When The Rain Stops Falling

PRESS RELEASE
WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING
By ANDREW BOVELL
Directed by SUSAN WILSON

Opens CIRCA ONE
Saturday 30th July 8pm

“Compelling and fascinating – it unrolls stories to touch all hearts. Don’t miss it.”
– Messenger Press

A fish falls from the sky. It flops at the feet of a man in a threadbare suit. Unusual, given that the man is in Alice Springs, surrounded by desert.

Miraculous, even, because it is 2039 and fish are almost extinct. But the man, Gabriel York, does not believe in miracles. He has more pressing things to think about.

Intriguing from the start, Andrew Bovell’s award- winning drama is powerful storytelling that spans four generations and two continents. It takes us on a fascinating journey that stretches back to ‘50s London before returning to the future, revealing how the voices of the past echo into the lives of the following generations.

The story follows Gabriel Law, as he retraces his father’s footsteps in an attempt to solve the mystery of his disappearance. The only clues to his fate lie in seven recently discovered postcards from Australia, each more cryptic than the last. The final one is postmarked Uluru.

Andrew Bovell is best known for his award winning film Lantana (based on the play Speaking In Tongues), and for co-writing the original screenplay for Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom. Bovell also co-wrote the the screenplay for Edge Of Darkness (2010).

When the Rain Stops Falling was the surprise hit of the 2008 Adelaide Festival and has gone on to win a swathe of awards including a Ruby Award for Best Work, two Adelaide Critics' Circle Awards, the Louis Esson Prize for Drama at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards and the Queensland Premier's Literary Award. It has been performed from London to New York – gaining rave reviews …

“WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING will be etched in my brain forever” – Arts Hub

"Beautiful, profoundly moving drama" - Sunday Telegraph

“Utterly compelling … superb” – Michael Billington, Guardian

“This is theatre of rare intricacy and resonance” - Sydney Morning Herald

“A play of astonishing ambition and emotional power” – Time Out

“Stunning .. words are insufficient, you must see this show to understand how exceptional it is. Once seen it will never be forgotten.” – Adelaide Theatre Guide

WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING
By ANDREW BOVELL
Directed by SUSAN WILSON

Starring
DONNA AKERSTEN, JASON WHYTE, JUDE GIBSON, SOPHIE HAMBLETON, RICHARD CHAPMAN, CHRISTOPHER BROUGHAM, ALISON WALLS.
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Set Design - John Hodgkins; Lighting Design – Marcus McShane; Costume Design - Sheila Horton; Audio Visual Design – Johann Nortge; Music Composition – Gareth Hobbs.

30th JULY – 27th AUGUST
1 Taranaki Street, Wellington

$25 SPECIALS - Friday 29 July – 8pm; Sunday 31 July – 4pm;

AFTER SHOW FORUM – Tuesday 2 August

Performance times: Tuesday & Wednesday - 6.30pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday - 8pm
Sunday - 4pm

Ticket Prices: Adults - $46; Concessions - $38; Friends of Circa - $33
Under 25s - $25; Groups 6+ - $39

BOOKINGS Circa Theatre 1 Taranaki Street, Wellington
Phone 801 7992 www.circa.co.nz

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WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING
BIOGRAPHIES & COMMENTS

