Four strangers meet, fall in love and tear each other apart in Closer, Patrick Marber’s searingly honest take on modern relationships.

Bristling with quickfire dialogue and incisive wit, and punctuated with moments of hilarity, Closer gets under its audience’s skin and shines a hard light on subjects like love, sex and truth.

Hailed as a modern masterpiece, Marber’s play has enjoyed success worldwide and in 2004 was made into a film starring Natalie Portman and Clive Owen.

Closer is a play for adults about adult relationships. It has been described as “not for the emotionally squeamish” and the language used is brutal and explicit, pulling no punches.

Join these four uncomfortably recognizable characters as they struggle to find love, security and purpose – and discover that the truth brings no one closer.

Find out more

If you are keen to get involved then complete the form below and we’ll add you to our mailing list and send you out membership information.

Like the year 2012 itself, prophecies, oracles, witchcraft and superstition underscore events in these two great classics. To ruthless ambition, hunger for romantic love and greed for political power, add blood and guts, sex, lust and tragedy.  Shakespeare had a phenomenal talent for giving the public what it wanted. Human nature being what it is, the themes are as relevant now as the day they were written. Hence generations of audiences across 400 years have been enthralled by his work.

With very contrasting countries and periods the choices are “Macbeth” set in the dour Scottish dark ages and “Antony & Cleopatra” located in the heat, allure and mystery of  ancient Egypt and Rome.

In both plays Shakespeare delves into ambition, jealousy and power with Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra causing the tragic results.

Performed under the stars, in the amphitheatre this is Shoreside Theatre’s 16^th Shakespeare summer season staged true to text and period  starting on January 13. Book for both shows in Auckland’s leading festival of real Shakespeare   – a special discount applies.

As the summer evening settles down above you, thrill to Shakespeare in traditional format at North Shore’s iconic amphitheatre venue.

Shows start at 8pm.

See both, we can safely predict twice the enjoyment.
Make this your first event for 2012.

Ticket Information

This is the 17^th summer of real Shakespeare ‘under the stars’ and experienced actors are needed for various main and minor roles in both plays.  Also extras of all ages.

Auditions will be held at:

The PumpHouse Amphitheatre
Killarney Park
Takapuna

Saturday, 08 October at 3:00 pm.

Present a speech from any Shakespeare play.

This is your opportunity to be part of Auckland’s leading Shakespeare festival.

For more information contact the directors:

Carol Dumbleton (Antony & Cleopatra) Phone 489-5529
James Bell (Macbeth) Phone 021-637-687

Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 PM
Saturday Matinee at 2:00 PM

Buy tickets now at The PumpHouse Box Office.

“As long as They’re Happy” is a 1950’s satirical comedy written by Vernon Sylvaine. A West-End hit at the time it was filmed both in the UK and USA as a musical.

A stockbroker’s teenage daughter is bedazzled by the ‘Crying Crooner’ and stalking him results in his visiting the family home. All hell breaks out ! This is the age of beatniks, teddy boys, jazz clubs and coffee bars. The eternal generation strife is in full play and teenage rebellion is rife. Their heroes are James Dean, Marlon Brando, Johnnie Ray and Elvis.

The peace of the household is further shattered when dull old Dad’s other two daughters from Paris and L.A. together with their oddball husbands crash on him for money. To complete his nightmare all the women in this lovelorn family including his younger, second wife and the dopey housemaid fall under the crooner’s spell.

Add in an Irish reporter, a crackpot German psychiatrist with his blonde bimbo girlfriend and bedlam is inevitable. “My daughters’ morals are at stake is the fatherly cry.

While not a traditional musical, in this Shoreside Theatre production there are a number of catchy songs in this exuberant generation game. A bit of nostalgia and great fun all the way.

Click the iTICKET logo to buy tickets now

Twenty five year old Catherine has put her life on hold to look after her father Robert, a brilliant mathematician who has been incapacitated in recent years by a prolonged mental illness.

On the weekend of Robert’s death his former student, Hal appears wanting to go through Robert’s many notebooks, hoping to make one last discovery on behalf of his mentor.

Catherine’s sister, Claire also arrives from New York to take care of the funeral arrangements as she begins to cast doubts on Catherine’s mental state.

Before long Hal uncovers a paradigm-shifting proof about prime numbers in Robert’s office.

Catherine claims the work is hers, but the handwriting appears to be her father’s. Everyone, including Catherine herself, begins to doubt her sanity.

The play explores our fears about what we inherit from our parents as Catherine struggles with following in her father’s footsteps, both mathematically and mentally, and her desperate attempts to defend her proof.

Proof by David Auburn premiered on Broadway in October 2000 earning the Drama Desk Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and the Tony Award for Best Play.

