – 18 December at the Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre, THE EDGE. Bookings at 0800 BUY TICKETS or www.buytickets.co.nz Adults $30, Concession $25, Preview $20 (service fees apply). Special group prices and catering available. For group bookings, call 09 357 3354

THE HISTORY OF THE OUTFIT THEATRE COMPANY.

In early 2005, over 20 strangers met on their first day of drama school at UNITEC. Over the next 3 years this group of actors forged a tight ensemble based bond. Due to their original and different approach to the work, they became known as the ‘textured’ class. In 2007, the idea was mooted that the chemistry and work ethic of the group was such that a theatre company could realistically be formed upon graduation.

Meetings were held in lounges and backyards around Auckland and a consensus was reached, the company would strive to create entertaining theatre, theatre that ordinary members of the public would want to go to, theatre that was exciting, gutsy, and original. Late in 2007 as three painstakingly intense years of drama school were coming to a close, the company met and decided on a name ‘The Outfit Theatre Co’ and a management structure. Sarah Graham and Joel Herbert were voted in as Co- Artistic Directors and the group looked forward to the end of their training and the beginning of the company.

In 2008, as the actors went through the usual confidence crisis that most experience on entering the ‘real’ world, the company was one of the ways in which the members kept up their skills and honed their craft. The company held regular devising workshops and improvisational explorations aimed at tightening the connection and developing the ensemble. After 3 years of training and 1 of exploration, the ensemble was ready to launch. In late 2008 The Outfit announced itself with the world premiere of The K Rd Show, a play that was entirely devised and created by the company and which was to define how the company would work and perform. In 2009, The Outfit began to grow. Past and present graduates of UNITEC were incorporated into the company and The Outfit approached 2009 as their first full season of productions. After the Auckland Fringe Festival season of Little White Men, the company set its sights high with the children’s school holiday production of Treasure Island, professional director Alison Quigan was recruited to direct and three UNITEC 3rd year students were seconded to the cast as a part of their graduation year. This ongoing relationship with UNITEC is one of the foundation stones for the company and more opportunities for current students will be explored in coming seasons. The company’s final show for the 2009 season was the explosive farce, The Office Xmas Party.

Devised by the cast, it was a
smash hit, with sold out signs up for three-quarters of the season. The show fulfilled one of the core aims of the company, bringing in new audiences, as for much of the audience it was their first time at the theatre. Such was the success of the season that The Outfit ‘Xmas Show’ will become a regular fixture on the calendar. In 2010, a new goal for The Outfit was to produce a minimum of four shows a season, focusing on the key objectives of original, gutsy, relevant and exciting ensemble-based entertainment. To kick off the year they entered the Short and Sweet Competition with Tone exploring the convention of the theatrical phone call. In March they produced the gripping thriller The Suburban Murder at Galatos followed by an encore season of Treasure Island at TAPAC in July and ending with a revamped return season of Little White Men at The Basement in November.

So far in 2011 The Outfit have produced a brave and cheeky peek under kiwi sheets with The Sex Show for the Auckland Fringe Festival at Galatos which won a STAMP Development Award and will be revisited in 2012. In April The Outfit tackled their first scripted work with the New-Zealand premiere of modern American play Boys' Life. In July The Outfit returned to TAPAC for the action packed adventure of King Arthur and are currently working on their Factory Floor season (A new development initiative for ensemble members) of Love After Dark as part of The Basement Festival this October.

The Outfit a resurrecting the formula for their successful 2009 Christmas Show The Office Xmas Party with A Criminal Christmas that will put on at The Herald Theatre in association with STAMP at The Edge.

The Outfit Theatre Company are currently programming their 2012 season and planning ahead for 2013 and beyond. The Outfit are committed to establishing themselves as a permanent fixture of the Auckland Theatre Scene, endeavour to manage their own Performance/Rehearsal Space, tour and further develop their ever growing ensemble. For more details about The Outfit Theatre Company www.outfittheatre.co.nz

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