The Court Theatre Kicks Off Spring With Two Rehearsed Readings Of Acclaimed Plays

Over consecutive Sundays in spring The Court Theatre is bringing two renowned plays to the stage for the first time in rehearsed reading series Indelible Ink.

While each reading is directed, there aren't any costumes or sets - the performers only have each other and their scripts in these raw performances.

Beginning Sunday 30th September, Pasifika comedy Fresh Off the Boat will kick-start this special event, followed by dark comedy The Last Days of Judas Iscariot on Sunday 7th October.

Fresh Off the Boat follows Charles as he emigrates from Samoa to New Zealand to join his sister Elizabeth and her family. Elizabeth attempts to keep the peace as two different ways of life collide, but intergenerational, familial and personality clashes soon start to crack open to hilarious - and poignant - effect.

Fresh Off the Boat ends The Court's celebrations for New Zealand Theatre Month, with Pacific Underground Producer and director for the reading Tanya Muagututi'a saying, "this was the first of many plays produced by Pacific Underground that exist 'for all of us'. Our Pasifika stories reflect our communities in Aotearoa and the world. Theatre provides us the opportunity to extend our 'oral' culture and our stories on to the stage."

Bringing this classic story to life are Sela Faletolu-Fasi; Albany Peseta; Jake Arona and Roy Snow, with Muagututi'a's own daughters Talia-Rae and Josephine Mavaega taking on the roles of Elizabeth's children, giving a historical and familial connection to this celebratory production.

Continuing the series the following Sunday is courtroom comedy and international sensation The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.

Set in a fictitious world called Hope - a purgatory between heaven and hell - lawyer Cunningham petitions to retry the case of infamous sinner Judas Iscariot, bringing forward a litany of witnesses including Mother Teresa and Satan himself.

Key cast members include Jeremy Elwood as Judas, with Dan Bain and Eilish Moran joining him as Satan and lawyer Cunningham respectively.

Talking about why he wanted to programme the play, Artistic Director Ross Gumbley says, "It's one of the funniest plays I've ever seen performed and I can't wait to see it at The Court in Indelible Ink. The whole purpose of Indelible Ink is to be able to bring you plays which may be a little beyond the bounds of the company to stage. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot has got a very big cast and it would be very hard for us to mount a full production of the play, but Indelible Ink gives us the opportunity of bringing large-scale plays of real challenge to Christchurch audiences."

Indelible Ink runs over two consecutive Sundays, starting with Fresh Off the Boat on the 30th September at 4pm and followed by The Last Days of Judas Iscariot on the 7th October at 4pm. All tickets are $10.