ANDREW BOVELL
Playwright

Andrew was born in Australia and writes for both stage and screen. His plays have won numerous awards in Australia including the Victorian Green Room, State Premier’s Awards and the peer-judged AWGIE awards. His film, Lantana (adapted from his stage play Speaking in Tongues), premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2001, screened at several international film festivals and has won numerous awards including Best Screenplay at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards, Best Screenplay Durban International Film Festival, and 5 Film Critics’ Circle of Australia Awards including Best Screenplay.
Andrew co-wrote the screenplay adaptation of Edge of Darkness (with William Monahan), co-wrote the feature film Head On with Ana Kokkinos and Mira Robertson, co-wrote the original screenplay of Strictly Ballroom with Baz Lurhmann and Craig Pearce, and The Book of Revelation with Ana Kokkinos. Andrew’s play Holy Day won the Louis Esson prize for Drama at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and the AWGIE Award for best stage play in 2002. Who’s Afraid of the Working Class, which he co-wrote in 1998, was awarded the major AWGIE Award in 1999 as well as the award for Best Stage Play. It also won the Jill Blewitt Award, the Victorian Green Room Award and the QLD Premier’s Award for Drama.
In 1998 Andrew’s AWGIE award winning play Speaking In Tongues was produced in Sydney and Melbourne and toured Australia. In 2000, the play received its UK premiere at Derby Playhouse before transferring to Hampstead Theatre. This success was mirrored in 2001 at the
Roundabout Theatre in New York, then in 2002 at the Comédie des Champs Elysées, France, and subsequently in over 20 other countries.
His other plays include: Fever, Shades Of Blue, Scenes From A Separation, Like Whiskey On The Breath Of A Drunk You Love, and Distant Lights From Dark Places. The radio adaptation of this play won the Gold Medal for Drama at the New York Radio and Television Festival and the AWGIE Award for Best Radio Adaptation. Work for television includes: The Fisherman’s Wake, nominated for a 1996 AFI award and co-winner of an ATOM Award for best Television drama, Lust, Piccolo Mondo (nominated for both AFI and AWGIE awards) and a telemovie in the Dogwomanseries.

SUSAN WILSON
Director

Susan is known throughout New Zealand for her work as both an actor and a director. She received the ONZM for her Services to Theatre in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2002. In 1981 she won the Feltex Best Actress award for her role as Beryl in the television series Gliding On a role she continued in the sequel TV series - Market Forces.
Susan is a co-founder of Circa Theatre and a current member of the Circa Council. She has directed over 50 productions including the late Robert Lord’s Bert & Maisy, China Wars, Glorious Ruins, and Joyful & Triumphant, the production which gained her the Director of the Year Award at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in 1992. Susan also directed its return season at the State Opera House, its subsequent national tour and the tours to Sydney, Adelaide, and London.
She again received the Director of the Year Award in 1994 for her production of Angels in America, which opened the new Circa on the Waterfront venue. Other plays which she has directed include Dylan Thomas: Nogood Boyo (Wellington & Sydney), Arcadia (Winner of the Circa production of the Year 1995), Travesties, Rutherford (NZ Festival 2000) The Seagull, The Face Maker (NZ Festival 2002), The Cherry Orchard, Death of a Salesman (winner of Director of the Year 2006 at the Chapman Tripp Awards), Uncle Vanya, six Roger Hall pantomimes, Rock ‘n’ Roll, The Clean House, Where Are You My Only One?, Ninety, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, and Circa’s 35th Birthday production, August: Osage County.
DONNA AKERSTEN
Elizabeth Law (older)

“When I read When the Rain Stops Falling, I was delighted…the sun had come out…and I was in it!”

Donna Akersten is well known to Circa audiences. In a career spanning over 40 years she has worked extensively in theatre, film, television and radio in New Zealand, Australia, and has also worked on projects in England and Germany. A recipient of a number of awards for her performances, Donna was honoured in 2002 with the MNZM for her services to acting. In 2010 Donna was seen at Circa in Dead Man’s Cell Phone and The Birthday Boy and featured in the German film for television Das Geheimnis Des Opals.

JUDE GIBSON
Gabrielle York (older)

“I feel so lucky to be a part of this production. It is such a beautifully crafted play, full of depth and resonance. The mystery unravels with a gathering force, creating a cumulative impact, and with a surprising and uplifting ending, makes for a very satisfying night at the theatre.”

Since returning from Auckland where she performed in Silo Theatre’s production of When The Rain Stops Falling, Jude has appeared at Circa in My First Time and The Birthday Boy.
She has just completed a national tour of Dirty Dusting and returns to Circa to reprise her role of Gabrielle in When The Rain Stops Falling.

RICHARD CHAPMAN
Gabriel Law / Andrew Price

“When the Rain Stops Falling immediately grabbed me from the first read. It appeals to my sensibilities as an actor. The cast that Sue has assembled is once again brilliant and everyone brings the play to life expertly. This is a fabulous piece that speaks about the world we live in and is a must see.”

