The End of the Golden Weather

The End of the Golden Weather

A classic New Zealand yarn from the pen of Bruce Mason as adapted for an ensemble by Raymond Hawthorne.
www.ellerslietheatre.co.nz
10 to 19 March 2016

Opening the 2016 programme at Stables Theatre, Julian Harrison directs Bruce Mason's quintessential Kiwi classic of The End of the Golden Weather. The End of the Golden Weather was written and performed as a solo show by Bruce Mason and is possibly the most well-known theatrical work of this country. It is the story of a twelve-year-old boy and his world in the 1930s beachside community of Te Parenga. The play is set over one summer spent in this boy’s life and the people who would become imprinted in his memory for the rest of his years. Poetical, funny and very moving theatre.

A twelve-year-old boy welcomes us into his world: the 1930s beachside community of Te Parenga, a golden territory in the land of milk and honey. He tells of spending idyllic days on the beach, meeting the local characters, swimming and eavesdropping, heading home at the end of the day for sandwiches and charades. However, the real world starts to intrude, showing him that the golden idyll cannot last. The Queen Street riots spark rumblings of dissent in Te Parenga, which are quelled by strong words from the local policeman as the boy watches from the shadows. Christmas, however, brings all the usual trimmings – church, presents, swimming, feasting – and a Christmas pageant that the boy pours heart and soul into. When the celebrations are over, he explores a rich neighbour’s property, and finds one of the beach’s characters, Firpo, living in a bach. Frightened by Firpo’s strangeness, the boy flees. Later in the summer, Firpo runs on the beach, “getting himself fit for the Olympic Games”, much to the community’s mirth. Some local boys challenge Firpo to a race the following Sunday. The boy spends the week in a daze, hoping and praying for Firpo to win. The day of the race dawns, and history runs its course. Some weeks later, when the boy goes to visit Firpo and finds him gone, the child realizes that the summer – like his childhood – is quite at an end.

“I invite you to join me in a voyage into the past, to that territory of the heart we call childhood.”

FROM THE DIRECTOR – Julian Harrison

Theatre has always been Julian’s life since he started doing classes and productions at the age of five. He left school and home at fifteen to pursue his passion further and had both a diploma and a degree in the Performing Arts before he was twenty. Since graduating from drama school he has been working fulltime in theatre as an actor, director and teacher of performing arts. He has been involved in over sixty shows either as an actor or a director.

This is Julian’s third production with ETS. He directed I Hate Hamlet and Take a Chance on Me at Stables Theatre in 2014. Julian has directed extensively throughout Auckland including a very successful production of Looking at Dolphin Theatre last year and recently Hay Fever for Company Theatre. He recently directed Seven Year Twitch at Howick Little Theatre where his shows have picked up their Show of the Year award the last two years running.

Julian says “I am very excited to be directing The End of the Golden Weather in 2016. It is a play I have always wanted to do a full cast version of and, with ETS, we will produce a version of this play that has never been seen before and will be both moving and memorable for actors and audiences. I am using talented young character actors to play multiple characters in the show. There is also a role for one senior statesman, who will be a central focus for the piece”.

PERFORMANCE DATES
Thursday 10 March 2016 at 8pm (Opening Gala)
Friday 11 to Saturday 12 March at 8pm
Sunday 13 March at 2pm (Matinee)
Tuesday 15 to Friday 18 March at 8pm
Saturday 19 March at 2pm (Matinee) and 8pm (Final Performance)

BOOKINGS
iTICKET – www.iticket.co.nz or phone 09 361 1000 (no booking fees)

TICKETS
Evening $25, Evening Discount $23
Matinee $18, Matinee Discount $16
Discount available to Students with ID, Seniors 65+ years and Community Services card holders

VENUE
Stables Theatre (Ellerslie War Memorial Community Centre), Cnr Main Highway & Arthur St, Ellerslie, Auckland

ENDS

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