A Lovely Day To Be Online

Wednesday, 18 January 2023, 3:10 pm
Press Release: Wellington Fringe Festival

Australian writer and performer Connor Morel (who recently appeared as Gene Simmons in the New Zealand and Australian tour of The Wedding Singer – The Musical which played at Wellington’s Opera House in June 2022) returns to Wellington with this original gig-theatre show that asks: are we doing the internet right? Is the 1st video of a cat playing the piano as good as the 80th? Is the convenience of being able to talk to anyone worth the inconvenience of everyone being able to talk? And would life just be easier without it all?

After being hacked by a scammer trying to sell a fake cryptocurrency company (an entirely true story), and inspired to talk more about smartphone usage and addiction (spurred on by popular documentary The Social Dilemma and podcast Your Undivided Attention) Connor began reflecting on the relationship he had with his smartphone, and assessing whether or not that relationship was a healthy one. Out of this, A Lovely Day To Be Online was born.

Director and co-dramaturg Casey Gould (director of Venturers, and co-founder of Music Theatre Workshop), Associate director and co-dramaturg Sarah Frencham (director of Title of Show), bass player and vocalist Kat Adés (performer with Vance Joy and The Woohoo Revue) and drummer Jake Pickering (performer with Maz Green) round out the creative team. The project secured an initial round of funding in March 2022, which included cash funding as well as free access to their state-of-the-art studio facilities. Geelong Arts Centre then committed additional funding for a second phase development in June 2022. The show is programmed at the Geelong Arts Centre for 2023, in a brand-new theatre as part of a $140 million redevelopment project, which will make it Australia’s largest regional arts centre.

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A Lovely Day To Be Online premiered at Melbourne Fringe’s Common Rooms in October 2022, and after Wellington will tour to Adelaide Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2023.

Join us for TWO NIGHTS ONLY of original music and theatre with a live three-piece band in this show full of original pop tunes, stories, a whole lot of heart, providing a hilarious look into internet culture and a glaring critique into who we become when we leave the real world.

‘Extremely clever. ' Theatre Thoughts

‘An Australian answer to Bo Burnham… witty, gritty and hilarious.’ Theatre Travels

‘A must-see performance that you will not forget any time soon.’ Lilithia Reviews