One Week To Hamilton Fuel Festival

It's less than three weeks till opening night of The New Zealand Theatre Festival - Fuel - in Hamilton from 22 June - 7 July. Full details are on www.fuelfestival.co.nz.
Background
FUEL - The New Zealand Theatre Festival, brings together the very best of home-grown New Zealand Theatre. Written, directed, performed and produced by Kiwis, the FUEL line up is extraordinary.
Ticket prices are kept to a very accessible price and the star-studded line up presents an opportunity to see an extraordinary amount of outstanding theatre.
Highlights include ATC's instant classic On The Upside Down of the World starring Laurel Devenie and Frequently Asked Questions (also known as Bards Day Night), the first ever solo show from NZ legend Michael Hurst, Jonny Brugh in 'The Second Test', Mike Edward in Cirque Non Sequitur and is so much more in a programme oozing with talent, smarts and heart. Encourage your readers not to miss it.
Festival Director, Sarah Nathan, tells me that Fuel is the only exclusive New Zealand content theatre celebrating everything wonderful about our home-grown talent.

Below are notes from Sarah's 'Director's picks.
Top 4 for Blokes
1. Richard Meros Salutes the Southern Man - The ultimate tribute to all that we love about our hardy NZ fellas. How often do you get to go to a show that puts you up on a pedestal where you belong?
2. Mates and Lovers - I don’t care if you’re gay, straight or undecided – you will love this. An extraordinary look at how gay men have experienced NZ over the last 100 years. You will laugh, learn and laugh again – it is wonderful.
3. The Second Test – the dream team of sport, NZ history and theatre. The most touching of true tales – bring your man hanky.
4. Cirque Non Sequitur – Just about the sexiest thing to come to Hamilton, ever. What these performers do is nothing short of dribble-making. You may be heading to Bunnings straight after to install a hanging hoop by the marital bed.

Top 4 for a Girls Night Out
1. On the Upside Down of the World – Pure girl power. In 1841 she gets on a ship, travels to NZ, learns Maori, immerses herself in the local Maori population, builds a hospital and becomes a mother. Uplifting and heartbreaking. Perfect.
2. Cirque Non Sequitur – Two words – Mike Edward. Two more words – Almost Naked. Enough said.
3. Drowning in Veronica Lake – Sexy, sassy, sensational. Veronica is 1940’s Hollywood hotty. Best of all the set is a dress. Veronica is trapped in its gorgeousness. The kind of woman you’d have loved as a BFF.
4. Five Go Mad on Improv – Enid Blyton re-imagined. Play with George, Anne, Dick and Julian once more – but maybe not quite how you remember it….

Top 4 for Theatre Virgins
1. On the Upside Down of the World – as perfect as theatre gets. No point popping your cherry on something that’s not just right. No one can watch this performance and leave dissatisfied.
2. Standstill – if going to the gym and contemplating the consequences of your life is not unfamiliar territory, then you will slide into this theatrical experience with ease. 3 actors. 3 treadmills. 60 minutes. Very, very, very funny.
3. Kevin The Musical – If TV is your thing, then you’ll know Steve Wriggley. One of NZ’s hottest comedians and star of TV3’s 7Days. This is Steve’s funny tribute to small town NZ, local body political bickering, traffic lights and the rise of the underdog – again all strangely familiar subjects.
4. Ka Hao Te Rangatahi – start gentle with a production for kids, but be assured you’ll love it. Warm hearted and with a lesson for everyone, you’ll leave smiling – even if at a minimum it is for watching the dozens of kids giggling and jiggling with glee.

Top 4 for the Adventurous
1. Cirque Non Sequitur – We are talking a menagerie of mythical gods, creatures, sirens and spiders. Mix it with circus, cabaret and sex. Adventurous indeed.
2. Atonal Heart – The star of last years Fringe Festival. Four monologues. Subjects ranging from the etiquette of the vigilante to the most unexpected Oscar speech of all time. Stunning local production.
3. Mates and Lovers – The history of gay men in NZ. Extraordinary stories told with extraordinary heart and humor.
4. Poetry Idol – For the first time ever the hugely popular poetry event comes to the Tron. Prepare to be astounded at just how good slam poetry can be.

Top 4 for Brain Boxes
1. Frequently Asked Questions – Wallow in the almost simultaneous delivery of at least five of Shakespeare’s best works. Impress your friends with your working knowledge of the text and appreciating just how clever this piece is.
2. Finding Frances Hodgkins – NZ historians and art buffs with love the subtle detail in this rarely told story of NZs most accomplished contemporary artist.
3. Atonal Heart – Your massive intellect will ensure you don’t miss a single nuance of this clever, clever writing, and you will appreciate the significance that this is all made in Hamilton.
4 Richard Meros Salutes the Southern Man - reviewed as “fizzing with braininess” this is your kind of show. Fast paced, quick witted and politically cutting, you’ll be a veritable pig in muck.
FUEL PASS
A brilliant deal where you can go to 4 shows for $110 (try doing that in Auckland).

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