Beware: ‘Geeks Bearing Gifts’ Is Really Funny

29 November 2004

To the Arts Reporter
Media release

Beware: ‘Geeks Bearing Gifts’ Is Really Funny

Christmas can be a lonely time; particularly if you’re socially challenged.

Geeks Bearing Gifts is a comic love story with a difference. Set in the week before Christmas, this play shows the relationship of new flatmates who can't confront reality, let alone each other.

Written by award winning playwright Tim Barcode and directed by Melanie Camp, who has just completed Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser to critical acclaim, this production offers experience and talent.

“This is a fun little story with lots of laughs that will be great to unwind to before the Christmas rush,” says Melanie Camp, the director and producer of the show.

“The intelligent geeks are a young woman with a history of not coping, and a guy you can only describe as unusual; the sort of people most of us avoid at parties. The misunderstandings as they get to know each other, punctuated with a visit by two odd delivery men in the wrong house, will be great entertainment.”

Tim Barcode’s plays have had highly successful runs in Wellington Fringe Festivals in 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001 and his plays have not been performed in Christchurch since 2000. Café Dement and Potted performed in 04 and 03 had sell out seasons and attracted significant critical acclaim and both led to TV interviews.

Melanie Camp is one of Christchurch’s most talented young directors who likes to ensure the audience is entertained and informed, not confused and preached at.

Actors Mary Cronin and Simon Young star in Geeks Bearing Gifts and Mary Cronin says the play will have great appeal, “it’s funny, it’s cute, it’s moving and from an actor’s point of view getting the right balance between affected and whatever normal is, is a challenge.”

Geeks Bearing Gifts is being performed at Space Gallery (1 Bedford Row) on) 17 to 24 December at 7 pm

Tim Barcode
Wrote the Adjudicator which won the 2000 NZ Theatre Federation One Act Play Competition.
2004
- The Real Thing (performed Gryphon Theatre Wellington)
- Café Dement (performed Crank Café Wellington – Highly commended Wellington Fringe Festival)
- Real – Selected by Playmarket for full workshop with a view to production
2003
- Potted (performed in an office in Wellington – Highly Commended in Wellington Fringe Festival)
2002
- Interviews and other lies (performed in a Wellington TV Studio – Overall winner publicity prize Wellington Fringe Festival)
2001
- Gaffe (performed in Circa Theatre Wellington)
1998-2000
- Performed in Chch: The News at Number 6, Gaffe and a range of one act plays.

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