Promise and Promiscuity – June/July National Tour

For immediate release

Promise and Promiscuity – Breeches, Bonnets and Balls – AOTNZ tour 3 June–12 July

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in possession of a theatre script…must be in want of an audience. Charmingly accomplished Penny Ashton (Hot Pink Bits, Good Morning, Heartland Kiwi Gold) mashes up the Beethoven, bonnets and big balls …with alacrity.

Follow the fortunes of Miss Elspeth Slowtree as she battles literary snobbery, her mother’s nerves and Cousin Horatio, all armed with superior wit, blushing countenance and generally being quite bright, you know…for a girl. Balls will be attended, crosses will be stitched and manners will be minded, all with not one ankle in sight.

Miss Ashton has stolen Miss Austen’s best lines to bring this musical to life with an authentic twist. As Elizabeth Bennett herself says: “Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can.”

Featuring classical music reworked by Robbie Ellis and lyrics by Ashton, Promise and Promiscuity delivers Penny Ashton unchaperoned to the provinces......quite frankly, it’s promiscuous.

“…in the hands of Misses Ashton and Austen, this is an ‘attractive ball’ of a show.” - NZ Herald

“Promise and Promiscuity, as a self-penned poke at Pride and Prejudice, is the perfect vehicle for an actress at the height of her power, for Penny Ashton is a virtuosa of rare skill…..a treat not to be missed.” – Robert Gilbert, Theatreview

“…a textbook example of how to do a great one woman show.” CBC

“… will please both Janeites and Jane-whos?” Winnipeg Free Press

Penny Ashton bio and itinerary below.

For more information contact
Diana Moir, AOTNZ media publicist, 03 355 2691, 021 126 5738, dhmoir@xtra.co.nz
Steve Thomas, Arts On Tour NZ Trust, aotnz@xtra.co.nz or www.aotnz.co.nz
Penny Ashton, 027 2966883, penny@hotpink.co.nz ,www.hotpink.co.nz

Penny Ashton

Making a splash on the world stage for the past decade, New Zealand’s own global comedienne has sold out shows from Edinburgh to Adelaide, and from Tokoroa to Oamaru. She has performed by invitation at the Glastonbury Festival, at the World Cup of Theatresports in Germany, represented NZ in a Poetry Slam tour of UK, featured in a New York Poetry Club and won Best Performance by an International Poet at the London Farrago Poetry Awards. Penny recently discovered she is related to Jane Austen’s rumoured flirtation, Thomas Langlois Lefroy. She is his 5th Great Niece!

Winner: Best performance In a Comedy, Auckland Fringe/Patron's Pick, Winnipeg Fringe/Best Female Solo Show, Victoria Fringe (BC), four NZ Female Comedienne nominations, three Adelaide Fringe People's Choice nominations… …

Itinerary

Tuesday 3 June 7.30pm Otamatea
Repertory Theatre
$30 Adult, Student/Gold card $15
Book: www.ort.org.nz and door sales

Wednesday 4 June 7pm Kaikohe
RSA
$20 pre-paid, $25 door sales
Book: Passion8 or Hidden Treasures

Thursday 5 June 7.30pm Kerikeri
The Turner Centre
$30 adults; $20 Senior citizens/students (18 and under) Groups 6+
Book: www.turnercentre.co.nz or 09 407 0260

Friday 6 June 7.30pm Whangarei
The Riverbank Centre, Reyburn House Lane
$25 Adult
Book: www.whangareitheatrecompany.org.nz and Whangarei Suit Hire

Saturday 7 June 8pm Onewhero
OSPA Theatre
Hall Rd
$20 Book: River Traders Tuakau

Tuesday 10 June 8pm Karamea
Last Resort
Pre-sales $17 Door sales $20
Book: Karamea Information Resource Centre

Wednesday 11 June 7pm Reefton
Community Theatre
$20 Book: 03 732 8542

Thursday 12 June 8pm Takaka
The Mussel Inn, Onekaka
$15 Book: The Mussel Inn

Friday 13 June 8pm Mapua
The Playhouse Café
$20
Book: Playhouse Café and Everyman records

Saturday 14 June 7.30pm Hokitika
Old Lodge Theatre, Revell St
$20 Book: Hokitika Regent Theatre

Tuesday 17 June 7.30pm Alexandra
The Cellar Door
$20
Book: The Alexandra Information Centre

Wednesday 18 June 7.30pm Ranfurly
Arts Centre, Reade St
$25 Book: Ranfurly Information Centre

Thursday 19 June 7pm Arrowtown
Athenaeum Hall
$20 Book: Lakes District Museum

Friday 20 June 7.30pm Gore
The Little Theatre
$25/$20 (Snr/student) plus Booking fee

Saturday 21 June7.30pm Invercargill
SIT Centrestage Theatre, Don St
$25/$20/$5
Book: Ticketdirect or Cue TV

Monday 23 June 7.30pm Stewart Island
Community Centre
$20 Tickets at door

Tuesday 24 June Mosgiel
Firestation Theatre
$25 book: www.iticket.co.nz
Dunedin Goldsmith and Paper Plus Mosgiel

Wednesday 25 June 7.30pm Geraldine
The Lodge Theatre, Talbot St
$22
Book: Tresjoli Giftware

Thursday 26 June 8pm Akaroa
Boatsheds
$18
Book: Akaroa Museum or Stacey Naish 03 304 7071

Saturday 28 June 8pm Upper Hutt
Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre
Adult $20; Friends $18
Book: www.expressions.org.nz 04 527 2168

Sunday 29 June 7.30pm Hastings
Central Hawke’s Bay Municipal Theatre
$25 Adults; $20 concessions and groups 8+ (Booking fees apply)
Book: www.ticketdirect.co.nz

Tuesday 1 July 7.30pm Gisborne
Dome Room
$25
Book: The Aviary at Poverty Bay Club

Wednesday 2 July 7.30pm Paeroa
Little Theatre
$20 Book: Arkwrights Antiques

Thursday 3 July 7pm Tauranga
Tauranga Art Gallery
$25 General; Friends of the Gallery and Students $20
Book: Tauranga Art Gallery

Friday 4 July 7.30pm Hamilton
Playhouse Theatre
Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, University of Waikato
$28; Seniors and unwaged $22; Students $10
Subscription ticket x 3 shows $60
Book; www.ticketek.com; 0800 TICKETEK; Academy Box office

Saturday 5 July 7pm Whitianga
Town Hall
$15
Book: Whitianga Paper Plus

Wednesday 9 July 7.30pm Coromandel
Kauaeranga Hall
$20
Book: Text 021 078 8675 or phone 07 868 9767

Thursday 10 July 7.30pm Tokoroa
Tokoroa Little Theatre
$20
Book: Tokoroa Clothing Company 07 886 8488

Friday 11 June 7.30pm Hawera
TSB Hub
$25
Book: South Taranaki i-Site Visitor Centre 06 278 8599

Saturday 12 July 7.30pm New Plymouth
Theatre Royal,TSB Showplace
Theatre seat $25; Table seat $30; Table of 8 $200
Book: TSB Showplace Box office; 0800 111 999; wwwticketmaster.co.nz

About Arts On Tour New Zealand

AOTNZ organises tours of outstanding New Zealand performers to rural and smaller centres in New Zealand. The trust receives funding from Creative New Zealand as well as support from Interislander and liaises with local arts councils, repertory theatres and community groups to bring the best of musical and other talent to country districts. The AOTNZ programme is environmentally sustainable – artists travel to audiences so that that small town and country dwellers can enjoy high quality entertainment on their home patch. www.aotnz.co.nz

© Scoop Media