Since graduating from Victoria University in 1997 Richard has been working as an actor and a musician. He is an original member of Open Book theatre company with which he has devised many works. With Open Book he has acted in, directed, written, and composed the music for many successful shows which have garnered critical acclaim both here and in Australia. He has also graced the small and large screen. He was perhaps best known as the lovable rogue Steve who helped promote consumer rights in TV3's Target programme. He was also well known as the short cute one in the 2003 Lion Red commercial. From 2007 he has been the Head of Primary Music at The British School in Tokyo, arranged music for the Tokyo Philharmonic and performed Mozart's Requiem in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Most recently he has been in the Circa productions of August: Osage County and The Lead Wait.

SOPHIE HAMBLETON
Gabrielle York (younger)

I love how every time I read When The Rain Stops Falling I discover something new, almost like a piece of the puzzle is revealed. It is both exciting and challenging. Gabrielle is a fascinating woman, ultimately searching for love, finding it and having it taken from her at a young age.

The 2010 Chapman Tripp award winner for Actress of the Year, Sophie graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2007. Sophie was nominated for most promising female newcomer at the Chapman Tripp Theatre awards in 2008 for her role in The Little Dog Laughed at Downstage Theatre and again in 2009 for her role in Rock n Roll at Circa Theatre. 2010 saw her perform in Site Specific Theatre NZ show SALON which she helped devise for the Wellington Fringe Festival and KATYDID by Lucy O’Brien. Film credits include Second Hand Wedding and Home by Christmas and the tele-feature RAGE to be released late 2011.

JASON WHYTE
Henry Law / Gabriel York

“I love everything about this play - the writing, the themes and the style. It’s a beautifully complex piece, and I love the nature v nurture elements within the play. This production will resonate with all those who have been or are in a family. And as this play underlines –that is everybody.”

Jason has an extensive list of theatre and film credits to his name.
Most recent work includes The Lead Wait (Circa), August: Osage County (Circa), Apollo 13 Mission Control (International Arts Festival, Downstage, Australian tour – Sydney, Perth Brisbane), On The Rocks (Court), Second Hand Wedding (film), Apollo 13 Mission Control (Bats), Until Proven Innocent (TV), Mammals (Circa), Avatar (Film), The American Pilot (Circa), The Singularity (Bats), Shining City (Circa Two), Pig Hunt (Bats), Fat Pig (Circa), Death of a Salesman (Circa) and The Tutor (Circa), for which he won an Outstanding Performance Accolade at the Chapman Tripp Awards 2006. Other theatre credits include The Mercy Seat (Circa), Clockwork Orange (AK05), The Shape of Things (Circa & Court Theatre), Goldie (Auckland Theatre Co), The Collective (Bats), Gunsmoke, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mojo, Time of my Life and Beautiful Thing (all Circa).
Jason’s screen credits also include The Insider’s Guide to Happiness (TV2) – winning Best Supporting Actor at the Screen Directors’ Guild Awards, and Kombi Nation (feature film).

CHRISTOPHER BROUGHAM
Joe Ryan

“This is an absorbing and beautifully crafted script - it's mesmerizing, and the rewards for an audience are immense. I have no idea how Bovell manages to make you laugh so much, but laughs are there in doses.”

Christopher Brougham has been working in film, theatre and television for the past 20 years, and is best known for his major guest appearance as Robbie in Shortland Street. He has trained in both acting for film and improvisation and in 2001 he won the Chapman Tripp Theatre Award for Best Newcomer for his role in Vick’s Boy, and in 2009 won Best Supporting Actor playing Charles Darwin’s assistant in Collapsing Creation. 2010 saw him win two more awards for work at Circa in Dead Man's Cell Phone and Me & Robert McKee. Most recently he has been touring nationally with the play The Underarm, and appeared in August: Osage County at Circa. Christopher is also a photographer and has recently completed a Masters in Scriptwriting at Victoria University.

ALISON WALLS
Elizabeth Law (younger)

“This is such a beautiful play. It has great depth, and also surprising moments of humour and tenderness. Elizabeth is a smart and passionate woman, and it is particularly interesting to be working on the younger version of a character alongside the woman she will eventually become.”

Alison studied French and Theatre at Victoria University before going on to complete a Master of Fine Arts at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She most recently appeared as Anna in Imaginary Bees' production of CLOSER. She is a founding member of Words on Trees Cooperative with whom she had great fun playing Tricia in Dog Sees God and directing Fuddy Meers, both at BATS Theatre. Alison is thrilled to be making her Circa debut. Unlike Elizabeth, she finds food quite interesting indeed.

ENDS

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