“We arrive at truth, not by reason only, but also by the heart.”
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

Performance Dates/Times
Thursday 28th April – Saturday 7th May 2011

Wednesday to Saturday – 8:00 PM
Saturday Matinee Performances – 2:00 PM
Sunday May 1st Performance – 5:00 PM
No Show Mon/Tues

Tickets are on sale through the iTICKET Ticketing Service.
• Phone iTICKET on 361-1000 (9am – 9pm Mon to Fri, 10am – 6pm Sat & Sun)
• Book online at www.iticket.co.nz
• Cash/Eftpos payments available at NZ Post Shops
• Cash door sales available 30 minutes prior to performance

Please note there are no Eftpos or Credit Card facilities at the venue
Performance runs 2 hours 30 minutes including a 15 minute interval.
Tea, coffee and a cash bar at the venue.

Prices
Adults $24.00
Concession (Students/Seniors) $20.00
Groups (4+) $20.00 each
A booking fee/delivery fee may apply

Proof is a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning drama by David Auburn.

Catherine is the daughter of a recently deceased mathematical genius and professor at a nearby University. Catherine has cared for her father through a lengthy mental illness. Upon her father’s death a paradigm-shifting proof about prime numbers is discovered in her father’s office. Catherine claims authorship – but is she really capable of the calibre of work required?

The play explores our fears about what we inherit from our parents – as Catherine struggles with following in her father’s footsteps, both mathematically and mentally and her desperate attempts to stay in control.
 
We are seeking to cast all roles:

Catherine (mid 20s) – has given up her own dreams and aspirations to care for her mentally ill father.
Robert (50s) – a maths genius who has been struck by mental illness.
Hal (mid to late 20s) – a former student of Robert.
Claire (early 30s) – Catherine’s sister, who moved to New York City and returns to bury her father and care for her sister

The audition process will involve some readings from the script, and some improvisation exercises.

Performance Season Late April

Book Now at www.pumphouse.co.nz

Shakespeare had a phenomenal talent for giving the public what it wanted: blood and guts, sex, lust and love, tragedy and triumph.  In 2011, Shakespeare in the Park looks at the lighter side of life with both comedy and farce. Performed under the stars in the PumpHouse Amphitheatre, the romantic  “As You Like It” is a dramatic contrast with the always-contentious “The Taming of the Shrew”. Shoreside Theatre’s ever-popular Shakespeare summer season staged true to text and period starts January 14.  Book for both shows to enjoy the best of real Shakespeare – a special discount applies.

As You Like It

Directed by Carol Dumbleton

In ‘As You Like It’ Shakespeare wrote “Who ever loved that loved not at first sight”?  In this romantic comedy he conveys what real love is. An instant occurrence, something that is known immediately. Yet, he also manages to mock romantic love, pragmatic wooing and pastoral convention, while maintaining the romance of the genuine love of Rosalind and Orlando.  In the enchanted Forest of Arden all end up happy and content except for the melancholy, moralizing Jacques who satirically expounds that “all the world’s a stage”.

As You Like It Performance Dates:

January:  FRI 14, SAT 15, SUN 16, FRI 21, TUE 25, THUR 27, SAT 29.
February: TUE 1, THUR 3, SAT 5, SUN 6, WED 9, FRI 11
No show on Mondays

The Taming of the Shrew

Directed by James Bell

Shakespeare’s contrasting view of love and marriage. Wealth as a measurement of partner suitability.  “The Taming of the Shrew” is his most notorious comedy in which the sexes don’t just battle, they wage war. The verbal sparring between Katherine who has no control of her tongue and temper and the wealthy bachelor Petruchio, equally acerbic and with a wit to match, has been regarded as some of Shakespeare’s most controversial writing. Yet the barbs and insults are as entertaining today as when first written.  A fast-paced bitingly funny romp of sexual politics, sparkling dialogues and romance.

The Taming of the Shrew Performance Dates:

January: TUE 18, WED 19, THUR 20, SAT 22, SUN 23, WED 26, FRI 28, SUN 30
February: WED 2, FRI 4, TUES 8, THUR 10, SAT 12.
No show on Mondays

The presentation, a North Shore City Council Award was made by the Mayor, Andrew Williams in recognition of Carol’s formation of Shoreside Theatre (initially known as Milford Little Theatre) over 33 years ago with a view to providing younger people with tuition in drama, speech, other theatrical activities and of course, the opportunity to perform on stage.

Carol’s establishment in 1995 of the Shakespeare in the Park productions was further recognised as a valuable annual event for North Shore City.

The Bruce Mason Centre was largely full to witness and applaud the presentation of community awards and Companion Awards to many who received framed certificates and the gift of a new book on North Shore’s history.

Congratulations Carol. You deserve it!

Beauty Queen of Leenane – October 2010

- See below for more info: