Astute Comedy Offers Glimpse Of A Not-too-distant Future

Brand-new play The Made by internationally acclaimed writer Emily Perkins is set to open at ASB Waterfront Theatre next month - with robots.

Commissioned by Auckland Theatre Company after her explosive re-imagining of A Doll’s House in 2015, in her latest work, award-winning New Zealand author Emily Perkins MNZM (Novel About My Wife, Not Her Real Name and Other Stories, The Forrests) explores artificial intelligence (AI) and the ethical quandaries and issues this technology could bring for humanity.

If Dr Frankenstein were a 21st Century woman, what would she create? A story of a brilliant obsessive scientist, Alice, and the power struggles within her family, her career, her industry, and ultimately with her creation; The Made.

Alice, played by experienced Kiwi actress Alison Bruce (Power of the Dog, One Lane Bridge, Nell Gwynn) is a wonderfully flawed, imperfect woman in mid-life who is trying to create the perfect humanoid robot, complete with advanced emotional capabilities.

With one of New Zealand’s most distinguished directors Colin McColl ONZM (The Life of Galileo, Two Ladies, Winding Up) at the helm, audiences will be transported to a strangely familiar near-future in The Made, where service robots are commonplace.

McColl says, “After a few years in development, I'm really looking forward to bringing Emily Perkins’ clever new play to the stage. Although she's best known as a novelist, Emily trained as an actor and has an innate sense of the theatrical. Alice's Adventures into Robotland are fraught with challenges and hilarious outcomes. It’s funny, it’s timely, and God knows it’s only around the corner.”

Perfect cyborg sexbot, Arie, is played by multi-skilled performer Hannah Tasker-Poland (The Most Naked, Cabaret, Chicago), bringing her acclaimed talent in movement to the fore, portraying Alice’s ultimate domestic AI creation.

Joining Alison Bruce and Hannah Tasker-Poland in the stellar cast is Bronwyn Bradley (The Justice of Bunny King, Sweet Tooth, The Good Soul of Szechuan), Peter Daube (Merchant of Venice, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Brokenwood Mysteries), Joe Dekkers-Reihana (Disrupt, The Cherry Orchard, Shortland Street), Adam Gardiner (Juniper, Mystic, The Audience), Kalyani Nagarajan (Mrs Krishnan’s Party, The Master Builder, A Fine Balance), Murdoch Keane (The Brokenwood Mysteries, As you Like it, Lord of the Flies), and an ensemble of robots.

Colin McColl has assembled an outstanding team of creatives, with Scenographer Dr Dorita Hannah (Island Icarus, 1000 Lovers, One Breath Away from Mother Oceania), Lighting & AV Designers Rachel Marlow (Scenes from a Yellow Peril, Black Lover, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt) & Brad Gledhill (Scenes from a Yellow Peril, Kings of the Gym, Little Shop of Horrors) of Filament Eleven 11, Costume Designer Nic Smillie (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Filthy Business, The Insider’s Guide to Happiness), Sound Designer Eden Mulholland (The Navigators, The Haka Party Incident, Red Speedo) and Hannah Tasker-Poland also as Movement Advisor.

Abundant with wit, intelligence and humour from one of New Zealand’s shining literary stars, The Made makes its worldwide debut at ASB Waterfront Theatre this September.

“How we treat her is who we are” – The Made

Tickets on sale now.

THE MADE by Emily Perkins

A new commission by Auckland Theatre Company.

ASB Waterfront Theatre

Wynyard Quarter, Auckland

20 September – 8 October 2022

Tickets and info www.atc.co.nz 0800 ATC TIX

Advisory: Contains strong language and sexual content.

MEDIA CONTACT: For media information, images and interviews, please contact Vanessa Preston, PR Manager, Auckland Theatre Company: vanessa@atc.co.nz or ph: +64 21 217 3452

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/wUAAdm6WjX0

IMAGES: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vQW24CfKWQAJUwDzD-gBhgXcsIRLBYOz?usp=sharing

CAST:

Alice: Alison Bruce

Arie: Hannah Tasker-Poland

Nanny Ann: Bronwyn Bradley

David: Peter Daube

Director: Adam Gardiner

John: Joe Dekkers-Reihana

The Advisor: Kalyani Nagarajan

Sam: Murdoch Keane

Mother voice over: Catherine Wilkin

CREATIVE TEAM:

Writer: Emily Perkins

Director: Colin McColl

Dramaturg: Philippa Campbell

Scenographer: Dorita Hannah

Lighting & AV Design: Rachel Marlow & Brad Gledhill of Filament Eleven 11

Costume Design: Nic Smillie

Sound Design: Eden Mulholland

Movement Advisor: Hannah Tasker-Poland

Notes to the Editor:

About Emily Perkins

About Auckland Theatre Company

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